Commentary
What do squirrels, woodpeckers, fiddler crabs, rats, and human beings have in common? At first glance, very little. But they all hoard. However, unlike the other animals listed, humans have developed an unhealthy obsession with the excessive accumulation of stuff. This is especially true in the United States, where hoarding is now considered an epidemic of epic proportions (pdf).
We are the products of hoarders. Hoarding played an integral role in the survival of our ancestors. The desire to hoard appears to be rooted deep in the human brain. In modern society, with everything just one click away, there’s very little, if any, reason to hoard. Nevertheless, from Flint to Fort Lauderdale, hoarding is on the rise….