I have been a collector of many things throughout my life. I was introduced to those collectibles simply because I enjoyed them.
Having said that, I have almost lost all interest in collecting some of the things I love. From Star Trek memorabilia, timepieces, wet shaving, golf clubs, sport’s items, and vintage hats. I have dabbeled in each one of them at some point in my life. Just ask my lovely wife who has endured this tragic comedy along with me, usually followed with “I told you so”.
So, you may be asking yourselves, why in the world would I considered walking away from those same things I loved so much. Easy, two words: Internet Forums!
Most hobbies these days have a dedicated internet forum, or several internet forums . Obviously, if you want to know what’s going on with your hobby, the internet offers the best options. So you decide to “lurk” around for a little while, you see how the forum members interact with each other, collect information on your hobby, etc. The longer you stick around eventually you realize if the place is right for you.
I am a pretty down to earth kind of guy and a very confident man. I don’t need adulation or assurances from strangers to feel good about myself, and after spending years participating in internet forums, I realized internet forums are a waste of time and a potential hobby killer.
Of course, I have met great people and after publicly disappearing from those forums, I usually have kept in touch, but generally, I walked away and never looked back. Now, let’s examine the usual suspects.
The Cast
You have all kinds, the ones who think they know it all, the ones with the big money and “buy” their collections without knowing a thing about the hobby, the braggadocios, the jealous type who always look down on you because your stuff is better than their stuff, the baiter who always is trying to stir things up because his or her life is one of misery. This is to name a few and perhaps the most obvious types.
The “Know it All” type always refuses to admit he or she is wrong. They will stand by their bull no matter what. They’ll argue with you until they turn blue in the face.
The “Big Money” type can’t stand when someone else scores a great deal, so they have to come back with the infamous “One Up” move. They are always demanding the acknowledgement from the so called little guy.
The “Braggadocios” type constantly talks about what they own and try to obscure your “Show and Tell thread” by posting their own unsolicited junk.
The “Jealous” type invest his or her time trolling threads and conducting “hit and run” operations. They never stick around long enough, they post, belittle, and move on.
My favorite one, the “Baiter” type, yes the baiter type. He or she uses their time to throw internet feces at the forum wall to see if some poor bastard falls for it. They never have anything productive to contribute, but at the same time, they never seem to get banned by site managers, go figure. I guess you need to keep the buffoons’ around to spice up the traffic.
I have come to realize that many of those individuals have no life of their own so they have to morph into the social media world to feel fulfilled, to feel whole. After all, everyone is a hero or a victim behind a keyboard.
I have always refused to eat the bait or engaged with those sorts, but I do read and have learned a lot about human behavior. Some of the back and forth can be very entertaining just as much as it can be terrifying and cruel.
Be In Control
If it became a toxic environment, I have always been in control and have been able to choose when not to be a part of it anymore I don’t understand how people can sit in front of a keyboard and take insults from people they don’t know.
If internet forums is all you have in your life, I feel sorry for you. Life is bigger than the internet and the cyber bullies. You don’t need the approval of people you don’t know to enjoy your hobby or the things you love in life. I learned this lesson the hard way, but once I did learn the lesson, I never made the same mistake twice. I learned to walk away!
Of course, this has been my own personal experience, and it may or may not apply to you. Once thing I can say with certainty is the fact that my hobbies are more enjoyable once I have decided to leave the internet nonsense behind, and maybe yours will be too.