Collector demeanor in 2022 – Is it just me?
 

95 percent of my interactions with fellow collectors are great. I am in a few trading cards groups/message boards and we all love talking about cards. I have enjoyed collecting for over 30 years and just generally love talking about cards, going to shows, seeing others fulfill collecting goals, etc.

But this year, it seems those 5 percent of not good interactions have gotten much, much worse. On an almost daily basis, I see the following online/inperson comments:

“Price is too high”

“Card isn’t that great”

“Comps are X”

Or insults about another person’s card/collection.

I am sure this has been going on forever, but it seems to be it has gotten worse this year. Has anyone else noticed an increase in this behavior? Any reason for this? Hopefully, I am not the only one.

My hope for 2022 is that it gets better and not worse.

Absolutely agree. IMO many of the new collectors are young and unschooled in social-hobby-business interactions in the face-to-face world. Their default setting is "internet troll". I posted a card for sale with the following notice in big, bold red letters:

NOTE: IN MY OPINION THIS CARD HAS BEEN TRIMMED. BID ACCORDINGLY.

I get this PM:

"Oh, your opinion. Super reliable. Why don't you put a 30 cent ruler next to it and verify."

Really?

I completely agree. I also belong to a couple of FB vintage card groups.

My pet peeve is when someone posts a card with the comment "SO excited to pick up this card, I've wanted it for so long!! NFS/NFT"

invariably some jackass will post "How much?" in the replies.

There's a definite lack of decorum/social skills in the world today...

damn, what a douche. i guess that's what you get for being honest these days.

That's why I only hang out here.

We are all in agreement and many of us have experienced the same.

on the positive side there are many new and helping the hobby grow and their are many that are willing to learn from others and also try and enjoy the hobby

A whole generation, spending hours a day staring into their devices or multiple devices. Scrolling, swiping, clicking, multitasking, the thing constantly emitting sounds of all sorts. Following and being followed. @this and @that. #this and #that. It cannot be a good thing for society.

I was somewhat shocked last month when I went to a local show with the number of young collectors walking around with briefcases. Once opened rows of slabs met my eye.

This is not a hobby in their eyes, it is a stock exchange floor and they are trading on their futures.

How can that be enjoyable? The romance of collecting has been dented to an unrecognizable form.

B. T.

Just enjoy the 95 percent and ignore the 5 percent.

Did you get out your 30 cent ruler? ;)

+1. It seems many are in this only to flip and make quick cash. For these folks, baseball cards might as well be undefined "widgets". The funniest ones are when people ask "which type of box available at Target brings the best ROI?"

Most of the FB card groups I've joined have a pretty good general demeanor (and are enjoyable to interact with).

The exception is the huge hockey card group, which is like a childish mix of a soap opera and scammer page

The hobby has definitely morphed but I don't agree that the interactions are worse necessarily. They're just different. When you're posting in groups and so forth, you're going to get feedback in a way that simply wasn't possible 30 years ago. And, yes, some of that feedback will be negative. I can tell you that, with one exception, the interactions I see in my Facebook groups are generally polite and not annoying - even when giving negative feedback.

The one exception I see is people ignoring what people are asking for in posts. "Looking for Mac Jones Autos, no college jersey stuff" and then 90% of the responses will be non-autos or college jersey cards. That's annoying.

To me, it feels like a lot of the complaints I see about behavior are just complaints because things are different than they used to be.

2001: Chris, I believe you may have a point. Every generation has slightly differing methods of communication.

2022:, F*&K OFF, boomer.

And that's just when they are driving.

Some of these guys might get lucky, but I assume the vast majority of them won't do the work to learn about what they are pouring money into and will lose their asses.

Totally agree. As I inch closer and close to old man territory, it's clear to me that to my age group and older, everything is "worse". EVERYTHING. It's not "worse," it's just different. Newsflash, things change.

All things must pass. George Harrison.

That doesn't make them worse. It just makes them different.

Best article I’ve read on the state of society & social media.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine...-babel/629369/

Really? Rulers are still 30 cents?

This is intriguing to me.

First, a little history. The main reason I became engaged with FB is because on here (Net54), I would read posts about people finding cards in FB groups. Because of this, I took the plunge 2-3 years ago. Joined a T206 group, some vintage baseball, CFL football, and a few hockey card groups.

In the last couple of days, the largest (that I've found) hockey card group has come under deep criticism where a couple of the admins are accused of scoping out posts and making purchases before they are approved and the general members can see them.

Now, I am not here to accuse, confirm, or defend it. I am simply commenting on what is being said in other hockey groups.

Myself, I have preferred one of the smaller groups. Seems to have more knowledgeable and courteous participants, and I've actually picked up a few items that I needed. I've also met some quality people along the way.

What i hate most about many FB card groups is so many folks want to jump in and show they are the smartest collector on the planet. They love to criticize asking price, and sometimes belittle newbies simply asking questions. It gets tiresome.

I am in old man territory and you are correct. Everything is "different" for me. I find very few set collectors and very few traders of anything that is not graded. I was in the antiques business for many years and finally got out the end of 2019 because tastes have changed. People were not longer collecting nor getting something they liked, it was, when they came in, for the most part, they were looking for one specific item. The old time antique collector was gone. Things change and I am unable to change with them as the prices have pretty well forced me out. I don't know what will happen with my collections, yes I have a few different ones since once a collector always a collector, but I still am enjoying what I have and the occasional find of something to add whether it be a Cubs card or a Mighty Mouse comic book.

Appears that they cost about $2.00 these days....

https://www.amazon.com/Westcott-Clea...77&sr=8-5&th=1

Methods of communication change; manners do not. Being rude or obnoxious is the same whether it is in person, on the phone, or online.

amen!

I always ask the same things:

1. Would my mom be proud of this communication?

2. Would I want this shown to a jury?

If the answers are anything other than "yes", revisions are in order.

I haven’t noticed an increase in bad interactions, just a difference. There are a lot more younger people in card world, who tend to be rather more direct to the point. If I was selling a card and one of them gave me the “comps are X”, as long as that comp is true and fair, I wouldn’t see any problem. If they were lying, misusing data, then I’d find it negative.

It’s different now, but I don’t find it worse. Old curmudgeons complaining about everything that’s happened since the invention of the computer isn’t any better than whiny youth who call me “bro”. The youth express rudeness with an abrupt sentence cutting me off when I am speaking. The elderly express rudeness by ranting for thirty minutes. I have found most people to be decent, or failing that, tolerable.

Agree with this.

No clue if that actually happened either, but it definitely wouldn't surprise me.

There's just more of a slimy aspect to some of the people on that page than all the other groups I've been around combined (which includes others that are just as big). But it's still interesting to stick around for the entertainment value

Fantastic article, thanks for sharing.

Do we own the devices or do they own us?

Or do what Leon does and use a half dollar. That would only run 50 cents. :D

I don't have a problem with someone quoting comps, so long as they are accurate. But if someone is selling a PSA 7 OC, but quoting straight PSA 7 comps, like a former member here used to do, well that's an issue.

I literally thought that was "coining " was

I read this earlier today as well. Great read.