The Pokémon trading card game-effect

It’s funny how memories work. Some things you forget immediately, others you keep for some time, and, try as you might, some memories will never be banished from deep within your soul.

One such memory that probably will never fade is of trading Pokémon cards on the school playground when I was about 10 years old. Basically, you had to trade useless cards for better ones, removing duplicates and broadening your own collection.

The thing I remember most vividly about it is egging others on to trading: it didn't affect me, so my emotions were no factor and I could decide for my friends with a clear head, usually making the right decision. Other times, I was the center of attention when my cards were about to be traded. I had grown attached to my cards, so I wasn't gonna give ‘em away easily. Emotion ruled those decisions, and even though I can't remember it anymore, I probably refused some pretty great deals, and accepted even more lousy ones.

I've since found out life in many of its forms works in exactly the same ways. A thousand people can want something and encourage those concerned as much as they like, if those people who have to do it don't want to, it's a no go. There's probably some fancy psychological word for it, but that's what I like to call the Pokémon trading card game-effect (patent pending).

Sometimes, I wish those decision makers would let go of their worries more easily, and just do what their peers expect them to, because the difference between yes and no can sometimes come down to some crazy, nonsensical and impertinent emotion someone remotely involved suddenly has. I mean, we’ve all been cheated some great opportunities, haven’t we?

I guess what I’m trying to say here is that it annoys me sometimes that something everyone sees as right gets labeled as wrong by the only ones who really have a say in it.