A paradoxical collecting practice where the value of gathered items lies not in their utility but in the absurdity of their accumulation.
Nasreddin Hodja famously loaded his donkey with straw to sell as precious cargo, revealing how perception shapes value. In collecting as play, this teaches us that the true treasure is the journey of gathering itself, not the objects' inherent worth. When we collect playfully, we embrace the Hodja's wisdom: a shell, a stone, a forgotten key become priceless not because markets say so, but because we've examined them with curiosity and humor. This inverts capitalist collecting logic. Rather than accumulating for status or investment, we gather for the pure joy of noticing what the world offers. The Hodja's paradox frees us from the anxiety of 'correct' collecting, allowing playfulness to guide our choices instead.
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