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Message:: [QUOTE="lordmarcovan, post: 3131424, member: 10461"]It's true that experienced collectors must continue to learn.  However, once one has learned something and developed some experience in a particular area, one need not constantly revisit it and question the knowledge one already has.  Sure, sometimes things might change, but most of the time you can learn something and rest assured that you're on solid ground, having built a foundation.  Just because you then build on top of that foundation by adding new knowledge, it doesn't mean you've constantly got to go back to the basics and relearn them.  That's like building something and then knocking the cornerstone out to inspect it. Generally speaking, inexperienced collectors should listen to those who have more experience.  Should they question those experienced people?  Sure.  Maybe that's all you're doing.  It is healthy to question accepted principles and the knowledge base of others when you're learning something. However, it is not productive to become adversarial with them or insult them.  That will only annoy them, and it won't advance your own learning any (except perhaps being an object lesson in etiquette).  And inserting yourself between knowledgeable people who are trying to advise another inexperienced person is bad form, because then you're interfering with the other person's learning. Am I making any sense here?[/QUOTE]