A timely must-read: Kevin Nguyen explains the financial crisis to his kid sister using Pokémon cards as an analogy.
Kevin: Imagine that I let you borrow $50, but in exchange for my generosity, you promise to pay me back the $50 with an extra $10 in interest. To make sure you pay me back, I take your Charizard Pokémon card as collateral.Olivia: Kevin, I don't play Pokémon anymore.
Kevin: I'm getting to that. Let's say that the Charizard is worth $50, so in case you decide to not return my money, at least I'll have something that's worth what I loaned out.
Olivia: Okay.
Kevin: But one day, people realize that Pokémon is stupid and everyone decides that the cards are overvalued. That's right--everybody turned twelve on the same day! Now your Charizard is only worth, say, $25.
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This actually works on pretty much every level.
I am just waiting for the Pokémon opiate to dissipate - it was a horrible ralization that it is STILL a fad with the kids when my 6-year old came home from school and demanded the d**n cards.
On the bright side, it is clear that for kids that age the joy lies in the sharing of an experience, exchanging cards with each other each break with little or no clear idea of 'intrinsic value'. It is the exchange itself that brings pleasure, not the actual posession. That won't last long...
Most kids who covet the cards seem incapable of playing the card game. I wonder if it's fun.