>>22453629The playground black market was interesting as a universal phenomenon. Pokemon's biggest impact on young kids was to introduce them to the harsh realities of capitalism. Whoever had a complete collection was untouchable, you would have to beg for a decent trade. If you had something good, you had to watch over it so that someone wouldn't just take it from you. You learned your peers could be untrustworthy. You learned that you can be cheated and not get justice, because if you told a teacher that your things were taken they would take the rest of your shit because you're not supposed to have it in the first place.
It was great for like a month. Then it was hell.
