Published November 23, 2025 | By Bryan E, Collectors MD Community Member

There has always been moral relativism in the world—the idea that people see things through their own lens. But lately, it feels like something deeper is happening. The very idea of truth is becoming harder to hold onto. We live in a time where information never stops. Opinions, ads, commentary, “expert takes” and analysis arrive faster than any of us can reasonably process. And with social media pumping content around the clock, there is no longer a real filter—only volume.

Once upon a time, agencies like the FTC helped keep false advertising in check. Claims carried consequences. But can any institution realistically monitor billions of posts, videos, and promotions happening every single day? Of course not. And so we have slipped into a world where anyone can say anything—about any product, belief, promise, or lifestyle—and have it received as fact. No regulation. No accountability. Just noise.

Somewhere along the way, marketing stopped informing and started manipulating. The line between invitation and illusion blurred—and suddenly, selling no longer required truth, only persuasion dressed as play.

When truth becomes slippery, people become vulnerable. We start believing the things that feel right instead of the things that are right. We trust the loudest voices, the most confident opinions, the most polished presentations—even when they are subjective, misleading, or shaped to serve someone else’s agenda. And this is where the danger deepens for those trying to make better choices in their lives. Because when truth becomes unclear, hope fills the gap. And hope, untethered from reality, often leads us into decisions we later regret.

Maybe the real work—for all of us—is learning to slow down long enough to question the information we’re fed. To pause before reacting. To anchor ourselves in clarity instead of letting the noise dictate our decisions. The truth may be harder to find these days, but it still lives beneath the hype, beneath the ads, beneath the pressure. And we owe it to ourselves to search for it. Because when we lose our grip on truth, we risk losing our grip on ourselves.

#CollectorsMD
Distortion clouds perception and pulls us off course—truth and alignment are rooted in clarity, discernment, and lived experience. Let these principles recalibrate your compass, not the noise.

—
Follow us on Instagram: @collectorsmd
Subscribe to our Newsletter & Support Group
Join The Conversation On Mantel
Read More Daily Reflections

We’re re-uploading every episode of our podcasts—one per day—to make sure our new members and followers can catch up from the beginning.

If you’re new to Collectors MD, these conversations are where it all started—honest, unfiltered discussions about the realities of collecting, recovery, and rebuilding a healthier hobby.

We’ll be sharing episodes from The Collector’s Compass & Behind The Breaks covering everything from gambling parallels in collecting, to mental health, to how we find purpose beyond the chase.

Whether you’ve been here since day one or just joined the movement, this is your chance to revisit the stories that shaped our mission.

Subscribe on YouTube, follow along daily, like, comment, and help us spread the message: the hobby gets healthier when we do.

Collect With Intention. Not Compulsion.

The Collector's Compass #2 The True Cost Of Collecting: How FOMO, Debt, & Emotion Collide

#CollectorsMD | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly