(02-19-2016, 03:05 PM)Mayberryman Wrote: I must admit that I am new to this site but have been on others for a while. As a consumer and hobbyist I can only say that I will spend with and congregate with the places and people whom I feel the most comfortable with. I have always been an advocate of not bad mouthing anybody or place, you only provide an atmosphere where people will feel the most comfortable.
I can provide several thoughts that seem to support this theory such as "Build a Better Mousetrap", "Build it and they will come" and others.
What I look for in any site is a comfortable interaction with other members and the ability to talk with and not up to or down to any other member.
I agree with this in it's entirety. I want to hang out at a place where I feel equally respected as I offer respect. I dislike unnecessary drama, and I despise "elitism". Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of elitism on some of the other shaving forums, and that always minimizes my participation at those locations...
(02-19-2016, 07:17 PM)NeoXerxes Wrote: Mayberryman I'd agree with you, except that sort of free discussion is simply not allowed on certain other sites. Being able to discuss things freely here is nice, especially since some of us woke up to permanent bans on those other sites for no legitimate reason. Equal exchange was not allowed - what was required was compliance and voicing favorable/unfavorable opinions towards certain brands.
The fact that this discussion is allowed here is in itself the mousetrap.
Yes, this place is definitely the "Better Mousetrap", as it were. It's very nice that the merchants, artissans, and customers can all interact with each other in a respectful manner, without feeling intimidated as a consumer, or feeling as though specific artisans and merchants are being disqualified without reason.
I've not been banned from a forum in many, many years, and it was not a shaving forum, at that. But I have definitely received wearnings in the last couple of months for having an opinion that was different than what it was supposed to be. To me, that's just not what these places are supposed to be about. The free exchange of ideas and opinions, should be just that, without intimidation and threats, and with a mutual respect and interest.