My First Attempt At A Poll

I have always felt this to be true, but found myself queasy over trying to prove it. That plus I have no confidence in saying what that percentage might be, and that's not like me - I usually have at least a guess.

 

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And I simply HAVE TO add one more thing - I would be fundamentally dishonest if I left this one complaint out. One moderator in particular makes this site almost not worth being on, all by himself. You ask him a question, you get NOTHING. You have to go over his head. His actions PERSONALLY have caused the departure of literally DOZENS of former highly involved members, yet Doug and Peter continue to tolerate him.

I try to treat him civilly, I go out of my way to give his posts "likes" even if they're only "meh", but I'm sorry, I think he's an intolerable jerk. He obviously feels the same way about me, and you know what? I like that kind of frankness.

 

There's nothing wrong with that. Similarly, I prefer not to be surrounded by people who share my views and simply because it's those holding different opinions who challenge me. Unfortunately, what used to be both easy and enlightening has often become hell.

Sadly, there isn't a lot of more advanced learning to be had on the US forums anymore and is largely because (imo) many of the more experienced members have moved on or simply do not participate as often as they once did. Trust me, I share your concern that the flood of ridiculous questions often centering upon Potter or some YouTube clown's BS is a threat to the hobby. It's hard to deny since we see it all day every day.

 

I voted for all the choices. From what I understand, There have been people on here that have felt all of the choices, so I thought I would take the opportunity to make sure they were all represented.

 

Bellman's "What The Heck, Kum-Bah-Yah, If Yahafta" Award for August.

 

BTW, I voted ONCE only, and NOT in the lowest two categories.

You know that old saw, "If you don't have anything nice to say..."? My parents NEVER taught us that. We were taught as children to be brutally honest about everything. "White lies" were LIES. It actually IS the Pennsylvania "plain people" ethic. They're NOT "nice", they're honest. That's the part Hollywood misses when they depict them.

If anything, my "people" are almost COMPLETELY lacking in what is now called "people skills", but really isn't. It's "deception".

I'll tell you one little story. My Mom was a committed self-deprecating sinner who felt she was undeserving of her personal God's mercy. She had too many sins on her record. But one she did NOT have is she never uttered even ONE lie in her entire life. One day, a policeman accused her of lying in open court. THAT was the day I swore VENGEANCE on stupid cops, and swore to take dishonest ones down not just ANY time I encounter them, but EVERY time I encounter them.

I was once asked during voir dire at jury duty whether I would believe a policeman in court more simply because he was a policeman. I answered the only way I could - I ALMOST NEVER would believe a cop. If one tells me the sun will rise in the east tomorrow morning, I'll need a compass and a watch to confirm that.

 

Wow. I feel like I want to comment but with the tone in here lately, maybe not. I would like to politely ask a question though. You refer to the clown again and it made me wonder. He refers to 'the purists' often. I'm guessing he's referring to this forum. Would he be right? Would you call yourself a 'purist'?

 

I don't understand. Is there a particular "clown" per se? Does someone actually USE that on YouTube?

 

I was chatting with one who called one on youtube a clown, who in turn calls them purists. So, I'm guessing purists are 'old school' collectors?

 

I'll answer you for me only. I am an "old school" numismatic "purist", if any such thing can be said to exist. I would considerate the description "purist" one to attempt to aspire to without much hope of actual attaining. I see quite few purists here AS A PERCENTAGE, but it is a respectable raw number.

 

Thank you. I'm guessing that's the type he refers to.

 

I'll add this, while being cognizant of our "differences". If I were ever to be referred to as a purist by a YouTube coin video producer, AND assuming he meant it as even a slur, or less intensely, a pejorative, I would nonetheless consider it a compliment.

 

It's okay. I have differences with just about everybody. I'm assuming he means it as a slur.

 

Yeah, me too.

 

I couldn't tell

 

That's alright though. I live to be different.

 

"To thine own self be true."

 

Amen.

 

There it is, right there. Rereading this thread top to bottom revealed it. That is SUCH wisdom. I'm sorry, but I have to assume this site has gone the way it has because that's what the site owner wants it to be. And if "this" is what he wants, he clearly does NOT want me on it. Nor does at least one moderator.

Is it symptomatic of just this one website, or is it a cancer that is growing on numismatics in general? I'm not qualified to answer, but I'll readily admit to being very much afraid of the answer.

I'll add one last point. Many of you who ARE ANA members may know the ANA's website also features a discussion board feature. It is highly controversial now among the membership precisely BECAUSE it is also overrun by newbness. So the evidence does mount that the problem is bigger than just CoinTalk. Here, NGC, ANA, etc. I don't know what the "magic bullet" is or isn't, but it does threaten to tear the hobby apart. I won't speak to anyone else's needs, but my remaining time on the planet (as opposed to IN it) is likely so short that I increasingly can't afford lost minutes on things I no longer enjoy. Right now, CoinTalk is SLOWLY but inexorably sliding into that category.

 

I believe what you are alluding to is how a younger generation views learned knowledge. I have made a living for thirty years as a commercial construction estimator. Blueprints and engineers scales are the tools of my trade. Nobody is better at it than I am and I have built a successful business around that.

Along comes the next generation. I have hired several that have earned degrees in construction and engineering. Yet they have never touched an engineers scale and have no use for full size blueprints. Technology does their work and much of their thinking for them. They get the job done yet they lack any semblance of practicality because their technology does not recognize practicality. I do not understand their ways. They do not understand mine. Yet, they do get the job done.

So then if a younger generation is taught to rely on technology to provide their answers, is it so out of line then to believe they are doing the same with some of the posts here? Technology doesn't ingrain practicality. Does it teach intellectual thinking? Perhaps the divide that seems to be tearing the hobby apart is our inability to relate to the way the younger posters think?