Chips are not addicting by itself .. it's the collection factor
As a kid I starting collecting stamps from the family letters send from Europe to Latin america.
Then coins, then comics, memorabilia, MtG cards, action figures, and so and so and so...
Why did I collect ?
To reduce anxiety? as described on many literature as "Relaxation and stress reduction"?
Certainly, ... but for sure I did for:
Knowledge and learning
For personal pleasure and appreciation of beauty
Nostalgia and/or a connection to history
Then, one day, for financial reasons I decided to sell my WW2 collection and then I learned a lot about myself.
A few years later, I went to Tokyo and walking into Akihabara, I realized that "collection" is a never ending thing, therefore I "can't beat the game" and I decided to quit collection. Since then the need of "possession" and pride of ownership are gone.
What I never looked for (while collecting):
To some extend, recognition by fellow collectors and perhaps even non-collectors. (But how cool was to have "the unique item" that no other could have )
Altruism (I never thought to one day donate any collection to a museum, at the best pass over to my kids)
Accumulation and diversification of wealth.
What I have abandoned so far or "I do not care anymore" :
Feel of pride of ownership
Social interaction with fellow collectors (as I do not consider myself a collector anymore)
Competitive challenge
However I still into the "The desire to control, possess and bring order to a small part of the world" That's the reason why, time to time, I arrange and re arrange the chips in different boxes and racks and time to time take them off and put it back..
But I'm sure that I will overcome to that too..
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** all terms are references to : The psychology of collectors (Farouk Radwan) and IC (James L. Halperin - intelligentcollector.com)