Unfortunately, most web forums are a breeding ground for the argumentative, the rude, the ranters and the egotistical. It's not limited to our hobby believe me. The worst online behaviour I've ever encountered is on a classic car owners forum of all places. The amount of personnal attacks and insults is quite unbelievable. Makes the WAF look like a haven of the heavenly pure in comparrison.
This forum is a pleasure to visit in comparrison to all the rest. It's just a shame that we don't get more traffic. The appeal of the WAF is the shear volume of posts (when the site is actualy working that is!) That and the fact that I'm sure that a lot of people rather enjoy reading the mud slinging. It's that same mentality that makes people slow down on the motorway to have a good look a the car crash up ahead I suppose.
A few certain characters on the WAF have been guilty of overstepping the mark lately (myself included and I not too proud to admit that) but the Lubstein reference confirms who the other is that I think FB is referring to. All I can say is that I know personnaly that that person regrets acting in such a manner recently and that the advice given to him was that he doesn't have to go prove himself to everyone all the time no matter if it's in his fiery nature to do so.
The most exasperating part of this hobby is trying to help others who don't want to be helped. I've forgotten how many times I've advised someone in good faith that whatever they have bought is not the gem that they think it is only to have that advise ridiculed and shoved back in my face. That tends to generate a feeling of apathy towards unfamilar members so that circle of trust and interest starts to close around the people that you know and have known for years, even if you've never met them. This is starting to become my attitude after only a few years collecting. The same feeling must be tremendously magnified with guys who have been involved in this for decades. It's only natural.
A good example of what I'm taking about happened to me recently. Out of the blue, I get an email from someone asking if a particular visor cap was "good or bad". I responded as I always try to do and then recieved emails very day for a week with the same questions about everything from caps to tunics to medals. Not once did that person introduce himself or offer any personnal information or ask the same of me. I was just a free appraisal service for him and that became unacceptable to me so I blocked his emails.
To some extent, I think that's why certain forum members start to become a little bit frazzled and start doubting if all the accolades of being respected in your chosen area of study is worth all the hassle that comes with it.
Don't get me wrong, it's very nice to be considered knowledgeable enough to solicit requests for your opinion from complete strangers but it can become very tiring also so IMO, it's not a big surprise when certain collectors start to get a bit snappy and rude.
Just my thoughts in black and white, sorry for the long post.
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