Don, thank you for that. According to that definition, pumping is anchored in profit motive through deception and manipulation. Pumpers are actively "distorting the market and taking advantage of others' genuine interest in collecting".
Aside from the BST, I do not see that happening here. Never. Sure, people may post and talk up cards they own, likely genuinely believing they are good buys/investments (I have done that many times). But I don't see people purposely making false or deceptive statements in an effort to take advantage of people. In fact, if anything, I think the overwhelming population on this site genuinely wants to help others and participate in constructive dialogue about cards.
Admittedly, this post is directed at G1911, who uses the term 20x more than the collective community combined, insists in every other post that there is an outcry to liquidate 401k's to buy cards, borrow money one cant afford to repay to buy cards, and that he has been assured by many on this site that cards are only going up and up. I am so sick of this garbage.
Here are links to the 401k and the borrowing discussion. They are great reads on many levels.
https://www.net54baseball.com/showth...rement+account
https://www.net54baseball.com/showth...rement+account
Nobody promotes draining a 401k to buy a card, let alone a specific card they have a financial interest in. And nobody promotes borrowing money one does not have to buy a card they cannot afford, and most certainly not to buy a specific card someone has a financial interest in. Instead, there is great discussion about cards as investments, particularly as compared to other asset classes, and when it makes sense to buy cards when you may not have the immediate liquidity/means to do so.
The discussion generally breaks along two different lines -- (1) those, like me, who feel cards are an asset class and an investment and who are willing to take some risk in order to pursue the potential returns cards may provide (like any investment), and (2) those, like G1911, who views cards only as a hobby and does not see the merit of buying cards for investments. I respect the opinion of those in this second group. But that does not render the opinions of those in the first group incorrect, let alone reckless. And it certainly does not render that group "pumpers" who promote draining 401ks, borrowing money to buy things you cant afford, and believers that cards will always and only go up.
I guess, I started this thread to call out G1911, who continues to peddle the myth that this board is full of pumpers, as he defines them. That is simply not true. This board has many people who do feel cards are assets and discusses them as such, but that does not make them pumpers or crusaders of irresponsible spending, specifically on things they own so that they can profit off others. Expressing an opinion, is not pumping. Being bullish on something and stating such is not pumping. Prioritizing a card over stock or other more traditional uses of money is not pumping, even when you admit you have done so.