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So how was that for a blast from the past? Patrick Chapin, from his hideaway with the Tibetan Monks, writes an Ask Ken. We are back to normal now. I'm your host, Kartin Ken. It amazes many people how I can be such an expert on so many areas of this game. Well I'll let you in on my secret: Magic has completely consumed my life for the better part of 10 years. It is easy to be all-knowing after that.
Today's Question comes to us from one time Junior Pro-Tour top 4 finisher all the way back in the Mirage Pre-Release Sealed PT in Atlanta: Daniel Connelly. Dan writes:
Greetings all powerful Ken,
My question to you comes from an interesting group discussion that I had with some fellow Magic players as we were going home from a Grand Prix Trial this past weekend.
The topic of discussion was about trading with young kids at local stores. The event that arose was about a person who we will call Mr. X. Mr. X was trading with a kid at a store, and the trade ended up giving Mr. X a Polluted Delta, and a Ravenous Baloth, while the kid received a Sutured Ghoul and the equivalent of a dime rare. While Mr. X ended up walking away with what I would consider $10.00 worth of cards, the kid only got approx. $0.60 worth of cards.
I understand that some times people make one sided trades in order to get certain cards that they need or especially want, but when you are dealing with kids who do not know any better, should morals come into play when trading with them? Isn't there some for of dignity that should be kept amongst that general playing community? What are your thoughts on unfair trading with kids, and/or people who do not know any better?
I understand that this could very well become a heated debate with no real end, but I think it is important that people understand other people's points of views on these types of topics.
Thanks for your time,
Daniel Connelly
P.S.
Are you going anywhere this weekend?
Daniel, you pose an excellent question. I won't try to be as coy as you are, we both know I was with you during this GP Trial, and subsequently was part of this discussion.
I took the side of the person making out on the trade. The interesting part is I would never do this, but my reasoning is that I am charitable. I am not convinced that taking a great deal in a Magic card trade is so immoral. If this person who got the Baloth and the Delta got it from someone his own age, no one would bat an eye, but because it was a child everyone is up in arms.
The fact of the matter is, if the kid was willing to make the trade there, he isn't going to hold onto those cards too long. Is it possible he would have traded with someone more charitable and gotten a better deal? Sure, anything is possible. But the likelihood is that someone else would have ripped him off.
Even the most moral of traders I know want to make a couple bucks off a trade. Technically, this is still ripping someone off. If you aren't getting perfectly even money, then someone has gotten ripped off. Should a person be punished because they got such a great deal?
As for preying on children, well half the time they don't know the value of the cards they have. They want out of print cards they haven't seen. If the trade is fair in their eyes, I'm not sure it matters what Scrye or Inquest has to say about it. Besides, it is far from easy for a person to get ripped off again, once they have been ripped off. If they cared that much about the value, they should have sought some guidance.
There isn't a person around during the time when Arabian Nights boosters went from $1.50 a pack to $25 a pack that didn't run to the outer most reaches of their area to try to find some at $1.50. I don't see the difference.
The source of morality in trading,
KK
It is always nice hearing from one of the fledgling Pro Tour players. It is nice to know they are still alive and kicking. Have a great weekend everybody!
