The Hoarders

In class I mentioned my newest obsession with A&E's show The Hoarders which gives audiences a glimpse into the lives of obsessive hoarders. While the hoarders on the show are extreme, and are suffering from an actual psychological disorder the show helps to showcase our obsession with cleanliness. Those who are not clean and do not have a high priority on hygiene are classified as an "other." Our society is so obsessed with hygiene that their are actual government divisions in place to regulate it. On most of the episodes that I have seen, the hoarders are seeking help because they are about to be evicted or in severe cases where there are children involved they are about to loose their children to CPS. These people are able to forge such intense attachments with belongings, even trash that they refuse to clean or throw anything out. One boy refused to clean up his dog's hair because he feared that it would cause his dog to die faster. While our society classifies these people as disgusting but why? Yes sometimes the amount of trash is actually a safety hazard but if people want to live that way shouldn't it be their prerogative? We are only so obsessed with cleanliness because we have been programmed that way, is the importance of hygiene anything more then a facade?

Here is a clip of the Hoarders

http://www.aetv.com/hoarders/video/