Trying to find out SOMETHING tangible for my readers, I googled my friend's name, and the results took me to a hobby forum I used to participate in regularly. There I found two guys who make and promote ONE product that "competed" (not well) with ONE product made by my friend's company, which made over a thousand products at its zenith. Since my friend's company was founded in the 1980s these two "anklebiters" have spread rumors and lies about the big company, hoping that they could get it to fold (ignoring the fact that if they destroyed the hobby in the process, they wouldn't have any customers anyway). They were kicked off of one forum I still participate in because of their venom, rumors and lies, and I was hoping that they had given it up.
Well, a bunch of crooked investment bankers managed to accomplish what the anklebiters never did - caused a worldwide recession that drove the companies that distributed my friend's products out of business, owing him millions, followed by the inevitable collapse of the manufacturer itself. Back to the forum - when I got there, I discovered that the anklebiters were not only alive and well, but they were gloating. GLOATING. In message after message, whenever something remotely related to the topic came up. As though their hate and rumormongering had finally toppled Goliath. "We win! We win! We win! Nyahh Nyahh Nyahh!" summarizes the attitude and the emotional maturity of post after post.
If I thought for a minute that their mom-and-pop shops' constant character assinations on my friend's family had ANYTHING to do with the manufacturer's collapse, I'd be a lot angrier than I am. But they're safe on that score, because they're so insignificant to everyone but themselves.
Here are two lessons - when I say I'd rather have ten courteous friends on my forums that a thousand semi-strangers that I have to keep an eye on every minute, this is one reason why.
Here's the other lesson - ANYBODY can read this forum without logging in, just like I read the other forum without logging in. The forum owner, ironically, is a friend of mine, and would never stand for his members treating each other that way. But since my business-owner friend wasn't a member, he and his family were "fair game." It never occurred to anyone associated with that forum that my friend and his family are not only broke, but also brokenhearted, and every "Nyahh Nyahh Nyahh"-themed post is a slap in the face of every family member and supporter (including me). I know I won't go back to that forum, and I'll be taking down any links I've built to it over the years.
Since I set the CardboardChristmas forum up in late 2011, EVERY post has been positive and encouraging. I have gotten minor criticism for making signup difficult or slow or something. But you have to admit, we've kept out the "riff-raff." Our goal of having a "safe place" to discuss our hobbies without fear of animousity or "sniping" or other hurtful behaviours has been achieved so far. And I appreciate everyone's courtesy and encouragement and helpful attitudes more than you know.
In other words, thanks again, and carry on.
- Paul
