“People [who work in used record stores] often display behavior, interests, and activities that are restricted and repetitive and are sometimes abnormally intense or focused. They may stick to inflexible routines, move in stereotyped and repetitive ways, or preoccupy themselves with parts of objects, [such as stereo equipment].
Pursuit of specific and narrow areas of interest is one of the most striking features of [used record store employees]. Individuals [who work in used record stores] may collect volumes of detailed information on a relatively narrow topic such as [David Bowie bootlegs] or [Command Records], without necessarily having genuine understanding of the broader topic. For example, [a used record store employee] might memorize [reel-to-reel tape recorder models used on individual recorddings] while caring little about [sound engineering]. This behavior is usually apparent by grade school, typically age 5 or 6 in the United States. Although these special interests may change from time to time, they typically become more unusual and narrowly focused, and often dominate social interaction so much that the entire family may become immersed. Because topics such as [rock music] often capture the interest of [teenagers], this symptom may go unrecognized.
Stereotyped and repetitive [listening] behaviors are a core part of the [hiring process of used record stores]. They include [quizzes about music taste], and [exchanges of obscure references]. These are typically repeated in longer bursts and look more voluntary or ritualistic than [actual conversations], which are usually faster, less rhythmical and less often symmetrical.” (More…)
