[ARC5] 1626 tubes

[fkamp at comcast.net]

David Stinson wrote:
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kenneth G. Gordon"
> <kgordon2006 at verizon.net> Subject: Re: [ARC5] 1626 tubes
>> ...How anyone could be so completely stupid so as to
>> fall for this complete and absolute bull-shit-idiocy is
>> beyond belief!
> 
> This is a very old con game, based on an emotional desire
> to be "in with the 'In' crowd." The chief con-men form a
> clique- usually by publishing a magazine or some other
> form of wide publicity- that promotes them as the "gurus"
> of  their particular con; "modern" art, "fine" wines,
> audiophoolery- it's all the same concept. They promote
> themselves as the experts about some exceedingly subtle
> distinctions or fine points, doing their best to corner
> the market on whatever thing they've pronouced as
> "special" (5AR4 rectifiers, Jackson Pollock monkey
> splatters, 1954 Merde Vineyards Merlot (green bottle with
> Tuscan cork, of course) so they can take advantage of the
> demand they are going to create. The cons only need a
> half-dozen or so stooges to agree and, using their
> magazine or other P.R. vehicle, they develop a following
> of "me too" sheep who would sell their souls to be part
> of what they perceive as an "elite." The con-men begin
> creating the phony distinctions and ethereal fine
> divisions on which their con is based, and their
> followers, desperate to be included in this elite new
> club, delude themselves into believing they
> hear/see/taste the phantom distinctions. The sheep then
> reenforce each other in their delusion, and the con-men
> can count on a steady income stream forever after. No one
> wants to be "the skunk at the wedding" and say he can't
> hear/see/taste "it." Even if a guy fudges and says: 
> "Well, I think I might hear something," the sheep all
> look at him with pity and whisper: "poor fellow; he just
> doesn't have what it takes to be one of us." Go to a CES
> show in 'Vegas and watch the "single crystal oxygen free
> copper wire" vs. "plain' copper wire" sideshow. Speak up
> and say: "I can't hear any difference," then watch the
> crowd around you.
> 
> People want desperately to be thought "special" and
> "elite," without ever accomplishing anything that would
> make them truly special or elite. By joining the mass
> delusion of audiophoolery, they can go to wine and cheese
> parties with other "connoisseurs" and discuss
> "transparent tintinnabulation of the 211 triode's sound
> stage when using progressive bi-lateral feed-forward" and
> other silly nonsense with a straight face. They know they
> will be validated and reinforced by people just as
> invested in the delusion as they. People are willing to
> pay massive amounts of money to have that "I'm special"
> feeling. As a certain showman said: there's one born
> every minute, and another to fleece him.
> 

That sounds close to a religious experience I thought i had 
in my youth.