[Boatanchors] Re Stereotypes

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Stereotypes are a fact of life, whether we like it or not. While some are
totally inaccurate and destructive, others are so ridiculous as to be amusing
and are relatively inert. What i do not want happening on this list, is the
branding of anyone, or any group, as "fools". You do not tell a man who just
spent ten grand on a new tube amplifier that he is a fool, especially if you
happen to be the seller! 	
	
Foolishness, vanity and ego tripping can be found anywhere one cares to look. To
one extent or another, we are all guilty of it now and then. The downside is
that refering to an individual, or a group, as "fools" on these lists is an
invitation for a flame war event. It is one thing to comment that buying oxygen
free speed wire for speakers on a stereo system is 'ridiculous' or 'foolish',
but another when you call the buyer a fool. Hence the reference to 'audiofool'.	
	
Walk up to a person in a store who just paid out hundreds, or thousands, for
some product or accessory for his/her stereo system and tell them you think they
are a fool! You may end up with that oxygen free wire around your neck depriving
you of oxygen! Better to go home and chuckle in private than to do it
publically.    	
	
When you publically call one person who paid $9,000 for a pristine rx a fool
because no vacuum tube radio is worth that much, you just branded collectors as
a group as being fools. 	
	
Any group has individuals who go to extremes, including high end audio devotees.
Some call them sound engineers, others refer to them as 'the sound guy' and some
call them audiophiles. (I have seen this term spelled four different ways,
wonder which one is actually correct?) There always has been, and always will
be, someone who will go to the extreme, regardless of the venue, to have the
latest or greatest fad or gimmick to enhance whatever. Just because someone pays
a huge sum of money for a vintage boat anchor piece of equipment, does not mean
that all who collect boat anchor equipment are 'fools'.    	
	
I believe that we can all laugh at our own blunders or moments of insane vanity,
or those of others, without having to resort to branding or name calling. It is
one thing for you to say, "Boy, was I ever stupid! How could I have been such an
idiot?" But if a stranger says that to you, the result is not apt to be a smile
in return -  	
	
So while we can all good naturedly laugh at each others moments of neuron
synapse failure, let us not resort to labeling any group because of any one
member of said groups extreme behavior. It is always best to avoid stereotyping,
because most times the image portrayed is negative and hurtful. Which takes on a
whole new perspective when it is 'you' who are being stereotyped. 	
	
Duane W8DBF