[jchcollins]

Interesting thread.

I can understand a lot of familiar longings for things past here, indeed as all of us ostensibly collect physical things; cards, ephemera, and have found the value in even the “throw-away” tangible things that somehow still exist in the 21st century when they should have wound up on the ash heap of history decades ago if not longer.

That said, (I’m 47) I will also admit that I can’t imagine life and certainly the portion of it that is involved with my hobby now without some of our technological advances and modern conveniences. E-mail, text messages, social media, etc. were all huge improvements to me in this world from my perception as a fairly introverted young person, and even today with cards - we have much better tools than pulling out the latest BBCM to look up a price. I couldn’t have navigated the National last month without my phone, online vendor maps, Uber to get me there, etc. etc. Going further in the hobby - we have a lot more community and sounding boards now than when I opened my first pack of 1986 Topps. Message boards, N54, Facebook, even YouTube and just in general a lot easier means of connecting with folks that have similar hobby interests as you do. None of this existed really even when I went to college in the mid-90’s. While I certainly get the longing for many “analog” ways of doing things, overall I’d have to land on the side that evolution in thought and acceptance of new methods is a necessity.

But hey, I’m Gen X, right? Actually, having been born in 1977, I’m kind of right at that intersection; I once heard it called “Xennial.” Our childhoods at least as little kids were totally devoid of technology as we think of it today, unless perhaps you count the introduction of video games. But the telephones and stereos and televisions I grew up with would have been more recognizable to generations before mine in the 1950’s and 60’s than they would even my own daughters here in the 21st century. Fast forward (excuse the technology pun...) to after high school and college - and my life is now invaded with digital technology. I didn’t own my first cell phone until I was 22 years old, but finding and embracing that type of technology then certainly beats being 50 years older than that and having to accept it, IMO. I guess I don’t care so much about the cashless or stub-less thing, but then again, I’m not a ticket collector. I could understand being pissed about that if I was, LOL.


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