"An observation" Topic

I was going to post this on a thread about wargame rules on the main boards, but thought it might be construed as a personal attack by the Powers That Be. So, in general terms

You know what really gets on my wick? People who get all proprietorial and defensive over their favourite thing on t'internet.

I see it with guitars, motorbikes and wargames rules – amongst other things. It's a bit pathetic. Actually, it's more pathetic than someone panning the object of your affection in the first place. It's not big and it's not clever.

I learnt to accept that the rest of the world doesn't necessarily like the things that I do at about age 12. It would be a lot more civil in here (especially on the Napoleonics boards) if others could adopt the same attitude.

Another thing that gets on my wick is people who come to the Ranting board and moan about the rants therein. It's the bloody Ranting board you twits, what do you expect? So think on.

Exactly. So ranting about rants is perfectly acceptable. It may not be sensible.

Well I'm sick to death of people ranting about people ranting about rants…..

I always get a kick out of people ranting about some sports team. They get majorly worked up and resort to hollering at each other when at work, resulting in an almost hatred for a person who is interested in the same sport.

Kind of a parelell dont you think? I'll never understand why people get so upset over a game that's supposed to be fun and enjoyed.

I'm sure there is an academic term for someone who incorporates their preferences; be it rules, cars, music or motorcycles, so deeply into the way they view themselves that anyone who doesn't share that same set of passions or God forbid, dislikes one of their choices, becomes an adversary.

I just tend to view it as lame.

Hate, like love, makes the world go around.

While I accept that wargaming has less mass appeal and is therefore more parochial than music or motorbikes, commercially it's still about selling product. Some people will not like the product, they have a right to say so without being denounced by the product's adherents.

Should it matter to the manufacturer? Perhaps. Though I doubt Kawasaki Heavy Industries or Leo Fender (God rest his soul) are/were terribly bothered if I buy their product or not, much less defend it against Honda-riding, Gibson-playing people

I don't much care if people like/dislike the same stuff I do… except when their tastes effect my ability to enjoy the stuff I prefer.
If everyone is listening to rap music… to the point that the music stores no longer carry the jug-band music I prefer… then I'll be rightly frustrated.
With games, if everyone plays 'Giant Shoulderpad Are Go!'… to the point that the stores won't carry much else and there are no players for 'Gimme My Hat!'… then I might rightly feel like I've been painted into a corner.
Then all I can do is find the other 3 'Gimme My Hat!' players online somewhere and cry about it.

Aren't these people the very definition of "fanboy"?

Humans are social/tribal creatures. We are naturally wary of strangers and things that are not part of our "comfort zone"

As a result we have a tendency to favour the familiar and distrust the unfamiliar.

This sensitivity in some people is very high and creates a very strong like/dislike reaction sometimes becoming extreme. Hence the fanboy/football supporter syndrome. This is an irrational and unconscious reflex in most people.

Just toss in internet anonymity etc and you get your average day on TMP, which is a whole lot cooler than Frothers (just kidding …)

At least on Frothers you can call a a . Here one has to perform ever more convoluted circumlocution to get one's message across if one wishes to avoid the naughty step.