It is justified to attach emotions on things without a feel for emotion (non living things)?

Question

Some people feel guilty when ditching an old 20 year old car for a new one.

Some people feel bad throwing a teddy bear into a rubbish bin.

Some people cry when they lost an earring when they can just get another pair.

Some people are reluctant to throw away something because it's too nice/beautiful despite being totally useless.

Are we humans just being too over emotional and sentimental? It is justified to behave that way? Is it worth it?

Answer 1

Yes, it is justified. the inanimate objects itself might seem "useless" but it the memory that the non living things hold, which are priceless.In my eyes, it is worth it.I don't think that it is being too over emotional and sentimental.I think the people, who are opposite, and can easily throw away things, aren't sentimental enough.I know some people, who don't care about much of anything and it makes me wonder if they truly treasure anything at all, emotions with living things included.I mean for example when they receive birthday gifts and just toss it wherever and it gets lost but they don't care.maybe they are nonchalant and seemingly careless but that's the way they are and didn't intend to be offensive or maybe they have their own reason, such as the item holds more negative memories than positive, so it is easier to discard, because they would rather forget about the negative past.I still have items from when I was a kid and some people I know think I'm crazy and even suggested that I sell my precious "junk" as they like to call it or throw it all away and buy new stuff!I see my items as being vintage, rare, and limited edition things, which hold a lot of happy memories, so it definitely cannot be replaced.I am offended when they refer to my things like that but I know they're just teasing.I think some of the things that they deem as worthy to be useless because I don't see what's so great about it and they're the crazies!! lol one person's junk is another person's treasure ♥ I don't just keep old things but recent things, too.I don't keep candy wrappers or things like that.I am not a messy person or have a messy room.rather I consider myself to be a perfectionist;) & very organized at that:) my sentimental emotions doesn't necessarily mean that I don't treasure living relationships any more or less.I treasure the things that they give me because I treasure those people dearly.these non living items don't just appear out of nowhere.they are given to me by people, whom I have a lot of emotions for, so the items resonate emotions as well and emotions that I associate the items with whenever I see them.it is like feeling sad when you move to a new house and you actually miss the old house because of all the memories that happened there.sometimes it's difficult not to attach emotions because it's human nature, not to say that people, who aren't sentimental aren't human.I think it's more of a female thing though:-) I've yet to encounter sentimental guys.maybe it's taboo or plain embarrassing for guys to keep a fuzzy stuffed animal from his childhood or display it in plain view in their room as an adult lol normally, people would think that's a little weird or crazy but I think it is kinda sweet:-D so the non living items might seem useless and emotionless to strangers, but to the individual person that owns the items, it is far from being emotionless once the emotions are made alive by that person's personal memories.

Answer 2

This depends on the person and on how he/she was raised. It also depends on how smart he/she is.
However, people can develop an emotional bond with an object. This non-living thing is very likely to be the most valuable object they own, or it could be their life time dream. For example an expensive car.
Are we being too emotional/sentimental?
-it depends on what the object is, often people become too sentimental and tend to keep a lot of things. This makes their house look messy but it they have a reason for why they keep things. It reminds them of an event or an emotion they have experienced in the past, for example a medal. It really depends on the person, some people keep things, some keep pictures/videos. I don't see how can you use over emotional here. If the person is crying over an earing that they bought for $10, thats over emotional, if someone is crying because their car is being crushed, and they have been driving it and taking care of it for years, thats normal.

Is it worth it?
- I am not a sentimental person, so I would say no. Being attached to a non living thing causes you to lose or decrease your attachment to living things. In some cases that can hurt the living thing, for example, when some guy likes his car and talks about it more then his girlfriend. That can happen and in that case its not worth it. But it makes sentimental people feel better, so I guess its alright.

Answer 3

First of all, 'justified' is generally used to mean 'doing something lousy, but you should *see* my excuse!'

Is it a good thing to love stuff? Why not? It won't love you back, but so won't a lot of people...

And it won't

a) sneak off with your partner/ best mate and giggle about you behind your back,

b) promote global warming by persuading you to buy a new car, when the old one looks perfectly charming outside your house,

c) Dent your bank account by buying expensive new earrings when you *could* just check the back of the sofa and find all your old ones...

Love's never wasted. Never.

Helen

Answer 4

I`m not sure that it is.Everyone was programmed with emotions from the cradle to the grave,unless the emotional trigger has malfunctioned.Even animals have emotions.Whether we choose to display those emotions or not is an entirely different story.

Answer 5

No, some people are just sentimental because of a decent trait called loyalty........ It was special once so the memories will remain......

Rather than throw away we should recycle and that might make it easier........

Answer 6

Yeh, we tend to anthropomorphise things. There is no way I could chuck away the teddy I've had since I was a kid.

Maybe Freud's 'Totem and taboo' could shed some light, but I'm not sure.

Answer 7

it might be justified to feel sad for loosing an item if it was a special gift, but to cry about it is just too much

Answer 8

That;s just one of the ways God "fearfully and wonderfully" made us. We have the ability to love, to care, to feel pain, to laugh, to cry, be happy, be sad. He made us emotional beings like He is emotional. (we're in HIS image) and that is great. It makes us care.

Answer 9

I can throw stuff away without looking back, but not stuff like teddies, its like we all know what its like to be thrown away, as its happened to most of us, and we cant bring ourselves to do it to something that looks like it will be upset!!

I know i'm wierd....

Answer 10

When you are free of clutter and attachment not only to inanimate objects but people as well you are truly free in your mind.