Are materialism and/or hoarding common symptoms of AS?

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I know I'm at least somewhat more materialistic than the average person. I have a few different collections (Magic: The Gathering cards, CDs, vinyl records, video games, computer parts, strange drink containers, among others), I own a lot of stuff that I have a hard time managing and/or getting rid of, much of which is due to sentimental value, and I just don't feel right unless I have stuff.

Granted, I have recognized that I could live without a lot of the stuff that I own, and that it would probably do me some good to get rid of some of that stuff, but most of the things that I own are virtually worthless monetarily, and the few things I own that are worth money happen to be the same things that I want to hold onto the most.

It is common for people with High Functioning Autism to collect things, because we tend to have obsessive interests.

However, as far as I'm concerned that does not fit the definition of "materialism," which is more about acquiring material possessions for prestige and vanity, to impress others, which is a very social motivation and not the sort of thing that generally drives the autistic brain. If we were materialistic in that sense, we'd just be SOL, since most of us never achieve a high level of monetary success. Desires for speedboats, Lamborghinis and mansions would only lead to eternal frustration and disappointment.

I have several collections, put together over many years, that I've spent a lot of money I couldn't afford acquiring, unfortunately I discovered years ago that no matter what the Collector's Guide says the current market value is, it's only as valuable as what you can get some other obsessed collector to give you for it when you're down and out.

Is materialism a common symptom of AS?

NO.

It is a common feature of being human. Aspies have no monopoly on greed, avarice, or materialism.

If it's not materialism, then what is it called? Because I have organized/semi-organized collections of stuff, and I also have lots of random stuff stored away, stashed in boxes, or just cluttering my room. It almost seems like hoarding in some ways, though it hasn't really gotten to the level many hoarding cases do.

I will clarify though, I am also somewhat materialistic in the more traditional sense as well. I really like having money and expensive things, and I've kind of gotten a bad reputation for not being grateful about the gifts I receive for Christmas or my birthday (though I am trying to work on this, mainly by no longer giving a s**t =P)

Try "Obsessive-Compulsive (Hoarding) Disorder".

People can have an OCD without having AS, and people can have AS without having an OCD.

I'll also add that I once lived with a friend of mine whose older brother had a more severe case of AS, and that guy had TONS of stuff Really cool, expensive stuff too, like books for D&D and Warhammer, various collectables, video games, toys, those sort of things. I also remember he would often bring a huge bag full of books with him whenever he left the house, which I think was as a "security blanket" of sorts. He was a brilliant guy in a lot of ways, but was also somewhat eccentric and hard to approach. In the next few days, I think I'm going to see what him and his family are up to, since I just happen to be in town.

Hoarding is not an Aspie trait. It is an OCD trait. OCD is often comorbid with Asperger's, so the two can coincide. But not usually. Hoarding is not a "special interest."

Greed is usually not an Aspie trait, unless acquiring property etc. becomes a special interest (which is highly uncommon).

I collect things...

I am not materialistic though.

True story...

I moved house once and only had limited room in which to transport my property. Basically I had to leave some behind. Now most people would bring the useful house hold items and leave the rest. Me? I bring my hobby collections of the time including 3 years worth of Cross Stitching magazines (they have charts I want to stitch in, so I won't part with them), over 50 jigsaw puzzles (although I had to leave some of those behind), 100s of DVDs, nearly a 100 or so cross stitching kits and books with charts, my other books from other subjects I have had an interest in such as parapsychology and fairies, a pile of logic puzzle books and so on...


It annoyed the person helping me move my stuff as I left behind curtains, household items, furniture etc which they thought I should have brought with me as opposed to my puzzle and cross stitch magazine collection.

I personally didn't care as I love my collections, very much so. I can replace household items at any time when funds are available (funds tend to come and go).

So in that way I am weird.

I won't collect anything and everything though, only stuff related to my interests. So if the magazines had been gossip magazines I wouldn't have a collection in the first place and if I did I'd recycle them. My arts and crafts Magazines get special treatment is all.

Like I mentioned earlier on, I own a lot of stuff that I have no idea what to do with, partially because a lot of that stuff is relatively worthless, partially because a good amount of it has sentimental value, and partially because whenever I go through my things I often come across items where I think "hey this may be useful later on", then they just sit in their storage boxes or whatever. =p