Handling Pack Rat Claims
Tuesday, November 12th, 2002 PropertySome psychologists believe that the instinct to acquire is one of the basic human drives, like hunger and the need to procreate. And like other human drives, the impulse varies from person to person. In our society, many people strive to acquire wealth and property, although for some, the instinct to acquire becomes a compulsion to collect things. This should not be surprising when we consider that virtually all media are directed toward inducing people to buy goods or services. Social status and prestige are linked to the size and quantity of the homes, antiques, boats, and artwork possessed by an individual. We could be called an acquisitive society, summarized by the famous T-shirt slogan: “The person who dies with the most toys wins.” As one might expect, in some people the instinct to acquire gets out of hand.
