People have traded and bartered 物物交换) for centuries. Whatever else the flea (跳蚤) market may appear to be, its purpose is the sale and exchange of goods. Whether they are knowledgeable collectors or just plain bargain hunters, people are drawn to the flea market by the enormous amount and variety of goods offered.(76) The possibility of finding something truly valuable before anybody else does make shopping at a flea market a treasure hunt. For many buyers, the process of bargaining at a flea market is as much fun as the bargain itself. (77) It’s not just the money they save that gives them a sense of accomplishment; it’s the satisfaction of playing an ancient . Satisfaction also comes from the immediacy of a flea market exchange. After you negotiate your price, it is “cash and carry”: the dealer pocket your money, you go home with your purchase, and that’s that. You got what you wanted, and the dealer got what he or she wanted.(78) In today’s world of credit cards, the flea market takes you back to a time when life was r and money had more meaning. What do the “fleas” have in common here(79) Perhaps it is a belief in becoming economically self-sufficient, and in taking control of their own lives. Vendors(摊贩) willingly give up the security of a nine-to-five job in exchange for : from fixed working hours; from the world of inflation; to choose when, where, and what they will sell; to be what they want to be. Yet the flea market is much more than an odd mixture of people selling a variety of products. “This is a serious enterprise,” says a vendor. “The amount of a labor and organization that goes into an operation like this is impressive.”(80) Perhaps most important to the flea market’s success is the spirit of cooperation among vendors. “At the flea market, everyone is encouraged to be an individual, but, at the same time, to help each other out,” says another vendor. “ It’s a shame cities aren’t run like this.” 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. Perhaps it is a belief in becoming economically self-sufficient, and in taking control of their own lives.