My mantra in this regard is something I read years ago. "Part of being an adult is not feeling shame in what you enjoy." I am more than happy to always talk to anyone who is willing to listen about my hobbies. And if anyone ever thinks poorly of me because of my chosen passions then it's their problem and no skin off my back.
I’m a machinist and the guys I work with are “guys” guys. They’re hunters, gun collectors etc.so it took me a while to spill it that I collect a Transformers. I usually use the “value” aspect as an excuse. Surprisingly, I haven’t really received any flak for it. In fact, a couple of guys have told me they still have old toys from back in the day still packed away in old boxes and have come to me asking if I could help them price them. Lol
I collect toys and guns (I don't like to call it collecting for guns, but if I'm being serious with myself, that's basically what it is at this point).
I'm 29 ....from the hood....and everyone in the hood knows I collect action figures.... infact I inspired other people to do so...it's all about the confidence.
Great topic! When I was young, I used to feel fairly closeted about my collecting habits but like most age has changed that. Now at 44, I really look at the non-collecting people in my circles as the boring weirdos.
Yep, my nephew is big into Transformers as his Dad is a big fan, but doesn't really collect. He got a G2 CW Bruticus Set that he loved, which was awesome to hear!
Im 44 years old Only the family knows. Its just for me. Sometimes i sell stuff online and then some other 40 year old comes to pick it up and then i show them and we talk.
I’m in my 40s, husband and father and business owner.... I stopped caring what folks think for many years now. 😁 Collecting transformers is a past time that I let folks know without second thought. I even tell folks about my UA-cam channel😁 also a former 40k player... Transformers (even 3P) is more affordable 😁 My wife even tells her coworkers of my channel and their husbands subscribes😃
I'm retired military and it created a very thick skin that peoples impressions of me dont matter. They can take it or leave it. I dont feel shame for it. I will say after getting my divorce it is harder to find women that are more excepting of my collecting hobby. I will say that I have a geek side and I tell them what I collect and they always try to say oh thats cute you are kind of a nerd, until they see my collection. It isnt all hap-hazardly displayed and is tasteful. It also only stays in my home office and doesnt migrate to other parts of the house. They just didnt expect a collection of my size. They will also always jump to that I'm immature for having a collection like I do. I'm just like see-ya then. I don't have the time or effort to appease everyone. Im a single dad with very limited time with all the activities I do with my kids. I would rather have a hobby like this that my kids also like to participate in then ditching my kids to go party, boozing it up. I have a lot of friends though that will come up to me or reach out to me for pop-culture questions though. Star Wars, Transformers, 80's Movies/Music. My closest friends have never looked down on me for my collection. They always ask about it. It is nice finding people that have the same interests and you can have at length conversations about these things, but it seems those are really hard to come by.
My gf and I are both artists, collect art and collect "toys" and just lump them in with the art we collect because we see this stuff as art. We don't have the stereotypical "look" people tend to imagine collectors of this stuff have(which most collectors dont) so they're always surprised but are usually genuinely impressed by the stuff when they see it for the first time. Statues, hot toys, great looking mp's, mezco stuff, etc always illicit some sort of impressed response but most of our friends and acquaintances are fellow musicians, painters, sculptors, etc or customers commissioning work and even those that aren't don't judge because we don't leave room for judgement. If you're really shy and/or insecure about the stuff you love people will pick up on that energy and if they're an asshole they will be as weird about it as the vibe youre putting out there. also forgot to mention that we've turned several friends on to collecting, none on transformers yet, but some lower cost stuff like necas horror figures, mid range like some pak stuff and higher cost things like hot toys and statues.
The biggest problem is no matter how you spin it, people still see them as just toys. But Drift was $300 I tell them. Oh wow, so you spent $300 on a toy?? Price, materials, engineering... nothing matters. To them they're still toys.
@@notgray88 I look at it like this. Everybody has a vice whether they admit it or not. You make ur money. As long as monetary responsibilities are taken care of, whatever is left over you do with as you please. I'd rather be home taking 2hrs to put together maketoys guardia and have something to show for it at the end then be pissed I missed the over by 1 pt.
I feel ashamed of my collection because I have noone to share it with (irl), I live in France and in here people know the movies, some know about Animated but that's it. Noone is interested and seeing how I started collecting as a child my mom saw me and reallyyyy ashamed me about it. . . But I want to be proud of it, I am proud of it, but people don't understand that so it's still shamefull in this way.
I'm 30 and I never hid it, never needed to. I got the Asian card. People just assume were all into anime and collectibles. Of course I don't actively talk about it if nobody ask because why would I bore them with something they don't care about when I don't want people boring me with shit I don't care about as well.
4 dummies is by far my favorite "collecting content" to watch! As someone who is extremely private about collecting I enjoy hearing all the individual perspectives you share. Hope you continue to make this podcast forever!
i dont have friends so that makes it easier. most of my coworkers suck and arent worth talking to, and im sure the feelings mutual. besides, its a secret; never teach the wu-tang.
Actually your videos have helped me alot with my confidence issue on this. I've realised it's not about being extreme with being 'proud and loud' or being super embarrassed but just being comfortable about it. Most videos are just on the figures but you expanding alot on the whole concept of collecting has helped alot. So thank you.
My office at work is decked out with figures and posters. When my coworkers come in my office I'm pretty chill, sometimes I'll get nice remarks about something new or whatever. When there's a client in the building I tend to make myself more available outside my office with my door more closed lol. I think it just stems from me knowing just how brutal people can be when it comes to enjoying something they just don't get. My best friend would "jokingly" call me an idiot on a regular basis and say "hey, are you buying more things just to look at? Lets look at them sometime". It annoyed me hardcore but he also loved watching people eat extremely old canned food on UA-cam. To each their own.
I'm in closet about my TF collection because I'm in high school and teenagers are jerks. The movies too, I wear a g1 soundwave shirt and my friend told me the movies suck. I agree. It is just annoying. Edit: Most people know I'm into it but not know about my collection as it doesn't come up in coversation.
Yeah, high school sucks. Sometimes kids are doing it to be mean and other times its just friendly poking at each other. Then you go to college/university and are more likely to find people with the same interests.
@@luchajon8480 It really just never comes off and I don't talk about it. People only know I like transformers because I'm on tfw2005 during studyhalls.
Strangely enough I recently reluctantly told this girl I've been dating the past few months about my tf collecting hobby and she was all for it. She even journeyed with me all the way to flushing queens to acquire the now discontinued spark toys spartacus.
I'm in the same camp as Jisk, where I don't really tell people ANYTHING about me. So that being the case, I'm actually more ashamed of revealing my collecting than I normally would be, because that would then become THE thing people know about me.
When I first started getting back into collecting about 5 years ago I was just turning 40. I remember watching your channel and thinking wow, here's a normal guy like myself, same passions, same thought process etc. It really made me proud of being a collector, knowing there were a bunch of cool guys like doing the same thing
I’m 17 right now. When I get into a zoom call my teachers or councilors often notice my figures on a shelf in the back and think it’s the coolest thing. It does help though that many of them are older and know of the G1 stuff. I even learned that my english teacher collects Playmobil.
My coworker was the one who got me back into collecting. I had stopped collecting and nerding back in HS. Now I will be 47 next month and don't care what anyone thinks. There are worse ways to spend your time and money. Trust me, I know of these people.
Thanks for putting this video up! I can relate. I'm in my late 40's and I keep my collecting in the dark. My G.I.JOE, TRANSFORMERS collections are insane! A close friend of mine who shared the love of toys quit a couple of years ago which was sad. My son digs it, thats cool. The girlfriend laughs and pokes fun telling me to grow up 🤣
Oh god, this made me laugh a lot. I like to think I'm pretty comfortable with myself and my interests, but there was a lot of this I just cannot deny I strongly related with! Good work Bobby and team x
Really feel like hunting and fishing isn't practical? I think having the skill and being able to get food on the table at a very low cost or god forbid food shortages is extremely practical probably the second most practical thing to owning a firearm.
The reason collecting “toys” induces feelings of shame is because we know the perception when it’s not explained. If we have a hobby that needs a justification to overcome a social norm stereotype, there is a stress response when someone discovers that aspect of our lives either out of context or that we aren’t confident they will feel comfortable after context is applied. This was so cool to listen to because I didn’t realize some of the things I was doing. I will tell people about 40k WAY before I will Transformers or M.A.S.K.; but I always tell people about the painting and then show off pictures of some of my favorite pieces. Playing with toys is for children; but detailing miniatures is an adult artist’s work. If I do talk about the game it’s usually framed through Risk, Axis&Allies, etc. first so people understand it’s a very “high level” exercise in strategy and not just pew pew hiss waaaugh! Yesterday I met someone who is a D&D player and we connected about RPGs and board games...yet I still felt hesitant to mention collecting Transformers. There’s no easily understandable rational. You don’t really interact with a collection in an obviously acceptable adult way...even to fellow nerds. Fascinating. This is a fun train of thought. Really enjoyed this 4 Dummies.
Great topic and interesting discussion! Quote from C.S. Lewis: ‘When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.’
I'm completely open about it. I'll freely admit and tell people 'I'm a geeky Transformers collector'. Most people say ah that's cool but when they see the room or my Instagram page they really like it. If someone comes to my house and I show them the room I always say as we walk in 'and this is why I'm single' to make a bit of a joke of it. I also look at this and am proud I have a passion and a hobby. I have quite an active social life and there's not many people that don't know about it. I also think I could be sitting in a bar wasting all my money on alcohol and other things so I like to think of this as a good thing to spend m money on. And, at the end of the day I love it, I have met LOADS of new people in this community, I enjoy watching and listening to all the shows related to it so I'm all for being proud of it.
Yea as a senior in high school it's kinda hard to say I collect transformer figures "due to me collecting CHUG/SIEGE" but most ppl kinda find it cool but one thing I'm ashamed of is saying I build model kits of anime Mecha cuz wen someone here's anime I'm already a degenerate. Love these videos Bobby boi 🖤
You sound a bit like did when I was younger. If anime and Tf is your thing, just try to feel people out. I have found friends because of my hobbies not in spite of.
This is kind of disheartening to hear. Before I joined the Realm of Collectors I was ashamed of who I was. I bought into the stereotype that I was just a basement dwelling loser with a childish hobby. I let people put me down because of the things I loved and the things I loved to collect. Joining the Realm of Collectors I saw that completely normal, amazing and cool people collect and display their passions. I didn't feel sub-human anymore and no one puts me down because of what I like.
This was a great topic. I had (still have to some degree) the shame. I got comfortable enough with it that I started bringing my toys and collectibles to work, to the point of displaying my 1/6 scale Hot Toys Delorean and Marty McFly on a shelf so that all my pharmacy patients could see them when they came up to the counter and I got sooooo many positive comments, remarks and feedback for having those up there. My only rule was no one was allowed to ask me how much I spent on them.
I'm 43 and just got into collecting Masterpiece Transformers. I really am not ashamed of it at all but I don't open up to too many people about my interests at work. But, anytime my wife brings over a friend I've got to show them off, much to her chagrine. By the way, thanks for keeping me entertained and informed.
As proud af. Hiding it is way worse in the long run. I find that people like you more if you are honest and confident. Hiding stuff shows lack of confidence.
I told a couple coworkers about still having and playing with Transformers. One of the convos got goofy and he thought I meant Transvestites ha ha. Some of my coworkers play games and like stuff like Yu gi oh,along with the contemporary stuff like Game of Thrones and the Avengers,etc. Like alot of people though I keep to myself about everything, at least at work. Dont really even play the music I love too much,because of possible misunderstandings. Different people have different things to be ashamed of. I'm a proud Transformer collector though. Watching Thew get excited over Transformers or seeing Deluxe have floor time,I feel I'm in good company. I assume none of the other reviewers have many hangups. This was a good 4 dummies. Cant wait for FT Sheridan to come out and have you review it,Skullface.
WTF. I’m very opened about being a transformers collector. I watch old G1 Transformers episodes on Tubi on my phone, doesn’t matter who’s around, co-workers, friends or family. My issue is finding someone who’s just as into it as I am. Listen, I wear the Autobot symbol on my bulletproof vest, yes I’m in law enforcement. The majority of the people I draw are fans of the Michael Bey TF movies😝.
Awesome conversation. I had a hard time being open about it as well, but now I'm wearing my TFNation band openly at work and explain to whoever wants to know. I have the same problem with admitting to do vocals in a death metal bands. Folks just look at your differently because they don't know shit about. But if you want people to let go of prejudices, you gotta explain it to em. Not explain yourself or justify yourself but just clear the smoke and create some understanding for "outsiders ".
@supa, I’m Not in the band, i Just know them. But There a good solid band with some brutal riffs and beats. Their gitarist plays on stage with a decepticon t-shirt a lot 😉 But If Your into Dutch Metal check out Souldust, or Offerblok on Spotify (No death metal, But groovy trash). If you like the real heavy stuff, check out Rompeprop (grindcore). Cheers 😎
I'm not a collector, but I do have pieces that are nostalgic and inspiring on display throughout my Man Cave...some Voltron figures, a couple Transformers, a few Funko Pops, football helmets, etc... I used to be self-conscious about it, but then I realized that EVERYONE has SOMETHING that they are into!!! My wife collects teacups...TEACUPS!!! She says that she can use them for tea parties. How many tea parties has she had?? She LOVES her dishes!!!! It's ridiculous to me, but my "collection" is equally ridiculous to her. So, we just accept it...no judgement...maybe an occasional eye roll, but it's all good. As long as people enjoy it, why not?!!
I don't exactly lead with it when getting to know new people, but eventually it comes out, usually organically, and I never hide it. It's a lot more socially acceptable than it used to be, but even when it wasn't, I never hid it. Long-term friends and family all know it as part of my identity. I've never stopped being a fan and collector since the beginning. As I like to say, "Hardcore since '84!"
Holy crap. People hide their collecting ?? I wear collecting proudly. I can’t wait to invite new people into my house to show off my collectibles. It never even occurred to me that anybody would look down on it. Collecting is awesome.
For me I've been ridiculed my entire life for my geekery and it's hard to let people in. And I beleve that people who don't collect won't understand because I've routinely experienced that lack of understanding.
Great talk Skully and Cast. 👏 Definitely a good table talk. I feel that the toys I grew up with shaped my profession. Also when coworkers ask what I collect I casually say Robots 🤖.
Totes agree that Transformers currently lacks positive *popular* media. Most people i talk transformers with try to relate it to their own love for other media in the best case or in the worst case, probably think I'm a unthinking juvenile for liking the live action movies. Although I'm proud to admit to being a Transfan first and foremost, I've connected with significantly more new people by talking about anime or star wars.
Wanted to name my oldest Megaman. When she came out, I didnt even consider Megan-Ann would work. Middle child is named after Angel/Archangel from X-Men. Third was supposed to be named Anakin, but I had to abandon that for my own personal health. Instead we named him after our favorite shared alcohol.
I think because my collecting coincided with me starting to customize, it has really never been an issue for me. I guess customizing TFs, and doing it fairly well, is a creative avenue that takes some skill so that outweighs the "fear" of being embarrassed that I also have a pretty extensive, almost complete collection of Has\Tak and 3rd party TFs.
I’ve been into collecting the same stuff you all have from the time I was 3 or 4 years old. I still collect most of the stuff plus some now. I have never shied away from telling people what I do for fun (and I still play 40k,lol). In my Twenties I was working at the local school board in accounting. Everyone else had a shelf with pictures of their family or pets, I had a rotating display of Star Wars, Comic and Transformers Toys on my shelf. No ever gave me flak, in fact a lot of people told me it was great that I was willing to put “myself” on display like that. Any body who is going to judge me by what I do isn’t someone I need to be friends with. The only two people I really care what they think of me are my nieces, and they are into the same stuff I am.
I'm a 41 year old action figure collector and I'm collecting action figures since I was 5, I love comic books, animation, gaming, etc and I never liked sports. I was the biggest geek/nerd every where I went and I wore that with proud, it was even a big presentation card for me. I was also very popular, very successful with the opposite sex and I never had to hide my geekyness/nerdness from any one. I think it all depends on your personality, on how strong it is, if you don't play by any one rules and you dictate your own without fear of being judge and at the same time without judging every one else, you have nothing to be ashamed of. As long as you're happy with yourself and you like who you are, every one can either like you or go F#$%& themselves.
I used to be similar, until I stopped giving a crap what other people thought. When I tell someone I collect Transformers and how many I have, there are three responses in descending order: 1) That's awesome man! I used to love those, I wish I had kept them. 2) Cool, I bet they're going to be worth something someday. 3) Oh yeah? Right on. No one has ever made me feel shitty for it (not that they could) or called me out for it. Then again, at 35 a lot of my peers grew up with the same childhood as me and totally "get it". Wear it like a badge, you have thousands of dollars of wicked stuff at home, that's bad ass! Only shame I have is thinking how many vacations I could have taken or how much work I could have put into my cars with the money I spend.
always makes me laugh when people see my collection, they instantly go into "humoring me" mode, and ask me if i made them all myself, as though theyre model kits and that might justify an adult buying toys. i hate it when people feign interest
im 43 i love it so much i dont care who knows matter of fact i tell everybody whom i have a 10 minute conversation with i am proud of all my collections and i even have a youtube channel about it ! haha awesome !!! no shame in my game
It's interesting to hear people are self conscious about this. I have my shit out everywhere in my house, a lot of people are generally interested about portions of it. I guess it just comes down to the fact that I really dgaf what people think, since it makes me happy.
For better or for worse, my collection is in full view the moment you walk into my place. Most people seem genuinely interested or understanding and will usually have questions, which I'm more than happy to provide answers to.
I don't really share that I collect TFs with no one UNLESS someone brings the "hobby/collecting" topic then I say something otherwise I just keep it to myself. Great topic guys and I bet some of us related to the character in the movie "The 40 year virgin" well I did LoL !
I think there should be a little bit of shame in FEELING ANY shame at all about being an adult who collects toys. The world would be a better and more peaceful and more prosperous place with more people like us!!
I am 44 workout vigorously and at 220 lbs I have huge muscles and I have been collecting transformers toys since I was a like 20 people all know and since I discovered masterpiece and 3rd party I have renewed my love for this hobby i come from a poor background so for me being able to buy these joys now feels more of a sign of life quality improvement and also I feel the biggest problem today is too many try to in some way get rid of the child inside which I think kills off sympathy creativity and empathy take it from someone who didn’t have much of a childhood ur child side is important to being a complete adult hold on and embrace ur kid side it keeps u centered
I’m usually pretty open but now i just bought an official MP soundwave I haven’t told anyone because I’m afraid they’ll give me this look that just says “did you just say you spent 150 dollars for a piece of plastic” and it just scares me to say I collect toys so I just say I’m a plastic enthusiast
Wife loved the Warhammer story and can relate. I sprang my collection on her in the car on our third date. She still laughs at me for this. It was like some sort of dark secret, but it’s a critical piece of my personality. It helps being a attorney and seeing the people who made fun in court. My wife and I argue about baby names all the time. I want our boy to be Conner, but he can’t be named after a highlander.
Hobbies are personal and you're free to enjoy them however you want, if you want to keep that hobby private that doesn't automatically mean you're ashamed, some folk just don't need to announce to the world every single thing they do.
In the beginning I wouldn’t tell people. But, as I got older and my collection got bigger I stop caring what people think anymore I have no shame anymore. I do fear that somebody may want to take my collection ( a little bit paranoid)
I collect Transformers is what I tell people. I tell them I collect what I like and what I can afford. Most times I get the what's your most expensive piece. Where I stop them and ask, in which series. The G1 Liokaiser complete was near $700 at the time. Then you got Feral Rex and the Fanstoys Dinobots that ate up a lot of money.
My friends all look at me like I'm a nut for collecting nerd stuff. That's what drove me online, to this channel and to the groups. I'm close to 40, still feel like I have to keep nerdom a secret since that's how we grew up, so maybe it's just the age range I run with. No one I know gets it. Also I'm changing hobbies to graffiti thanks to 2:42
i am a 44yrs old comic book artist that has had 3 strokes (1mild, 2 really bad), but i started collected TF after i had a stroke. But being a avid toy collector and just a solid TF and 3rd party all started in order to keep my brain from going to a negative place and thoughts of suicide. And when i i lost use of one of my hands, the engineering helped me get the use of my hands. Now my wife hunts down really well engineered bots to help with my rehab. So now i get to celebrate my collecting and not be ashamed of buying them. So any recommendations on any bots?
I happily tell people about my passion for collecting and it's definitely driven by nostalgia. However my collection is kept in one room in the house, not spread throughout the house.
When I was a freshmen in high school I would carry my music label soundwave with me and jam out everyone asked questions about him It was cool :) I had an Optimus prime messengers bag and a g1 bumblebee keychain I would wear my junior and senior years lmao I fought a lot with my parents about my interest specially when they became extremely religious so the shame that most people would feel went away I felt I fought too hard with them just to be ashamed by what others thought Talking about it with enthusiasm and a sense of humor helped My first girlfriend actually would take some with her to school and fidget with them I love my hobbies and I’m lucky to have never really experienced anything negative because of them so that’s my experience with it
The worst is when someone comes over, see the display and start price tagging in there head then talk about you behind your back (in-laws). What's funny though is that a father brought his daughters over for my girls Birthday party, seen the collection and low key said I have g1 Megatron at home. Gave him dap and was like "my ninja" lol.
Interesting talk about the movies. As a Transformers fan I was always concerned about those movies because they are going to misrepresent Transformers to the public at large.
I feel sad that Robert D has never had that OMG moment with someone that has seen your toys. It happens all the time. Guys that deliver stuff to my house, people I work with, even the owner of my company is down with it. Dude that delivered my dishwasher even asked my wife if he could take photos of the display I have going on. What people think about you is their problem and none of your business. Be proud about what makes you happy and enjoy it because you can't take it with you when you die.
I’m completely open about it. I volunteer the info openly if someone asks “what are you into” and don’t feel the slightest amount of shame if I’m met with confusion or a lack of understanding. I’ve met many many people who are collectors this way including some people I work with (a Barbie collector, a Hot wheels collector and even another who’s into TF’s). I think that collectors are starting to lose the negative branding similar to how gamers largely have. Be geek, be proud.
I’m just about 100% open about my collecting hobbies. It’s what I love and part of who I am. What I want to know is....what the hell are all of the “normal” people into!?! Sports? Investing in the stock market? Buying and selling property? I can do all that mundane stuff and still collect!
Awesome conversation. I could careless what other people think about what I like. I'm a private person, but if they are going to judge me. I don't have time for it. I'm getting older and don't have time for that petty stuff. You ether like me for who I am as a person or you don't.
I too am cautious when discussing my collection which mainly consists of MP figures (Has/Tak and 3P), G1 figs, WST and GPK. I have used the lines, "High end collectibles" and "pop culture." Mainly because most ppl have the incorrect impression of what I collect and I don't like ppl counting my money. Interestingly, my employer has a vague idea that I am into GPK and TF's and have supported my collection over years with very sweet gestures by purchasing gifts for me. However, the TF's were whatever was on the shelf at Walmart. Lol. It is a wonderful gesture and I am highly appreciative. However, when most ppl hear that I collect TF's they're thinking about mainstream toys that anyone can readily purchase whereas the stuff I collect is costlier, rarer and more difficult to attain. Same with my GPK collection. I have graded stuff, sealed stuff, etc. The average person doesn't understand how deep in the culture we. They don't realize that there is a culture and community behind the items we collect.
I am very out and proud with my nerdage, collecting TF, comics, 40k and so on. Funny you mention girls being turned off by 40k, I've introduced a number of them to the hobby, some have stayed in it for a year or so, some have become veterans and still in it today. My nieces and nephews love my collections too, as do some of my friends (some of which are gaming buddies across the tabletop). I did have one guy trying to shame me for buying what he called "toy soldiers" and when I asked him what his hobby was he replied with fishing and that he'd recently spent about £1000 on new gear to replace older stuff that was wearing out. I asked him what the difference was since we both use our own things, in fact with a little care I can use my "toy soldiers" forever and get many hours of enjoyment just assembling and painting them before they even get into a game while his would need replacing no matter what in a few years. He was a bit stumped then and slunk off heh.
Detolf has it. Confidence and security are everything. I have a bunch of anime girls and robot bullshit in my office and nobody bats an eye because neither do I. Don't be ashamed but don't be tryhard. Just be.
Great topic & great video. I’m 42. I tell people (in person) about my TFs. It’s actually the figure collection I have that I’m least ashamed of. For some reason Marvel & Star Wars figures seem even more childish to me (not sure why?). Depending on the social situation, I might lead with my TF collection, or I might lead with something else. I’m really into my favorite sports teams, running & hiking, old movies and reading fiction of many kinds. I really like Jane Austen actually, which can be way more awkward to bring up with dudes than TFs (not that dudes are the only ones collecting TFs). I actually have a harder time coming out with my TF collecting passions on social media, which is why I have my separate “nerd” Twitter & UA-cam accounts. Most of my hang out in person friends aren’t into TFs, so I think I’d rather talk to friends in person about it than post a pic of my latest Thundercracker and have them roll their eyes as it pops up in their feed.
I recently got into collecting Star Wars again. I’m near my mid 40’s now and it definitely feels weird looking around in the toy aisle. Some embarrassment followed by the thought, “should I be doing this?”
Even if wanted to hide that's hard becuase I've got toys all over. From transformers to power rangers to gundam, etc. I just finished one custom gunpla yesterday and I generally have a monthly haul of models I buy.
Ditto. I'm 43. When my game room is done (new house), and it's decorated (mostly with transformers), and people come to visit... I'm afraid. Bayverse fans aren't allowed into the house, though, so that's not a problem. Ha.
I think its telling people how much you spent on them that causes the most shame. Its like when a person tells you they spent $1000.00 on a bottle of wine to drink and you start to look around at other things that 1K could have gone toward. However there is a tipping point where when you have a full collection with the displays and then you enter the realm of say a train collector who has all the towns and structures built.
My mantra in this regard is something I read years ago.
"Part of being an adult is not feeling shame in what you enjoy."
I am more than happy to always talk to anyone who is willing to listen about my hobbies. And if anyone ever thinks poorly of me because of my chosen passions then it's their problem and no skin off my back.
I’m a machinist and the guys I work with are “guys” guys. They’re hunters, gun collectors etc.so it took me a while to spill it that I collect a Transformers. I usually use the “value” aspect as an excuse. Surprisingly, I haven’t really received any flak for it. In fact, a couple of guys have told me they still have old toys from back in the day still packed away in old boxes and have come to me asking if I could help them price them. Lol
Wow!! That's awesome! I think is because they're Real guys! And there comfortable with there manhood!
I collect toys and guns (I don't like to call it collecting for guns, but if I'm being serious with myself, that's basically what it is at this point).
I'm 29 ....from the hood....and everyone in the hood knows I collect action figures.... infact I inspired other people to do so...it's all about the confidence.
Same here lmao they know me as the guy who blasts metal (I'm also an avid hiphop fan) and collect toys, collectibles, records/CDs, etc.
They're probably only cool with it because they are planning to rob you.
same here my bro I don't get the embarrassment I have some fly TF sh*t at my crib lol
Great topic! When I was young, I used to feel fairly closeted about my collecting habits but like most age has changed that. Now at 44, I really look at the non-collecting people in my circles as the boring weirdos.
My nephews definitely think I'm the coolest.
I hear you. My son's friends dig the collection ^^
Yep, my nephew is big into Transformers as his Dad is a big fan, but doesn't really collect. He got a G2 CW Bruticus Set that he loved, which was awesome to hear!
Im 44 years old
Only the family knows.
Its just for me.
Sometimes i sell stuff online and then some other 40 year old comes to pick it up and then i show them and we talk.
Yeeeeeah happens to me as well. Has this illuminati "we are not alone" vibe to it 🤣
@@SentinelBayReviews yeah. Its a secret between us 80's childhood guys who have fond memories of saturday morning cartoons.
Same! 44 years old. Only brother knows.
I’m in my 40s, husband and father and business owner.... I stopped caring what folks think for many years now. 😁 Collecting transformers is a past time that I let folks know without second thought. I even tell folks about my UA-cam channel😁 also a former 40k player... Transformers (even 3P) is more affordable 😁
My wife even tells her coworkers of my channel and their husbands subscribes😃
I'm retired military and it created a very thick skin that peoples impressions of me dont matter. They can take it or leave it. I dont feel shame for it. I will say after getting my divorce it is harder to find women that are more excepting of my collecting hobby. I will say that I have a geek side and I tell them what I collect and they always try to say oh thats cute you are kind of a nerd, until they see my collection. It isnt all hap-hazardly displayed and is tasteful. It also only stays in my home office and doesnt migrate to other parts of the house. They just didnt expect a collection of my size. They will also always jump to that I'm immature for having a collection like I do. I'm just like see-ya then. I don't have the time or effort to appease everyone. Im a single dad with very limited time with all the activities I do with my kids. I would rather have a hobby like this that my kids also like to participate in then ditching my kids to go party, boozing it up.
I have a lot of friends though that will come up to me or reach out to me for pop-culture questions though. Star Wars, Transformers, 80's Movies/Music. My closest friends have never looked down on me for my collection. They always ask about it. It is nice finding people that have the same interests and you can have at length conversations about these things, but it seems those are really hard to come by.
"hey baby, wanna see my Transformers collection?"
My gf and I are both artists, collect art and collect "toys" and just lump them in with the art we collect because we see this stuff as art. We don't have the stereotypical "look" people tend to imagine collectors of this stuff have(which most collectors dont) so they're always surprised but are usually genuinely impressed by the stuff when they see it for the first time. Statues, hot toys, great looking mp's, mezco stuff, etc always illicit some sort of impressed response but most of our friends and acquaintances are fellow musicians, painters, sculptors, etc or customers commissioning work and even those that aren't don't judge because we don't leave room for judgement. If you're really shy and/or insecure about the stuff you love people will pick up on that energy and if they're an asshole they will be as weird about it as the vibe youre putting out there. also forgot to mention that we've turned several friends on to collecting, none on transformers yet, but some lower cost stuff like necas horror figures, mid range like some pak stuff and higher cost things like hot toys and statues.
The biggest problem is no matter how you spin it, people still see them as just toys. But Drift was $300 I tell them. Oh wow, so you spent $300 on a toy?? Price, materials, engineering... nothing matters. To them they're still toys.
Dude my parents were PISSED whrn they found out 20 year old me bought a $180 "toy"
@@notgray88 I look at it like this. Everybody has a vice whether they admit it or not. You make ur money. As long as monetary responsibilities are taken care of, whatever is left over you do with as you please. I'd rather be home taking 2hrs to put together maketoys guardia and have something to show for it at the end then be pissed I missed the over by 1 pt.
I feel ashamed of my collection because I have noone to share it with (irl), I live in France and in here people know the movies, some know about Animated but that's it. Noone is interested and seeing how I started collecting as a child my mom saw me and reallyyyy ashamed me about it. . . But I want to be proud of it, I am proud of it, but people don't understand that so it's still shamefull in this way.
I'm 30 and I never hid it, never needed to. I got the Asian card. People just assume were all into anime and collectibles. Of course I don't actively talk about it if nobody ask because why would I bore them with something they don't care about when I don't want people boring me with shit I don't care about as well.
4 dummies is by far my favorite "collecting content" to watch! As someone who is extremely private about collecting I enjoy hearing all the individual perspectives you share. Hope you continue to make this podcast forever!
My wife is listening while I watch. Her response "if you're afraid of what people think, you're weak". She also has over 700 Funko Pops.
And this is why Bobby wears the mask. To hide his shame.
🙂
i dont have friends so that makes it easier. most of my coworkers suck and arent worth talking to, and im sure the feelings mutual. besides, its a secret; never teach the wu-tang.
cash rules everything around me
The Shalion and the Wu-Tang could be dangerous.
Ghostface Killah, the Ironman, Tony Starks.
Actually your videos have helped me alot with my confidence issue on this. I've realised it's not about being extreme with being 'proud and loud' or being super embarrassed but just being comfortable about it. Most videos are just on the figures but you expanding alot on the whole concept of collecting has helped alot. So thank you.
Great insightful video. It's more than just collecting and nostalgia in the end.
My office at work is decked out with figures and posters. When my coworkers come in my office I'm pretty chill, sometimes I'll get nice remarks about something new or whatever. When there's a client in the building I tend to make myself more available outside my office with my door more closed lol. I think it just stems from me knowing just how brutal people can be when it comes to enjoying something they just don't get. My best friend would "jokingly" call me an idiot on a regular basis and say "hey, are you buying more things just to look at? Lets look at them sometime". It annoyed me hardcore but he also loved watching people eat extremely old canned food on UA-cam. To each their own.
Going on 45 in September, I love my collection! It's innocent & I nerd out about new items! I brag, idc. Love this review! 👍👍
I'm in closet about my TF collection because I'm in high school and teenagers are jerks.
The movies too, I wear a g1 soundwave shirt and my friend told me the movies suck. I agree. It is just annoying.
Edit: Most people know I'm into it but not know about my collection as it doesn't come up in coversation.
Yeah, high school sucks. Sometimes kids are doing it to be mean and other times its just friendly poking at each other. Then you go to college/university and are more likely to find people with the same interests.
@@Xsis_Vorok yeah. My friends are good with it though. They range from dont care to bad ass.
Don't be. That makes you afraid and they can smell fear. Just be cool, breh.
@@luchajon8480 It really just never comes off and I don't talk about it. People only know I like transformers because I'm on tfw2005 during studyhalls.
Strangely enough I recently reluctantly told this girl I've been dating the past few months about my tf collecting hobby and she was all for it. She even journeyed with me all the way to flushing queens to acquire the now discontinued spark toys spartacus.
I'm in the same camp as Jisk, where I don't really tell people ANYTHING about me. So that being the case, I'm actually more ashamed of revealing my collecting than I normally would be, because that would then become THE thing people know about me.
Sean Whitmore word!!
When I first started getting back into collecting about 5 years ago I was just turning 40. I remember watching your channel and thinking wow, here's a normal guy like myself, same passions, same thought process etc. It really made me proud of being a collector, knowing there were a bunch of cool guys like doing the same thing
I’m 17 right now. When I get into a zoom call my teachers or councilors often notice my figures on a shelf in the back and think it’s the coolest thing. It does help though that many of them are older and know of the G1 stuff. I even learned that my english teacher collects Playmobil.
Robert D, you deserve a standing o for your breakdown on taking pride and finding strength in anything. Well said.
My coworker was the one who got me back into collecting. I had stopped collecting and nerding back in HS. Now I will be 47 next month and don't care what anyone thinks. There are worse ways to spend your time and money. Trust me, I know of these people.
Thanks for putting this video up! I can relate. I'm in my late 40's and I keep my collecting in the dark. My G.I.JOE, TRANSFORMERS collections are insane! A close friend of mine who shared the love of toys quit a couple of years ago which was sad. My son digs it, thats cool. The girlfriend laughs and pokes fun telling me to grow up 🤣
Oh god, this made me laugh a lot. I like to think I'm pretty comfortable with myself and my interests, but there was a lot of this I just cannot deny I strongly related with! Good work Bobby and team x
Really feel like hunting and fishing isn't practical? I think having the skill and being able to get food on the table at a very low cost or god forbid food shortages is extremely practical probably the second most practical thing to owning a firearm.
100000% agree. People forget that we are animals and all this shit around us is mostly illusion, and won't be sustainable forever.
The reason collecting “toys” induces feelings of shame is because we know the perception when it’s not explained.
If we have a hobby that needs a justification to overcome a social norm stereotype, there is a stress response when someone discovers that aspect of our lives either out of context or that we aren’t confident they will feel comfortable after context is applied.
This was so cool to listen to because I didn’t realize some of the things I was doing.
I will tell people about 40k WAY before I will Transformers or M.A.S.K.; but I always tell people about the painting and then show off pictures of some of my favorite pieces. Playing with toys is for children; but detailing miniatures is an adult artist’s work. If I do talk about the game it’s usually framed through Risk, Axis&Allies, etc. first so people understand it’s a very “high level” exercise in strategy and not just pew pew hiss waaaugh!
Yesterday I met someone who is a D&D player and we connected about RPGs and board games...yet I still felt hesitant to mention collecting Transformers. There’s no easily understandable rational. You don’t really interact with a collection in an obviously acceptable adult way...even to fellow nerds.
Fascinating. This is a fun train of thought. Really enjoyed this 4 Dummies.
Great topic and interesting discussion! Quote from C.S. Lewis: ‘When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.’
8BitMonk Love that quote from C.S. Lewis. He was a good man. 👍🏻
I'm completely open about it. I'll freely admit and tell people 'I'm a geeky Transformers collector'. Most people say ah that's cool but when they see the room or my Instagram page they really like it. If someone comes to my house and I show them the room I always say as we walk in 'and this is why I'm single' to make a bit of a joke of it. I also look at this and am proud I have a passion and a hobby. I have quite an active social life and there's not many people that don't know about it. I also think I could be sitting in a bar wasting all my money on alcohol and other things so I like to think of this as a good thing to spend m money on. And, at the end of the day I love it, I have met LOADS of new people in this community, I enjoy watching and listening to all the shows related to it so I'm all for being proud of it.
Yea as a senior in high school it's kinda hard to say I collect transformer figures "due to me collecting CHUG/SIEGE" but most ppl kinda find it cool but one thing I'm ashamed of is saying I build model kits of anime Mecha cuz wen someone here's anime I'm already a degenerate. Love these videos Bobby boi 🖤
You sound a bit like did when I was younger. If anime and Tf is your thing, just try to feel people out. I have found friends because of my hobbies not in spite of.
This is kind of disheartening to hear. Before I joined the Realm of Collectors I was ashamed of who I was. I bought into the stereotype that I was just a basement dwelling loser with a childish hobby. I let people put me down because of the things I loved and the things I loved to collect.
Joining the Realm of Collectors I saw that completely normal, amazing and cool people collect and display their passions. I didn't feel sub-human anymore and no one puts me down because of what I like.
Danttebay0 it shouldn’t be disheartening my friend. We all handle it differently. :)
This was a great topic. I had (still have to some degree) the shame. I got comfortable enough with it that I started bringing my toys and collectibles to work, to the point of displaying my 1/6 scale Hot Toys Delorean and Marty McFly on a shelf so that all my pharmacy patients could see them when they came up to the counter and I got sooooo many positive comments, remarks and feedback for having those up there. My only rule was no one was allowed to ask me how much I spent on them.
I'm 43 and just got into collecting Masterpiece Transformers. I really am not ashamed of it at all but I don't open up to too many people about my interests at work.
But, anytime my wife brings over a friend I've got to show them off, much to her chagrine.
By the way, thanks for keeping me entertained and informed.
As proud af. Hiding it is way worse in the long run. I find that people like you more if you are honest and confident. Hiding stuff shows lack of confidence.
I told a couple coworkers about still having and playing with Transformers. One of the convos got goofy and he thought I meant Transvestites ha ha. Some of my coworkers play games and like stuff like Yu gi oh,along with the contemporary stuff like Game of Thrones and the Avengers,etc. Like alot of people though I keep to myself about everything, at least at work. Dont really even play the music I love too much,because of possible misunderstandings.
Different people have different things to be ashamed of. I'm a proud Transformer collector though. Watching Thew get excited over Transformers or seeing Deluxe have floor time,I feel I'm in good company. I assume none of the other reviewers have many hangups. This was a good 4 dummies. Cant wait for FT Sheridan to come out and have you review it,Skullface.
WTF. I’m very opened about being a transformers collector. I watch old G1 Transformers episodes on Tubi on my phone, doesn’t matter who’s around, co-workers, friends or family. My issue is finding someone who’s just as into it as I am. Listen, I wear the Autobot symbol on my bulletproof vest, yes I’m in law enforcement. The majority of the people I draw are fans of the Michael Bey TF movies😝.
Rent a cops aren't law enforcement.
Awesome conversation. I had a hard time being open about it as well, but now I'm wearing my TFNation band openly at work and explain to whoever wants to know. I have the same problem with admitting to do vocals in a death metal bands. Folks just look at your differently because they don't know shit about. But if you want people to let go of prejudices, you gotta explain it to em. Not explain yourself or justify yourself but just clear the smoke and create some understanding for "outsiders ".
I wonder when we are gonna have a Transformers themed death metal band out? Or shit at least retro thrash
The Monolith Deathcult. A Dutch deathmetalband who “sing” about Transformers. It Sounds a Little like Nile 😎
@@roelbrekelmans8745 I will check that out, sounds like a good time ha ha
Does your band have a page? Death metal and collecting is right up my alley haha
@supa, I’m Not in the band, i Just know them. But There a good solid band with some brutal riffs and beats. Their gitarist plays on stage with a decepticon t-shirt a lot 😉
But If Your into Dutch Metal check out Souldust, or Offerblok on Spotify (No death metal, But groovy trash). If you like the real heavy stuff, check out Rompeprop (grindcore). Cheers 😎
My old boss named his kid Anakin and the mother was clueless about anything Star Wars. Shortly after that he found out the kid wasn't his and bailed.
Quite a story.
“I am NOT your father”
I'm not a collector, but I do have pieces that are nostalgic and inspiring on display throughout my Man Cave...some Voltron figures, a couple Transformers, a few Funko Pops, football helmets, etc... I used to be self-conscious about it, but then I realized that EVERYONE has SOMETHING that they are into!!! My wife collects teacups...TEACUPS!!! She says that she can use them for tea parties. How many tea parties has she had?? She LOVES her dishes!!!! It's ridiculous to me, but my "collection" is equally ridiculous to her. So, we just accept it...no judgement...maybe an occasional eye roll, but it's all good. As long as people enjoy it, why not?!!
I don't exactly lead with it when getting to know new people, but eventually it comes out, usually organically, and I never hide it. It's a lot more socially acceptable than it used to be, but even when it wasn't, I never hid it. Long-term friends and family all know it as part of my identity. I've never stopped being a fan and collector since the beginning. As I like to say, "Hardcore since '84!"
Holy crap. People hide their collecting ?? I wear collecting proudly. I can’t wait to invite new people into my house to show off my collectibles. It never even occurred to me that anybody would look down on it. Collecting is awesome.
For me I've been ridiculed my entire life for my geekery and it's hard to let people in.
And I beleve that people who don't collect won't understand because I've routinely experienced that lack of understanding.
I am glad you guys did this. I agree with everything that you guys discussed
Great talk Skully and Cast. 👏 Definitely a good table talk. I feel that the toys I grew up with shaped my profession. Also when coworkers ask what I collect I casually say Robots 🤖.
I hide my Transformer guide inside a Hustler magazine to throw people off.
LOL that is a good one.
Totes agree that Transformers currently lacks positive *popular* media. Most people i talk transformers with try to relate it to their own love for other media in the best case or in the worst case, probably think I'm a unthinking juvenile for liking the live action movies. Although I'm proud to admit to being a Transfan first and foremost, I've connected with significantly more new people by talking about anime or star wars.
Wanted to name my oldest Megaman. When she came out, I didnt even consider Megan-Ann would work. Middle child is named after Angel/Archangel from X-Men. Third was supposed to be named Anakin, but I had to abandon that for my own personal health. Instead we named him after our favorite shared alcohol.
I think because my collecting coincided with me starting to customize, it has really never been an issue for me. I guess customizing TFs, and doing it fairly well, is a creative avenue that takes some skill so that outweighs the "fear" of being embarrassed that I also have a pretty extensive, almost complete collection of Has\Tak and 3rd party TFs.
I’ve been into collecting the same stuff you all have from the time I was 3 or 4 years old. I still collect most of the stuff plus some now. I have never shied away from telling people what I do for fun (and I still play 40k,lol). In my Twenties I was working at the local school board in accounting. Everyone else had a shelf with pictures of their family or pets, I had a rotating display of Star Wars, Comic and Transformers Toys on my shelf. No ever gave me flak, in fact a lot of people told me it was great that I was willing to put “myself” on display like that. Any body who is going to judge me by what I do isn’t someone I need to be friends with. The only two people I really care what they think of me are my nieces, and they are into the same stuff I am.
I'm a 41 year old action figure collector and I'm collecting action figures since I was 5, I love comic books, animation, gaming, etc and I never liked sports. I was the biggest geek/nerd every where I went and I wore that with proud, it was even a big presentation card for me. I was also very popular, very successful with the opposite sex and I never had to hide my geekyness/nerdness from any one. I think it all depends on your personality, on how strong it is, if you don't play by any one rules and you dictate your own without fear of being judge and at the same time without judging every one else, you have nothing to be ashamed of. As long as you're happy with yourself and you like who you are, every one can either like you or go F#$%& themselves.
I used to be similar, until I stopped giving a crap what other people thought. When I tell someone I collect Transformers and how many I have, there are three responses in descending order:
1) That's awesome man! I used to love those, I wish I had kept them.
2) Cool, I bet they're going to be worth something someday.
3) Oh yeah? Right on.
No one has ever made me feel shitty for it (not that they could) or called me out for it. Then again, at 35 a lot of my peers grew up with the same childhood as me and totally "get it". Wear it like a badge, you have thousands of dollars of wicked stuff at home, that's bad ass!
Only shame I have is thinking how many vacations I could have taken or how much work I could have put into my cars with the money I spend.
always makes me laugh when people see my collection, they instantly go into "humoring me" mode, and ask me if i made them all myself, as though theyre model kits and that might justify an adult buying toys. i hate it when people feign interest
34 year old. Loud and proud. If they judge me on it, thats them.
im 43
i love it so much i dont care who knows matter of fact i tell everybody whom i have a 10 minute conversation with
i am proud of all my collections and i even have a youtube channel about it ! haha awesome !!! no shame in my game
It's interesting to hear people are self conscious about this. I have my shit out everywhere in my house, a lot of people are generally interested about portions of it. I guess it just comes down to the fact that I really dgaf what people think, since it makes me happy.
Everyone needs a hobby or something they enjoy doing no matter what it is.
For better or for worse, my collection is in full view the moment you walk into my place. Most people seem genuinely interested or understanding and will usually have questions, which I'm more than happy to provide answers to.
I don't really share that I collect TFs with no one UNLESS someone brings the "hobby/collecting" topic then I say something otherwise I just keep it to myself. Great topic guys and I bet some of us related to the character in the movie "The 40 year virgin" well I did LoL !
I think there should be a little bit of shame in FEELING ANY shame at all about being an adult who collects toys. The world would be a better and more peaceful and more prosperous place with more people like us!!
I feel you, Jisk!!
I am 44 workout vigorously and at 220 lbs I have huge muscles and I have been collecting transformers toys since I was a like 20 people all know and since I discovered masterpiece and 3rd party I have renewed my love for this hobby i come from a poor background so for me being able to buy these joys now feels more of a sign of life quality improvement and also I feel the biggest problem today is too many try to in some way get rid of the child inside which I think kills off sympathy creativity and empathy take it from someone who didn’t have much of a childhood ur child side is important to being a complete adult hold on and embrace ur kid side it keeps u centered
I think it is super cool Mrs. Skullface is so cool with you collecting, my wife, not so much, as far as strangers I couldn't care less
I’m usually pretty open but now i just bought an official MP soundwave I haven’t told anyone because I’m afraid they’ll give me this look that just says “did you just say you spent 150 dollars for a piece of plastic” and it just scares me to say I collect toys so I just say I’m a plastic enthusiast
Wife loved the Warhammer story and can relate. I sprang my collection on her in the car on our third date. She still laughs at me for this. It was like some sort of dark secret, but it’s a critical piece of my personality. It helps being a attorney and seeing the people who made fun in court. My wife and I argue about baby names all the time. I want our boy to be Conner, but he can’t be named after a highlander.
Hobbies are personal and you're free to enjoy them however you want, if you want to keep that hobby private that doesn't automatically mean you're ashamed, some folk just don't need to announce to the world every single thing they do.
In the beginning I wouldn’t tell people. But, as I got older and my collection got bigger I stop caring what people think anymore I have no shame anymore. I do fear that somebody may want to take my collection ( a little bit paranoid)
I collect Transformers is what I tell people. I tell them I collect what I like and what I can afford. Most times I get the what's your most expensive piece. Where I stop them and ask, in which series. The G1 Liokaiser complete was near $700 at the time. Then you got Feral Rex and the Fanstoys Dinobots that ate up a lot of money.
My friends all look at me like I'm a nut for collecting nerd stuff. That's what drove me online, to this channel and to the groups. I'm close to 40, still feel like I have to keep nerdom a secret since that's how we grew up, so maybe it's just the age range I run with. No one I know gets it. Also I'm changing hobbies to graffiti thanks to 2:42
i am a 44yrs old comic book artist that has had 3 strokes (1mild, 2 really bad), but i started collected TF after i had a stroke. But being a avid toy collector and just a solid TF and 3rd party all started in order to keep my brain from going to a negative place and thoughts of suicide. And when i i lost use of one of my hands, the engineering helped me get the use of my hands. Now my wife hunts down really well engineered bots to help with my rehab. So now i get to celebrate my collecting and not be ashamed of buying them. So any recommendations on any bots?
I came out about it last year and never looked back lol. But yes for YEARS I hid it from people.
I happily tell people about my passion for collecting and it's definitely driven by nostalgia. However my collection is kept in one room in the house, not spread throughout the house.
No shame in my game
My womans a hater but for everyone else they love em
I get alot of Love For My Collection
Collection Shame?
Robert: *Let me drag out a MASS Toys joke for Bobby Real Quick.*
“It’s not normal”. Hahaha love it.
I collect but prefer to keep it private even though I know other people at work collect as well. By the way, excellent video.
When I was a freshmen in high school I would carry my music label soundwave with me and jam out everyone asked questions about him
It was cool :)
I had an Optimus prime messengers bag and a g1 bumblebee keychain I would wear my junior and senior years lmao
I fought a lot with my parents about my interest specially when they became extremely religious so the shame that most people would feel went away
I felt I fought too hard with them just to be ashamed by what others thought
Talking about it with enthusiasm and a sense of humor helped
My first girlfriend actually would take some with her to school and fidget with them
I love my hobbies and I’m lucky to have never really experienced anything negative because of them so that’s my experience with it
Those first few things are a lot cooler than children's toys.
I was expecting Jisk at one point to answer with this.
" *Impossible Toys Alicon* "
The worst is when someone comes over, see the display and start price tagging in there head then talk about you behind your back (in-laws). What's funny though is that a father brought his daughters over for my girls Birthday party, seen the collection and low key said I have g1 Megatron at home. Gave him dap and was like "my ninja" lol.
Interesting talk about the movies. As a Transformers fan I was always concerned about those movies because they are going to misrepresent Transformers to the public at large.
I feel sad that Robert D has never had that OMG moment with someone that has seen your toys. It happens all the time. Guys that deliver stuff to my house, people I work with, even the owner of my company is down with it. Dude that delivered my dishwasher even asked my wife if he could take photos of the display I have going on. What people think about you is their problem and none of your business. Be proud about what makes you happy and enjoy it because you can't take it with you when you die.
Did I hear 40K? What is that?
I’m completely open about it. I volunteer the info openly if someone asks “what are you into” and don’t feel the slightest amount of shame if I’m met with confusion or a lack of understanding. I’ve met many many people who are collectors this way including some people I work with (a Barbie collector, a Hot wheels collector and even another who’s into TF’s). I think that collectors are starting to lose the negative branding similar to how gamers largely have. Be geek, be proud.
I’m just about 100% open about my collecting hobbies. It’s what I love and part of who I am.
What I want to know is....what the hell are all of the “normal” people into!?! Sports? Investing in the stock market? Buying and selling property? I can do all that mundane stuff and still collect!
"Normal" is just someone's opinion. I dont feel shame either.
Don't worry I would be the guy to be like "oh my God you have a great transformers collection!"
Awesome conversation. I could careless what other people think about what I like. I'm a private person, but if they are going to judge me. I don't have time for it. I'm getting older and don't have time for that petty stuff. You ether like me for who I am as a person or you don't.
I too am cautious when discussing my collection which mainly consists of MP figures (Has/Tak and 3P), G1 figs, WST and GPK. I have used the lines, "High end collectibles" and "pop culture." Mainly because most ppl have the incorrect impression of what I collect and I don't like ppl counting my money. Interestingly, my employer has a vague idea that I am into GPK and TF's and have supported my collection over years with very sweet gestures by purchasing gifts for me. However, the TF's were whatever was on the shelf at Walmart. Lol. It is a wonderful gesture and I am highly appreciative. However, when most ppl hear that I collect TF's they're thinking about mainstream toys that anyone can readily purchase whereas the stuff I collect is costlier, rarer and more difficult to attain. Same with my GPK collection. I have graded stuff, sealed stuff, etc.
The average person doesn't understand how deep in the culture we. They don't realize that there is a culture and community behind the items we collect.
I am very out and proud with my nerdage, collecting TF, comics, 40k and so on. Funny you mention girls being turned off by 40k, I've introduced a number of them to the hobby, some have stayed in it for a year or so, some have become veterans and still in it today. My nieces and nephews love my collections too, as do some of my friends (some of which are gaming buddies across the tabletop).
I did have one guy trying to shame me for buying what he called "toy soldiers" and when I asked him what his hobby was he replied with fishing and that he'd recently spent about £1000 on new gear to replace older stuff that was wearing out. I asked him what the difference was since we both use our own things, in fact with a little care I can use my "toy soldiers" forever and get many hours of enjoyment just assembling and painting them before they even get into a game while his would need replacing no matter what in a few years. He was a bit stumped then and slunk off heh.
"High-end Collectables"... that's the one I'm going with from now on!! haha
Kind of like saying "escort," instead of "hooker." LOL
Detolf has it. Confidence and security are everything. I have a bunch of anime girls and robot bullshit in my office and nobody bats an eye because neither do I. Don't be ashamed but don't be tryhard. Just be.
Great topic & great video. I’m 42. I tell people (in person) about my TFs. It’s actually the figure collection I have that I’m least ashamed of. For some reason Marvel & Star Wars figures seem even more childish to me (not sure why?). Depending on the social situation, I might lead with my TF collection, or I might lead with something else. I’m really into my favorite sports teams, running & hiking, old movies and reading fiction of many kinds. I really like Jane Austen actually, which can be way more awkward to bring up with dudes than TFs (not that dudes are the only ones collecting TFs). I actually have a harder time coming out with my TF collecting passions on social media, which is why I have my separate “nerd” Twitter & UA-cam accounts. Most of my hang out in person friends aren’t into TFs, so I think I’d rather talk to friends in person about it than post a pic of my latest Thundercracker and have them roll their eyes as it pops up in their feed.
I recently got into collecting Star Wars again. I’m near my mid 40’s now and it definitely feels weird looking around in the toy aisle. Some embarrassment followed by the thought, “should I be doing this?”
Even if wanted to hide that's hard becuase I've got toys all over. From transformers to power rangers to gundam, etc. I just finished one custom gunpla yesterday and I generally have a monthly haul of models I buy.
Great discussion, but the best part is the laugh the Maas toys joke at 7:54, and I don’t even get it.
Ditto. I'm 43. When my game room is done (new house), and it's decorated (mostly with transformers), and people come to visit... I'm afraid. Bayverse fans aren't allowed into the house, though, so that's not a problem. Ha.
I think its telling people how much you spent on them that causes the most shame. Its like when a person tells you they spent $1000.00 on a bottle of wine to drink and you start to look around at other things that 1K could have gone toward. However there is a tipping point where when you have a full collection with the displays and then you enter the realm of say a train collector who has all the towns and structures built.