I like watching Hoarders because it motivates me enough to get up and clean my room Peterson-style. Lingering and non-useful junk feel like tiny weights in my mind, so its a relief when it's gone. When you watch the show you always end up seeing a rush of fear in their face when people start removing their junk, like they have some sort of emotional attachment to the garbage. There's a stark contrast between these people and people who've just been lazy for awhile.
"... like they have some sort of emotional attachment to the garbage."
They do. That's why they're hoarders. Everything they own represents a piece of their identity- their past (childhood memories, toys, etc), their present (current hobbies and interests), their future (belief that objects will be useful someday). Removing these objects is an attack on the person's identity- and calling it trash is calling their identity, hopes, and dreams trash.
