Spyderco Forums

Over the past few months, there seems to be more hostility on this forum. A lot of judgement and quick tempers, compared to my first few months on this site. I started coming here, because this forum has a wealth of information and the people were friendly. Maybe my sample size is too small to be making these comments, but I'm finding it less enjoyable to be here lately, and my visits have been fewer.

My intention isn't to complain, or start a heated discussion, but i would like maybe to get people to think before making rude remarks or maybe for people to consider that we don't all need to be the same and differing opinions shouldn't be mocked or ridiculed. Your bad day might mean someone else decides this isn't the place for them.

I have been running on very little sleep for the past year or so, and maybe that's made the tensions seem worse in my eyes as well.

I personally haven’t seen as much hostility here as in other forums. Maybe I’m not seeing so much because I’m not following all the threads? I’ve seen disagreements and debates, sometimes even a little heated at times, but I personally can’t recall seeing much in the way of outright enmity here.

I hope we all keep in mind that we are here because we share the same passion for knives.

Jim

It ebbs and flows for sure. I have been around for a while and I have noticed that the folks who are unable to “roam with the herd” don’t seem to hang around too long.

Just lead by example and don’t engage people who want strife and those people will either change or leave.

+1 to Darby's comment.

If you want a better world, be a better person.

sal

Agreed.

I have always followed a simple rule: I only post words I would say to a person face-to-face. And even if I disagree with someone's opinion, I can do so with civility. Speak (or post) to others as you would like to be spoken to. Be the change you want to see.

Jim

It’s actually the differences that make it interesting, I think. From time to time someone will vehemently contend that black is white, or vice versa, but that’s life.

A post is only proposing an opinion - any third party interested enough to be following the thread will be making up their own mind.

These are all valid points and I do my best to remain positive and refrain from arguing with others. I simply prefer to limit my exposure to negativity, to the best of my abilities, because even with the pure intentions, and a healthy coping mechanism, we all occasionally succumb to negativity. Since knives are a hobby, I'm not losing sleep over this issue, just hoping someone will read it and think before typing something negative in the future.

This forum is a more pleasant place than most, and I'm grateful for it. I'm sure things will improve as well, and I will be around more when that happens.

To be clear, I haven't been subjected to these things. Seeing the anger and judgement directed at others, on topics I'm subscribed to, is what I'm referring to.

This forum has always had people who cannot accept ideas that don’t jive with their own. I have been a member here since 2011. Don’t have my original account information so I can’t log in.


Anyway, I remember pointing out (obviously for the first time on this forum) that the carbon fiber scales on the Taiwan models weren’t actually full thickness carbon fiber, but that they were actually g10 with a very thin veneer of carbon fiber laid on top.


You should have seen the response. I was told I was wrong, called a liar, told I had an axe to grind with spyderco, blah blah on and on.

Then what happens the next year? The knives were correctly listed as being carbon fiber and g10 laminate.


Be very careful about raising any ideas or points that are counter to the group think..... I wish I could say it had changed.

sal wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 11, 2020 12:52 pm

+1 to Darby's comment.

If you want a better world, be a better person.

sal

Amen to that!

I'll second that Amen Julia! Seriously though, I've kept coming back because of the friendliness of everyone here. I just excused myself quietly from two forums that I've been on for a long time due to the unfriendliness towards anyone outside of the social circle on them. Besides here, I'm only on one other knife forum, which some of the folks here belong to as well. Sal said it best! It's the only way to keep a great thing going, and this forum is a great thing!

Its the internet. I like this forum because its very different from others, somewhat self regulated, and alot of users do know who other people are.

At the same time this modern world connectivity drives me crazy. Sometimes you just have to walk away. The flaw of the internet is that it gives a voice to everybody. Seriously everybody, and it all just becomes part of the noise you have to filter through. Flat earth, fake moon landings, lizard people, whatever. Basically, know when to ignore stuff and take a break.

Well I certainly hope it isn't my fault. :-)

I took a pretty decent break from the forum over the past few years, and am happy to see so many of the old faces still here. It's been a pleasure reading about your experiences and learning from you all over the past few months.

Good points here.

I personally try to follow a rule of not engaging with negativity and just trying to stick to making posts that reflect we’re all here to engage in a fun and interesting hobby with like minded friends.

Life’s way too short to be arguing with people on the internet.

This is the second time I have seen a thread like this in recent times.

I do not like it.

Enough with the control already if you don’t like it, don’t read it. I see some post and think ok yeah here we go again and refuse to respond.

This is the nature of forums grow a thicker skin. What I have seen over the years is people getting their ego’s too identified with a community in the shape of a forum and loose perspective.

Nicely nice is a loss of perspective even as is oh yeah I’ll show you what for!

Balance as best you can. Forum : in case the word is not clearly comprehended:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forum

If it is bad enough Taz will crush it. We all know this and Darby hit it the nail on the head. Simple. Nuff said.

Sadly there have already been plenty of threads with this same message trying to be presented. It's what happens when you get so many different people, with different backgrounds, views and preferences.

Perks of a public forum, surprises me when people are surprised by a diversity of comments/views/feelings.

TkoK83Spy wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 11, 2020 8:46 pm

Sadly there have already been plenty of threads with this same message trying to be presented. It's what happens when you get so many different people, with different backgrounds, views and preferences.

Perks of a public forum, surprises me when people are surprised by a diversity of comments/views/feelings.

+1 well said with brevity!

This has always been an exceptional forum. We do have Kristi, Mike and myself as moderators, but we generally don't close threads, but let it work out and I'm pleased and proud to say that the folks here will more often than not sort it out among them selves. Kristi, Mike and I have often discussed what to do with a rogue thread, and we usually decide to let you show your worth....and you always do.

I've been doing this for some time now and I've learned quite a bit about knives and life. I think it's worth preserving and it takes all of you to do that. I'd also like to thank Kristi and Mike for their years of assistance in making this place special.

I've always said that "Mad is Bad". One should not react while angry. It creates less control.....in all situations.

I think this is truly a great group. Much larger now than 15 year ago, but many are still here and many I know personally. It takes exceptional people to make an exceptional group....and so on the country. The same skills learned here apply everywhere.

Thanx to you all.

sal

I thought this thread was going to be about salt knives. I generally find this place full of intelligent, well mannered people. Those that don’t play well with others don’t seem to stick around too long.

I hang out here because people tolerate me...and I enjoy them. I can’t say this about other forums as they are often dominated by pettiness and strife. Usually, trolls don’t last long on this forum and those times when we disagree with each other is more like friends sitting around a table talking.

Perhaps part of the issue may be that phenomenon I have seen several anthropologists & sociologists write about, this disconnect some people have with what they write/post online, things they would never in a million years say in person / face to face -- for me it seems like this is a place that the Golden Rule (do they just call it "the Rule" in Golden?) should apply no more or less than in any other part of daily life... I was a lurker here for a long time, but in the short time I've been posting / responding I have found this to be an awesome community of interesting & intelligent folks that sometimes share my opinion (thankfully not always 'cause man would that be boring) and sometimes not, but it generally an awesome place to spend a little time, I do nearly every day.... Thanks Sal, et al...

Cheers,

John Michael Miles