How much of a completist are you?

[The Curmudgeon]

The Curmudgeon has many, many psychological failings, but perhaps the most dominating is my obsessive, completist nature. If I get really into a band, it's not enough to have a few albums. I have to have EVERY album and every song they've ever done. If I like a TV show, there's no WAY I'm going to just watch a few episodes - I have to see them all.

Example; Ricky Gervais' internet shows (Podcasts, even) are something of a cult hit. In fact, they're the most downloaded shows of all time. I listened to a couple and loved them and decided to get them. So, of course, what was available on iTunes wasn't enough, I had to go online and buy a double DVD of every single show he's ever done, including one off specials for NME etc.

It's the same story with comic books. I subscribe to a few titles, and I've spent hours going through ebay and the net trying to find back issues I've missed, even though I technically don't need them, the nature of comics being that you're brought up to speed with the issue you're reading. Not good enough. Gotta catch 'em all, right?

So am I alone in this depressing condition?

[trashcanman]

Wait, if it's the most downloaded show of all time, does the term "cult" apply? I'm not a completist. Can't afford to be. If I get every album by a given artist, it's because I never stopped dying to hear more of them and eventually ran out of albums to buy. I don't bother with all the singles and the like, but I will go to ebay for live bootlegs or imports (like Husker Du's awesome B-sides comp) to get more music if necessary. But it's only because I WANT it. I don't feel like I HAVE to own every little thing. Shoot, I still don't own Jackie Brown, but I've got every other Tarantino flick and I'm fine with that (I do like the movie and may get it some day, though).

[The Curmudgeon]

Uh... oh yeah. Well, OK, it started off with a cult following and then went on to become the biggest podcast thing ever. There.

Off topic - Jackie Brown's a weird one. It's a good film, but it just lacks that.. something.. that Dogs and Fiction had. True Romance was a fucking masterpiece, even though he didn't direct it. I love that movie.
I do own Jackie Brown but I'm not a Tarantino completist because I can't bring myself to buy (or watch) Kill Bill. I know I'm in the minority but God damn I hated that film.

I'm also a lot more careful with my cash than I used to be in the good old days of living with my parents and hoovering up every single Prince thing I could find. Plus, it's kinda annoying how some bands now bring out download only EPs. The days of collecting CD singles are, sadly, loooong gone. That'll kill the collector bug off pretty damn easily.