The Question of the Day is a way to facilitate community discussion to help members ponder the unanswered questions of the world that are somehow relating to the hobby. Questions are many times open ended and up to interpretation. Feel free to post your thoughts in as much or as little detail as you’d like.
Helpful Considerations may or may not help some people focus their answer, these are blurred to not bother those who have their own ideas.
I guess over time Ive become a bit dismissive to those who just have joined the hobby and are mostly interested in value over the many other things Pokemon has to offer. I suppose I should try to get back to my ideal interactions which are with a bit more grace and patience, after all Pokemon is for everyone’s enjoyment even if that enjoyment isnt the same for myself.
I wish I’d have called it quits in 2018. Nothing good has happened since then.
I could’ve graded all my cards while easy vintage 10’s through bulk tier pricing without queues, upcharges or the fedex mafia was still a thing. I could’ve wavered a little for a year like I definitely would have, then finally pulled the trigger on selling most of it during peak corona madness.
That timeline actually makes sense too because I had my last glorious ride with smogon competitive ADV in 2018, I peaked in skill and it was fun. Then it was over and I haven’t really had a single bout of enthusiasm since, neither watching or playing.
So no, I’m not satisfied with how I interact with the hahbee because it should be one of looking at this tire fire from afar and not only be glad I’m done with it but also with what I got out of it.
I’m exactly where I wanted to be. Many hang ups and learning experiences leading me to where I am, and those will always still happen of course, However I am fully loving what I do with Pokemon.
I put more mental energy into the hobby than I’d like, but realistically I would be putting too much mental energy into something, so might as well be this.
There are some wonderful people I’ve met being involved in e4, and that is something I hope to maintain long term. The enthusiasm for the cards may wax and wane, but I’m confident in the friendships I’ve made.
I’m hopefully optimistic that this whole bubble will bust soon(ish) and we can return to some level of normality.
Popularity is a double edged sword. I’m loving the sheer number of card shows, events and shops popping up, it’s allowed me to interact with the hobby in ways I could only dream of years ago. I do actively avoid certain content online as I think it’s poison.
I’ve definitely become a little wary of newcomers to our local community (what are they here for really, what info are they trying to get out of me?) But I’m trying to make a conscious effort to be welcoming and answer any questions they have - though avoiding anything relating to money the plague.
The hobby might be in slightly overheated state atm. yet I don’t feel any stress over it.
Having enough experience and the fact most of the heavy hitter items are already in collection helps a lot, I still try not to be content because that’s the moment when all good progress ends.
I think that I’ve found a happy medium for myself where I can interact and observe at a little distance. This helps me still be able to get excited with people who think and interact with the hobby the way I do, but I’m not so deep that I get overwhelmed by all the crazy! My activity level goes up and down throughout the year and I think having those breaks works best for me!
For the most part I’m okay with how I interact with the hobby. I do distance myself from the Pokemon products in the wild, when I would like to occasionally browse. I also find myself pretty intolerant of the “Tell me what to buy” or “How much is this worth” questions . To be clear those questions are different than “I’m new and wonder where to start collecting.”
It has its ups and downs. Im glad Pokemon is more popular than ever, but the reasons behind it sometime sadden me. Overall Ive come to term to just slow down, and enjoy what makes me happy collecting wise.
I love my collection. I love that I recently sold a lot of the overpriced cards and kept my favorites. I love that the quality of artwork coming out seems to keep getting better. I love that there are more folks involved and keeping the hobby alive.
Cons:
I miss when I could walk into a Walmart and see cards on the shelf. I miss when the hobby was affordable. I miss opening a chase card and not having to have a serious discussion with myself about the efficacy of keeping it vs selling it for the ludicrous amount of money people will pay for it. I miss the youthfulness of the hobby.
Overall, my biggest pains are that The Pokemon Company could make every set a Crown Zenith. There could be amazing cards, a solid chase without the feeling of getting ripped off, and enough stock to drown in. My hope is that, in the next few years, Pokemon figures out that artificial scarcity only matters if people care, but that they will stop caring if they go without for too long.
I like things but I wish modern was in a better spot. The “state of modern” seems to dictate how people feel about the hobby at large. When things arent great there, its like a poison that seeps into other aspects of the hobby. I was really into modern for nearly all of swsh, but now I rarely engage with the sets outside of leaks. I think the latter half of the year will make things better, but maybe not.
Im as happy as ever i guess, just wishing things were less hectic and people were less over-reactionary
I agree with this 100%. I love everything about Pokemon and almost every community for it (games, merch, toys, etc) has been affected. I want to even say it taints the youth as well when the mindset for some adults are “Remember kids, money, AND THEN values”.
I’ve been happiest leaning into more of the niche stuff that isn’t as overhyped at the moment. Been finding a lot of joy in my slowpoke collection and meeting other people who have very specific collecting goals! Also loving non-tcg and exploring Pokemon history through the brand’s many partnerships throughout the years.
It does make me sad not being able to get new product, especially when I couldn’t find any to get my nephew for his birthday. But I’m focusing on the stuff that does bring me joy for now, and will return to ripping product when it gets easier.
