I read a lot of sports and collecting blogs.
A lot.
No, I don't think you understand...A LOT!!!
Most of what I read are the random musings of most of the "common" community that we are all somewhat familiar with. Occasionally, I will find a link, to a link, to a link that leads me down a path I have never traveled and I find a fresh view on something I have yet to experience. In these rare instances, the entertainment value generally comes from the fact that I get a viewpoint that I haven't experienced. I may not always agree with the author's vantage point on a subject but it is refreshing nonetheless to read something different.
This morning, during my daily blog "rolling", I happened upon one of those links to a link to a link. This time, it took me off the proverbial card collecting grid to a site that I really know nothing about. Salon.com appears to be pretty popular website that generates traffic from all over the place. I had heard of this site before but never ventured there on my own and until this morning, knew nothing about it. It appears to me to be an all encompassing "news" magazine style site that focuses on popular culture, fashion, and politics. So why am I here for baseball cards?
Apparently Salon offers a bloggers hosting section and Penn Collins took to his keyboard and penned an article entitled "2000 Words On Why Your Baseball Card Collection Is Worthless". Sounds very positive and upbeat, doesn't it? Well much to your surprise, it isn't. The majority of the time is spent retelling of how he came to acquire his collection during the mid 80s and then came to part with it after the mid 90s. Typical story that we have all heard before however, this seems to be coming from an angle of hatred and resentment toward a hobby that he chose to abandon. I can appreciate a whirlwind of opinions from all walks of life, which is one of the reasons why I read so many blogs. The only problem I have here is this author seems disinterested in the hobby itself and the culture that surrounds it, and more interested in bashing the industry and anyone who participates in it simply because he failed to pay for his college education with his collection.
My only problem now is that I can't tell if this is a serious focus on his failed experience with our hobby or if this is supposed to be humorous. I'd advise everyone to give it a read and see what you think. Is there anyone that shares the same opinion as I do on this one? Just to give you a preview, the final line of his little diatribe goes "Hope you enjoyed the journey, 'cause the destination sucks".
Just finished reading this myself. He has some interesting points, but overall he does come off as bitter and doesn't address the idea of collecting as a real hobby rather than an investment vehicle. I can appreciate someone looking at the business and investment side of things and concluding the hobby is doomed (and it may well be), but he completely misses the point of drawing joy rather than money from a hobby.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jonathan on the investment vehicle aspect. Like 95% of the article is about how he wanted to make money off the things, and he seems kind of pissed that he didn't. I'm not saying that investing isn't sometimes a part of the hobby - I've prospected, and I've been bummed before when a card of mine took a major hit in value. For the most part though, it's about the joy of the thing. My Wonderful Terrific Monds collection, for example, is worth diddly squat. But I love it. Joy of collecting indeed!
ReplyDeleteAnd that's the difference between a collector and an investor. We are all collector's, the author is a failed investor.
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