Hairy_Potr
24-01-2010, 06:21 PM
As it relates to this, specifically, and much much more broadly (why I'm "ranting" so to speak). Subject: Registered Users vs. Financial Contributors.
http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132184 (http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132184)
First, and let me be crystal clear -- I am NOT trying to dissuade people from making financial contributions to prime or your site, Kevin. Not at all. I am, however, highlighting a tragic mindset that manifests itself throughout western society and this thread illustrates it perfectly. If my message registers correctly, contributions may actually increase because new ones would be made for the *right* reasons, and not through the shameless guilting of other unknown people.
Synopsis from that thread:
The OP states from the saddle of his high horse that everyone should give money to prime, particularly if they post frequently, and if they don't, they are second class prime citizens. A number of (good) people sheepishly step up apologetically and contribute money. Robin Hood smiles from a faraway place.
Why is this action *so* wrong? How does it illustrate a cancer stricken mindset in the broader world? (Think of the psychology term "projecting" as you read this)
There are two basic groups of people in the world, but with a very blury line dividing them obviously. The Producers/Givers and the Consumers/Takers. Producers create value (for themselves, and by extension, others), while Consumers only take value generated by Producers.
On prime, the Producers are the people who post valuable insights/information. Most directly, they are the NSX mechanical experts whose posts have saved countless people time & money on their NSXs. Also the track gurus, whose prime insights may very well have saved novice track enthusiasts' lives. Value produced/given, right? Obviously. There are also a lot of prime members whose expertise (and valuable insights) aren't car related, but can be quite valuable nonetheless. Real estate experts, finance experts, legal experts, home technology experts -- all can be of assistance, and whose posts will have been invaluable to different members at one time or another. You could also put the funny guys in this camp -- they provide the value of humour and entertainment.
The Consumers/Takers, for the most part, don't contribute anything of value. They parrot what they've read elsewhere, post nonsense, or argue with others about the same stupid things everyone already knows (such as rehashing political opinions verbatim off their favorite news channels). No value (in fact, it consumes value because it wastes peoples' time, particularly the moderators).
How does this relate to the subject of making financial contributions to prime?
A Consumer will project his own mindset on others. Since he is "taking" from prime (entertainment, auto advice, etc.) then he thinks he should pay for it. Good, and perhaps that person should. But to guilt the Producers into financially contributing is the lowest of the low. The Producers share their knowledge -for free- because they want to. But then to call them losers for not paying for their valuable volunteerism is reprehensible. Unfortunately, very unfortunately, this mindset (and the idiotic guilt tactic) is rampant in society. I don't think I need to go into specifics.
Anyway, that's my rant. To that thread, my response would be something along the lines of: Screw you! My financial/housing advice would have saved your collective asses millions (perhaps billions) of dollars in losses or in specific investment gains. Take your $50 and your guilt trip, and stick it in that blind third eye of yours.
Let people donate because they WANT TO, whether a Producer or a Consumer, and not because YOU (idiot -projecting- Consumer) think they are obligated to.
(Feel free to post this anywhere you like. I posted it for the intellectual benefit of all, and because I wanted to -- not because someone thought I had an obligation to do so.)
http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132184 (http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132184)
First, and let me be crystal clear -- I am NOT trying to dissuade people from making financial contributions to prime or your site, Kevin. Not at all. I am, however, highlighting a tragic mindset that manifests itself throughout western society and this thread illustrates it perfectly. If my message registers correctly, contributions may actually increase because new ones would be made for the *right* reasons, and not through the shameless guilting of other unknown people.
Synopsis from that thread:
The OP states from the saddle of his high horse that everyone should give money to prime, particularly if they post frequently, and if they don't, they are second class prime citizens. A number of (good) people sheepishly step up apologetically and contribute money. Robin Hood smiles from a faraway place.
Why is this action *so* wrong? How does it illustrate a cancer stricken mindset in the broader world? (Think of the psychology term "projecting" as you read this)
There are two basic groups of people in the world, but with a very blury line dividing them obviously. The Producers/Givers and the Consumers/Takers. Producers create value (for themselves, and by extension, others), while Consumers only take value generated by Producers.
On prime, the Producers are the people who post valuable insights/information. Most directly, they are the NSX mechanical experts whose posts have saved countless people time & money on their NSXs. Also the track gurus, whose prime insights may very well have saved novice track enthusiasts' lives. Value produced/given, right? Obviously. There are also a lot of prime members whose expertise (and valuable insights) aren't car related, but can be quite valuable nonetheless. Real estate experts, finance experts, legal experts, home technology experts -- all can be of assistance, and whose posts will have been invaluable to different members at one time or another. You could also put the funny guys in this camp -- they provide the value of humour and entertainment.
The Consumers/Takers, for the most part, don't contribute anything of value. They parrot what they've read elsewhere, post nonsense, or argue with others about the same stupid things everyone already knows (such as rehashing political opinions verbatim off their favorite news channels). No value (in fact, it consumes value because it wastes peoples' time, particularly the moderators).
How does this relate to the subject of making financial contributions to prime?
A Consumer will project his own mindset on others. Since he is "taking" from prime (entertainment, auto advice, etc.) then he thinks he should pay for it. Good, and perhaps that person should. But to guilt the Producers into financially contributing is the lowest of the low. The Producers share their knowledge -for free- because they want to. But then to call them losers for not paying for their valuable volunteerism is reprehensible. Unfortunately, very unfortunately, this mindset (and the idiotic guilt tactic) is rampant in society. I don't think I need to go into specifics.
Anyway, that's my rant. To that thread, my response would be something along the lines of: Screw you! My financial/housing advice would have saved your collective asses millions (perhaps billions) of dollars in losses or in specific investment gains. Take your $50 and your guilt trip, and stick it in that blind third eye of yours.
Let people donate because they WANT TO, whether a Producer or a Consumer, and not because YOU (idiot -projecting- Consumer) think they are obligated to.
(Feel free to post this anywhere you like. I posted it for the intellectual benefit of all, and because I wanted to -- not because someone thought I had an obligation to do so.)