- Thread starter
- #1
predatorkj
Active member
- Aug 7, 2008
- 11,871
- 2
This isn't one of those "why do you collect the player you collect", or one of those "what got you started collecting" threads. I was asked this the other day and truthfully I get tired of it. But people who don't collect anything really want to know why I collect anything at all. I get asked such questions as what I plan to do with my collection, and what exactly do I "get out of it". Truthfully it can be hard to answer. I give the usual, I like collecting, it's in my blood, runs in my family, and I enjoy looking at what I have amassed. But when somebody asks you what you plan to do with it, and you tell them just pass it on or hold until I die, it kinda makes you yourself wonder exactly what you are doing and why are you doing it.
I absolutely love going through my cards and I like feeling like I've accomplished something when I complete a rainbow or a set. Or when I find that pesky little card that took 6 years to find. Or when I find something I've never seen before, nor knew existed. I guess my only real answer could be that I enjoy the experience. It's just like fishing. You don't keep everything you catch and you certainly can't catch every fish but just being able to catch any at all and have that experience is somehow enjoyable. And plus you have the added ability to find those deep sea monsters very few have ever seen(I think of deep sea fishing where a buddy of mine caught a 19 foot tiger shark which I didn't believe until I saw the picture).
But, on the other hand, we've all got either girlfriends, wives, kids, family, jobs, school, etc. Life is short and you have to enjoy what little free time you can in the maximal way. Balancing your hobby and your life can be hard because you always end up feeling one gets the short end of the stick but it's necessary. It really is. But what does that say about you, or rather, how do you feel about the fact that you spend your free time going through pieces of cardboard depicting professional athletes instead of say, taking your dog or kids to the park, going to the beach and just chilling out, taking a jog or a bike ride, going to the movies with a friend or significant other, reading a book or listening to a cd. There are a million things you could do with your time and many can be argued to be better health wise, or at least socially, for your health or overall well being.
I'd say collecting as a hobby has no real issues. But it, for me at least, has no real concrete goal. I know I'll never obtain every Bagwell card and even if I do, so what. What in the holy hell does that mean? Am I or have I somehow bettered myself? And then what? What does it mean? What do I do or would I do once I reached that plateau? I'd probably focus on other hobby pursuits but have I achieved anything by having all those cards? Have I filled some gap in my life and if so, what does that say about me? Or better yet, what if the gap still doesn't feel closed?
Something tells me I'm aiming way too deep by thinking this hard about it. This hobby for me is one with endless goals that most likely couldn't or shouldn't be achieved. And it's also one where there really should be no plan. It doesn't fit the mold the rest of your life follows. There is no major plan. There is no major strategy. There is no major obtainable goal. Even if one is met, it's trivial at best. It's just you, pissing away a few bucks here and there, on tangible assets that could(in some cases couldn't) be liquidated for monetary gains. It's you pissing away an hour here or an hour there. It's basically just you shaving some time off your life here on earth, having fun with no real reasoning behind it. Not worrying about following a model or recipe. Just having fun. And if you really think about it, don't we all do that in one way or another at times. And sadly, a lot of times, it's on things that would make card collecting seem fruitful and a good idea in comparison. I've certainly spent my time and money on far less fruitful pursuits than cards.
Thoughts?
I absolutely love going through my cards and I like feeling like I've accomplished something when I complete a rainbow or a set. Or when I find that pesky little card that took 6 years to find. Or when I find something I've never seen before, nor knew existed. I guess my only real answer could be that I enjoy the experience. It's just like fishing. You don't keep everything you catch and you certainly can't catch every fish but just being able to catch any at all and have that experience is somehow enjoyable. And plus you have the added ability to find those deep sea monsters very few have ever seen(I think of deep sea fishing where a buddy of mine caught a 19 foot tiger shark which I didn't believe until I saw the picture).
But, on the other hand, we've all got either girlfriends, wives, kids, family, jobs, school, etc. Life is short and you have to enjoy what little free time you can in the maximal way. Balancing your hobby and your life can be hard because you always end up feeling one gets the short end of the stick but it's necessary. It really is. But what does that say about you, or rather, how do you feel about the fact that you spend your free time going through pieces of cardboard depicting professional athletes instead of say, taking your dog or kids to the park, going to the beach and just chilling out, taking a jog or a bike ride, going to the movies with a friend or significant other, reading a book or listening to a cd. There are a million things you could do with your time and many can be argued to be better health wise, or at least socially, for your health or overall well being.
I'd say collecting as a hobby has no real issues. But it, for me at least, has no real concrete goal. I know I'll never obtain every Bagwell card and even if I do, so what. What in the holy hell does that mean? Am I or have I somehow bettered myself? And then what? What does it mean? What do I do or would I do once I reached that plateau? I'd probably focus on other hobby pursuits but have I achieved anything by having all those cards? Have I filled some gap in my life and if so, what does that say about me? Or better yet, what if the gap still doesn't feel closed?
Something tells me I'm aiming way too deep by thinking this hard about it. This hobby for me is one with endless goals that most likely couldn't or shouldn't be achieved. And it's also one where there really should be no plan. It doesn't fit the mold the rest of your life follows. There is no major plan. There is no major strategy. There is no major obtainable goal. Even if one is met, it's trivial at best. It's just you, pissing away a few bucks here and there, on tangible assets that could(in some cases couldn't) be liquidated for monetary gains. It's you pissing away an hour here or an hour there. It's basically just you shaving some time off your life here on earth, having fun with no real reasoning behind it. Not worrying about following a model or recipe. Just having fun. And if you really think about it, don't we all do that in one way or another at times. And sadly, a lot of times, it's on things that would make card collecting seem fruitful and a good idea in comparison. I've certainly spent my time and money on far less fruitful pursuits than cards.
Thoughts?
