Gatekeeping what exactly?
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I really like common cards if they feature stuff i like. And i get more happy if im pulling that common card and not as happy if there is a V/Holo in that booster because those probably are irrelevant to my collection. (alt/full arts are always welcomed though 
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I have binders filled with common cards of the same thing. I just…want…more…of…that…
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It’s more of a general statement that I feel can be applied to a lot of things, but related to Pokémon specifically: certain types of people should be gatekept from the hobby.
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lol this is so toxic
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The hobby is for everyone. If someone else engaging in the hobby detracts from your experience, then I suggest that you reflect on your prejudices.
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I mean, it IS an unpopular opinion thread… 
@enigma for the purpose of unpopular opinion discussion…are you willing to elaborate? Maybe there is an example you’re thinking of? I’m curious what “certain types of people” means exactly in your view.
If it’s my goofy face, well that’s completely understood of course. I really mean who/what else?
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I mean you, and everyone else here on the forum.
Lol no, of course that’s not what I mean 
I said gatekeeping is mostly necessary to some small degree. And I apologize for the wall of text in advance, but I feel like I have to make myself 100% clear here.
@Dyl you mention prejudice… I have never seen anyone here recommend buying from a low-feedback seller on any platform. They are expected to prove themselves trustworthy and reliable first. Before they do that, buying from them is a big no-no. What about selling to a low or 0 feedback buyer? Forget about that, too! If I had a dollar for every time I heard low-feedback buyers are too much of a risk to deal with and you’re better off avoiding them, I’d be rich. These are widely accepted prejudices here, and I admit I’m guilty of them myself. I think it’s natural, and healthy to be wary of new or unknown individuals when conducting business transactions.
So why is it when someone has a lot of money to throw around, they are instantly welcomed into the hobby without a second thought, regardless of their experience, interest, passion or intentions? In reference to recent events, many are shocked the Chinese collector xiao could’ve had a hand in scamming others. His wealth and personal collection make people doubt he would ever participate in those actions. How long until we realize wealth does not eliminate the propensity for fraud? How long until we learn the contents of your collection aren’t reflective of your intentions within the hobby space? How long until it’s understood social media image can never indicate someone’s true character? Furthermore, are you suggesting people like collectiblesguru and other scammers should be allowed back into this hobby because “the hobby is for everyone”? No. This hobby is not for everyone. This hobby is for people with genuine intentions and a respect for their fellow human beings, on every level.
My original comment is me suggesting we all should be careful with who we sell our cards to. The cryptobros, scammers, and the people who profit from manipulation should absolutely be gatekept from the hobby. I think it’s largely a responsibility of the individual: find a buyer who respects and values the item at least as much as you do. The rarer or more valuable the collection piece, the more diligent and discerning the seller should be when finding a proper buyer. Whether the buyer truly values the piece for what it is or not should matter more than getting the absolute highest dollar amount for it.
I don’t expect many people to agree with me on this, because gatekeeping has such a strong negative connotation. And it’s also my opinion, so that’s why I posted in this thread. But personally, if I ever found out I bought from/sold to someone profiting off harming others using me or cards I had, I would feel genuine, physical unease. I will never knowingly work with, buy from or sell to these types of people. I believe these types of people are a cancer on the hobby and should not be allowed to participate in any capacity. If that makes me toxic, then I will wear that badge proudly.
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Thanks for taking the time to respond! I figured there was more to the story here. Hard to encapsulate accurately everything you had in mind in one or two sentences.
I agree, it’s vasty different to say “we should gatekeep people who are only here for StOnKs!!1!!” (as an example of potentially common tropes) versus “we should gatekeep proven scammers”. I think definitionally, the majority of people in the hobby probably don’t even put a known scammer or otherwise scummy person in the same category as your generic collector/player/hobbyist/store owner/artist/entrepreneur/enthusiast, and would have no issue barring them from interaction with the rest of the hobby. So when folks hear “gatekeeping certain types of people”, I assume they jump to that latter group of people immediately, and (rightfully) think that gatekeeping them is a bad idea. Which it is.
The low feedback buyer/seller one is tough; sometime in the not so distant past I was one of those 0 feedback buyers. I get the hesitation inherent with committing your money to something that’s not yet proven, but there is also no way to get past having 0 feedback without actually buying or selling something. I think the reason you hear that advice is because that is where a lot of the aforementioned scammers lurk, so it’s just a note of caution. When giving general advice to cover all situations, it seems we’re essentially stuck catering to the lowest common denominator; while a seasoned collector may be more prepared with how to deal with that specific situation and could likely guide themselves, a brand new collector could easily have the wool pulled over their eyes and that advice becomes incredibly useful.
Perhaps just a small case of talking past eachother 
My 2 cents! 
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Thanks for hearing me out 
Even though most people are genuine and the bad experiences are rare occurrences, I’m still wary of brand new accounts, especially when selling. Truthfully, it’s something I’d like to work on getting over. You’re right, we all come from the same place. When I was just starting to buy and sell on eBay, I had no idea what this forum was and didn’t really talk to anyone about the TCG. And yet, people trusted me and sold to/bought from me. Next time I see low feedback, I’ll look further into their listing and profile, instead of immediately clicking off. And hopefully I can begin to shake this habit of mine.
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I’m going to stand by my original statement: the hobby is for everyone.
A few points:
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I’ve bought from low-feedback sellers and I’ve sold to low-feedback buyers. Everyone started at 0 on eBay, including you and me.
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Every hobby that has the propensity to make money will have scammers and scummy people. They should still be allowed to engage in the hobby, even if we disagree with how they are doing so. We can condemn their actions without removing their autonomy to participate.
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What someone does with my cards is not my business after the transaction has been completed. The cards are now their property and they are allowed to do what they want with them. Suggesting that we should only sell to genuine collectors who value the cards as much as us is coming off as a bit elitist.
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Negative prejudices against low feedback accounts do exist in many people though, across all social platforms. They can’t be ignored. Whereas positive prejudices against the wealthy are pervasive in many different social media spheres. All I’m saying is, neither is correct and both should be called out. Like I said above, I’m no saint and I’d like to eliminate my bias against 0 feedback sellers. I’m glad you don’t share those prejudices, and I admire you for it.
Condemnation does nothing to help those who don’t hear your message; the manipulator will simply find more people to manipulate. Xiao has a massive collection of trophy cards - he didn’t just amass that overnight. A collection of that magnitude isn’t built on wealth alone, he needed connections to get what he has. And in order to do business with these connections, I would imagine he had to conceal his true intentions. I find it hard to believe many people would knowingly do business with a scammer. Concealment of character is manipulation. I can’t turn my head the other way when I see people take advantage of fellow collectors. Does it hinder my ability to enjoy my collection and the people I interact with? No, certainly not. In fact, it makes me appreciate what I have even more. But I can’t pretend it doesn’t bother me - that would be heartless - because in reality, these events do impact how others enjoy the hobby, and why are you a member of a collectibles forum if not to connect with other collectors and understand their experiences?
I’m not policing others on how to sell their cards, I’m just putting forth my opinion in the thread to do it. If I have a strong emotional attachment to a piece and it comes time for me to sell, I want that piece to go to someone who will also strongly value it - that’s just how I am. It means something to me, and I want it to mean something to someone else, too. At that point, it’s more than just a sale to me. Its me imparting a piece of myself to another individual. If you don’t think like that, that’s fine! More power to you. Selling is probably much easier for you. But that’s not how I am. If I don’t have that much of an emotional attachment to whatever I’m selling, then it probably means I didn’t value it as much as I should have, so it’s better off with someone else. Collecting is very emotional by nature, and for a lot of people (not just me) those emotions carry over to selling as well. That’s not elitist, it’s just human.
This will be my last post on the topic, not because I don’t want to engage in conversation but because I think I’ve expressed everything I wanted to say and don’t want it to run on for too long, as these topics tend to do.
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Thanks for sharing your opinion.
I do agree with it as well. Think of the people making a mockery of the signing events and having idiotic messages like “To Charizard” so they can flog it later. Is it healthy to have those kinds of people in the hobby? @Dyl It becomes detrimental to everyone except the opportunist.
Sure, everyone can choose who they sell to, but when you know the character of who you’re dealing with, then you can’t just ignore your part in it too. Kind of like, the CryptoZoo scam with Logan Paul.
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Yea, this is definitely one of those grey moral dilemma situations. Some people choose to make it none of their business who engages and does what in the hobby. Out of sight, out of mind sorta deal. Which is their decision to make. Some people concern themselves with deep feelings of righteousness and get caught up trying to fight the good fight; feeling a moral responsibility for the nature of the hobby. Also their decision.
Ultimately, i understand where both parties come from, i think. Its difficult to walk that tight rope because we all really care about this hobby and have strong emotional attachment to it. We dont want bad people harming our hobby-- community is important to us. Bad behaviour in the hobby can sometimes feel like its being done to us directly because of that connection we have. With so much negativity and terrible stuff in the world, you dont want that polluting your safe space. At the same time, is it really our place to play judge and jury? What makes one person’s feelings more valid than someone elses? We are all human, no one can really be impartial. I personally feel the burden of that responsibility and its very complex feelings. Obviously, i place that burden on myself, but i think it really comes from a place of not wanting something you love to change. We want to guard it because we treasure it. It doesnt belong to us though. And often times i think we fall victim to not wanting it to change in ways we dont like, yet we are fine when it changes in a way that we approve. We meaning people with this mindset. Its difficult because its like, who am i to tell anyone else what, or how to do something? Id like to think it comes from a place of good intentions… gatekeeping behaviour is something ive personally struggled with because i often was criticized for things i was rly passionate about when i was younger, as im sure most of us have faced with Pokemon. Its certainly odd feelings.
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about time this thread was getting way too quiet
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Thanks for the debate! The multitude of perspectives and opinions is what makes e4 great.
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Collecting energies is actually oddly satisfying… 
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Why do you think so?
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I don’t care much for the metallic look/texture. I prefer Neo Revelation’s Shining Pokemon for the rich color and cosmos holofoil.
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