I still have no clue why a few that frequent this board treat it as if it were their own personal 'Gentleman's Club'.  Any new ideas, new thoughts or even different way of looking at collecting are soundly flamed.  Many people come here and so few people post.  If there is, indeed, an initiation process whereby you are trampled initially to somehow earn your right to speak your mind without being attacked, then no thank you.  I am not a 'traditional' collector cut from the mould some of you exclusively appreciate, but I have enjoyed reasonable, articulated and entertaining posts here, often by folks that think entirely differently than I do.  Yet I have not felt the need to char-broil folks for this different-ness.

It is juvenile, it is intolerant and it will continue to create a closed dialogue where a few of you can continue to greatly appreciate each others one-minded thinking, narrow sense of humor and general meanness.

I have made a decent living helping organizations admit to and then change inherent dysfunctional activity in order to reach their goals.  What is the goal of this site?  To cater to a few that see this hobby a certain way or provide information and reasonable dialogue to the many?  If it is the latter, it is my professional opinion that a few folks are making the forum dysfunctional.  Maybe those that feel this site is theirs are perfectly ok with that, but you may be missing some incredibly bright and articulate folks that are apathetic about entering the ‘gentleman's club' to take their dose of initiation.

Lastly, as I have mentioned, I am fairly new back in to gaming and have found a good number of great sites with very active forums.  In none of them (including Dragonsfoot)  do I see the level of open hostility and attempted destruction of individuals' reputation as I see here.  It is shameful.

The thing that I really find shameful are those who negotiate clearly undervalued BINs after they see posts in the interesting items on Ebay thread so that they can take money out a sellers pocket and put into their own.  Its not even done because they are collectors looking to fill a whole in their collections, but for the sole purpose of reselling said items at a profit.   Thats what I find shameful.

I should probably add that as far as I have seen there is no "in-club" or any other club here for that matter.

If you come here, you act like an adult, you don't bait people intentionaly with assanine comments, you don't try and steal people's money and/or you don't start bitching that this place sucks, then you will get along here just fine.  If you come here and do any/all of the aforementioned things then you won't have such an easy time.

Pretty simple really. Actually, pretty much what anybody should expect on a message board or anywhere else in one life's pursuits I would expect.

i cant even remember my first few posts....prb went way under the radar.

i prb got to about 3500 posts before anyone took much notice

Al

Boreas wrote:I have made a decent living helping organizations admit to and then change inherent dysfunctional activity in order to reach their goals.

Ahemmm.

Hi, my name is Frank, and I'm a forum asshole.
(Hi Frank!)
It all started back when I started collecting D&D. At first it was just a few items here and there. Then it was every other day. Then EVERY day. Before I realized it, I was skipping work to surf eBay for BIN's. I didn't care what items I bought, I just HAD to have that next module. My wife left me, and I sold my firstborn son in order to fund my addiction. I joined a forum, and would spend hours reading posts and sending scathing replies. I developed a set of buying/selling ethics, and forced my opinions of them upon unwitting posters. I even developed a reputation for tagging individuals with twisted versions of their names. My friends tried to get me to stop, but I was too far gone, my Wisdom checks were all at -10......
I now realize the pain and suffering I've caused to so many people: the PDFers, the shipping gougers, the Mbaggers, forum trolls, and the rest. I've come here to try and set my life in order, and place my fate in the hands of my higher power. I know, with the support of this wonderful group, that I can overcome my problem and be a better human being. Thank you.

Deadlord39 wrote:
I know, with the support of this wonderful group, that I can overcome my problem and be a better human being.

support from the assholes on this forum? - naah, we're all self obsessed ego maniacs who have made it our lifes work to collect nonsense that nobody else wants. You want support - call the Samaritans or buy a truss - the choice is yours.

(hey and how about them handling charges?!)

gyg wrote:
Al who? - I've looked on the memberlist and he isn't there - perhaps there is an 'in' club that I'm not a part of :lol:

Well, there is rumor of a secret forum that is only accessible by select members...illuminati...they know who they are...

Hmmmmmm................... maybe not just a rumor? I have heard this as well.
Anyone know the criteria for membership?

I knew a guy who was a big-time player of that game.  He disappeared.