The allure of boxes and breaks on social media pushing irresponsible decisions
As we collectors aimlessly scroll social media it’s autograph this, superfractor that, and most of the time the caption reads something like this… “Bought one hanger pack, pulled this bad boy!” …or some variation of that sentence, you get the picture.
Social media is a wonderful (most of the time) avenue for collectors to talk, to share stories, to trade, to buy and sell, and to have a community. The trouble is that social media can make it seem like the big hits come in every box. And there’s nothing like having the desire to buy a box, or into a break, after watching someone else pull a hot card no matter where you’re seeing these great pulls. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, whatever your preferred destination is.
This can go to a whole psychology on the effects of social media on the human mind. But sticking strictly in the collecting world, it can give the illusion that there is a banger of a card in every box and cause a person to spend recklessly. Trust me, that person has been me on numerous occasions.
A long time ago I opened up an account strictly to operate my card hobby out of. Through the months and years the balance of that account has ebbed and flowed, peaked and valleyed, or whatever other euphemism helps you out. What makes it peak? Responsible buying. Buying singles and grading to flip – before you say anything about the flipping part I flip to support my PC!
And one thing I’ve noticed is that when I’m buying boxes or breaks, that account lives in the valley and not on the peak. I get blinded by the allure of a big hit, because after all, it just takes one card! And yes, each person has their own personal responsibility and opinions on how they want to spend their money. All I can give you is a personal perspective and I can bet that my experience is not exclusive to me.
I also don’t want to speak ill about breaks and boxes, because as stated above, I partake too. But personally, the best way to go about it is to do so knowing you probably won’t get your ROI on the purchase.
If you do like breaking or box ripping, maybe pick a product you really love. Whether it be Bowman’s Best, Topps Chrome, whatever, and put your money to that instead of watching your social media feed grow your FOMO. At the very least you’ll have a chance of pulling your favorite player out of your favorite product, even if it’s a base.
My point is, social media, in any realm of life, can push you to make decisions that are not fiscally responsible in the hopes of a jolt of dopamine. And the card collecting hobby on social media is no exception. So, next time you’re scrolling and see that red refractor auto /5 pulled from a blaster, just remember, lady luck can be very cruel.