So in your eyes has reality tv helped or hurt the hobby?

With shows such as Cash and Cari, Pawn Stars, American Pickers, Antiques Road Show, Storage Wars, and all the other shows like that do you feel it has helped or hurt the hobby in anyway?

As a buyer I feel like it has made me less willing to spend money on items because I always feel like I can or should get it cheaper than the asking price because of the prices the seller has paid for the items. I know there is overhead and someone in the business needs to make money but shows like this have made me less willing to spend..

For example I was watching an episode of American Pickers on demand yesterday and they stopped some old couples house who had lots and lots of cool stuff and they were selling it dirt cheap. This couple was on their last leg of life so it wasnt a big deal to them so they were happy with anything in terms of money but what I shook my head at was they had a stack of I'd say roughly 200 pennants from the apollo 11 landing in great shape just sitting there and Mike bought them for I want to say roughly $500 for all of them I could be wrong. I just sat there and shook my head... I just looked it up and Mike one of the guys on the show just sold 1 for $250 bucks!!!!! Great for him but as a buyer Im alway wonder how much they paid for something and feel taken advantage of! I know nobody is putting a gun to my head to buy anything but thats how I feel.

I feel like this has created these tire kickers some of you guys get annoyed with.

As a seller I think these shows also mess with the hobby. I dont really sell things but when I do I tend to give people a really good deal. Most of the time I make very little or in some cases I actually lose money. I do this because I never want to feel like I am taking advantage of someone. I know I am not putting a gun to their head to make them buy it and they make the final choice of buying it or not I get that.

But in terms of selling I think these shows make people think everything is worth more than it really is.. Sure I am sure there is someone who would pay $500 for that item that you paid $100 for but it will be much harder than you think and the smart thing would to be to take the fast nickel over the slow dime.

For example in this case the show storage wars the guy Darrell got a container that had someones sportscard/autograph collection in it... Well he took it a card shop and the owner of the store was listing prices he would list things for in his store.. The entire time I was thinking I could get all of this stuff for a fraction of the prices he is listing on ebay and other places. Sure I am sure someone might fall for it in passing at these prices some non real collector trying to find a gift for a friend or their child but I can almost guarantee you Darrell didnt get anywhere close to the prices the show made you think the items were worth... That being said I know people fall for it and they are thinking you know what I have this ball signed by so and so I got that means nothing to me let me sell it for $300 when it really can be had for $50

I think these shows are fun to watch and I watch everyone of them when I get the chance but I do feel like they have played a part to change the hobby for either the good or bad depending on how you look at it.

Thoughts?