I’d have a lot more money but would have missed out on a super fun, rewarding hobby.
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I would have ended up on the same career path. I would have more money but a lot fewer happy memories as a kid.
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Same bro same. Unironically collecting gave me a sense of saving and to build yourself up to reach better opportunities! I used to just throw my money at random shit, but now when I throw my money on Pokémon cards it’s not like I lost the money since there is at least some value unless you’re straight up buying junk cards
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Ive always been a collector of things. Id probably be back collecting guitars most likely. I had a long stint with cars but I would of given that up by now just because of the costs involved.
As far as work…
Back to the steel mill 
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I guess, life-wise, I would pretty much be where I am at currently. Pokemon is very much disconnected in what I do in life and my life choices. What I will be missing out on the community aspect of Pokemon, which, as I get older seems to be a very important part and aspect of this hobby for me personally. As someone who is mostly online in this hobby, I think missing out on a community like E4 would be a big shame. Every post and interaction here seems to make me know and understand the collector behind the post a tiny bit more. Its funny how you can know someone just by these interactions without having to meet them.
Cheers!
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Aside from the amazing childhood memories, I’m glad this hobby is around because it’s one of my disconnects. I have a job that I love and am eternally grateful for, but it requires lots of travel, weird hours, and can be pretty stressful. Pokémon is my escape from the real world.
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I’ve always been a collector at heart.
When I was younger, I used to collect geodes, coins, DVDs, currency, cards, etc. I have to imagine that without Pokemon, I would still be collecting, though it may be MTG or another card game.
My professional life would be unchanged, but I would miss out on a lot of socialization and community. Some of my favorite people are Pokemon collectors who I met at trade nights or through community organizations.
I would also miss out on a lot of entertainment. I’m one of the 15% of e4 that watches the anime and keeps up with that side of the hobby. I find that the anime helps me live within the world as much as the video games or trading cards.
So while I would have more money and free time, I would be missing out on a lot of community, friendships, and entertainment. Really thankful to have a hobby as special as this.
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I don’t think it would hugely change my life–Pokemon has been there for some chunk of it, but I don’t think anything major was gained or lost because of its existence. If not the Pokemon game and TCG in elementary school, it probably would’ve been something else (maybe Digimon would reign supreme?!).
I do enjoy engaging with the Pokemon franchise in many ways: learning how to buy and sell cards was an exciting and educational venture; collecting, of course, has been a fun and engaging hobby so far; actually playing the card game (just online) certainly rekindled some childhood joy; as a creative pursuit, I certainly learned a ton and picked up a lot of new mediums because it was always easy (and fun) to conceptualize a first project related to Pokemon. I do think these all probably would have eventually wormed their way into my life through some outlet, but uniting these experiences under a single franchise was certainly very helpful.
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I don’t know where I’d be without Pokemon, but it sure helped me make friends when I started elementary school. I wasn’t very social and didn’t know how to approach other peers, but with Pokemon there always was something to talk about.
If Pokémon TCG never existed:
- I wouldn’t be developing Excel charts
- My interest in learning more about Adobe Photoshop would be practically nil
- I wouldn’t have met wonderful people who I met in this hobby
- I wouldn’t have Discord or a Twitter/Instagram accounts exclusively for shiny cardboard
- I’d have spent money on retrovideogames instead
- I wouldn’t be motivated in learning more languages (might sound stupid, but yes … Pokémon TCG motivated me in learning languages that are not English or Spanish)
- I wouldn’t be interested in buying an Epson v600 scanner
- My life would be more boring than usual
I also thought that before at some point during my life as a collector. Despite I don’t like some things of Pokémon TCG (like really high prices for a single card), I can’t deny it helped me a lot: I met amazing people and also, I had wonderful time searching cards and information. I had good memories related to TCG and that makes me extremely happy.
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id probably be impulse buying Yugioh instead or be in an entirely different genre of hobby
in the same place i am now, but spending more on music production gear.
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Same place probably. I would maybe collect action figures of dragonball or something. I just like having a hobby
I would have more Magic cards I guess.
I think my life would be more or less the same; just that I would be deep in a different hobby - I have always had collector brain and the collection I pivoted from when I got back into Pokémon was retro video games so I would probably have a much more extensive game library and a better gaming room in place of my Pokémon room.
My biggest loss I think would be this place, because there is nothing quite like E4. That and I guess people would have to think of me differently, because I have been the Pikachu Guy/Pokémon guy in many circles over the years as it has become such a large part of my life
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