A disturbing trend

[Michaelson]

I've been scanning through the site (I've been fairly tied up with work and haven't been able to come here as often as I used to), and have read several strings that disturb me a great deal. These discussions have a great deal of, how to put it, 'snobbery' going on. A lot of the old 'looking down the nose' at folks who don't follow or do what YOU might be doing in terms of dress or practice. As I've said in my title, I find this disturbing. I know a lot of the posts have been done in jest, but a lot was flat out mean natured. The Wal-Mart vs Dollar store dress is one example. To stereotype folks who go to these stores is, as I said, 'mean natured'. It hasn't been said yet, but the term 'trailer trash' hasn't been posted. It may as WELL been, but not in those words.

Another post stated they didn't like 'Frankenstein, redneck hodrods' (parphrased, but true to the statement), stating that unless it's vintage, it's trash. Well, that may be your opinion, but the statement sort of caught me by surprise, as it came out of left field in a vintage car discussion, and a lot of folks DO like these cars, but don't fall into the trap of calling those who don't 'car snobs'.

Why are we posting/thinking this type polarization now? This has never been a standard here at the Lounge before, but it's all through the site now. This 'I'm better than THOSE slobs/ us vs. them' is getting more and more prevalent here, and the constant 'amen's that these statements get do not reflect well on this site in my opinion.

Come on folks...if you can't accept people for the way they are, let alone attempt to understand WHY they're where they are, you're missing out. Let's not go down that road. There are to many sites on the internet that practice this type of thought process.

We're better than that....or used to be.

Sorry to sound 'preachy', but like I said, this trend is WAY above where we originally started out, and I'm a bit disappointed today from what I've read.

Regards! Michaelson

 

[jake_fink]

I agree, Michaleson....

Live and let live is my motto.

But to say that not accepting people for who they are, or to suggest that mean-naturedness is new to the forum is, I think, a little inaccurate. I haven't been around as long as you have, but I have to say that while the snobbery is not so much new as moreso, there have always been posters who are, shall we say, a little judgemental... a little holier than thou. I guess that's just who they are. You can try to educate them, and then what can you do but move on.

 

[Michaelson]

True. I'm just seeing more of those type posts than usual I guess, and no one speaking up to the contrary.

Regards! Michaelson

 

[shindeco]

Thanks for raising the issue.

 

[Tin Pan Sally]

Another post stated they didn't like 'Frankenstein, redneck hodrods' (parphrased, but true to the statement

I assume you are refering to my comment in another thread. I don't think of spare part hotrods as redneck, wasn't implying that, and don't appreciate being QUOTED as using a word I did not. It's just more a 50s thing than I go for (which is still historic). The car shows tend to favor the chopped vehicles, which is true to that time. I enjoy the earlier cars, when kept as close to original condition as possible. I drive a 99 Mercury Tracer at the moment, so I'm in no position to snub anyone. I just like old cars better.

I'm sorry if I've upset anyone, that was not my intention. Please be direct with me when you have an issue with my posts. I won't be offended if we disagree. It's cool.

 

[Michaelson]

If I meant to quote you, I'll quote you. I have no problems being blunt or direct. It's plain you've not read many of my posts in the past.
I was making a general reference statement to avoid embarassing anyone, but if you want to draw the attention to yourself, so be it. Yes, it was your post that I referred, and yes, that's exactly how it was taken by this reader. I drive an old car on a daily basis....a 1950, and I also enjoy the hotrod/ratrod hobby as well. In the area I live, if they weren't hotrodded, they would be crushed/scrapped, as folks around here could care less about 'old cars'. At least this practice keeps these old cars from becoming tin cans.

This is all besides the point. The tone of these posts is what I'm talking about in this string. Period.


Regards! Michaelson

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Michaelson, could you give us some more specific examples of this trend? Your point remains too general for me to really grasp. Thanks!

 

[Michaelson]

No Marc. If it's not apparent in your reading in the flow of some of the posts, then it's not going to do any good for me to point them out to you.

To quote a line from the movie, 'Bro, where art thou'...."I've had my say and counted to three."

Take this observation for what it's worth. Some folks aren't going to believe it, some are, and some won't care. That's the nature of the beast when it comes to a public forum.

Regards! Michaelson

 

[Marc Chevalier]

No Marc. If it's not apparent in your reading in the flow of some of the posts, then it's not going to do any good for me to point them out to you.

That's a pity. I would like to see your point-of-view as clearly as you do; it would be easier to do so with a little more evidence presented. Your point is a strong one: it merits defending. Otherwise, how seriously can we take it?

I say this with good will, and with a respect for rhetoric (a good term that has been sadly maligned).

 

[herringbonekid]

Another post stated they didn't like 'Frankenstein, redneck hodrods' (parphrased, but true to the statement),

I'm sorry Michaelson, but i saw that original post and i don't think it was derogatory or mean. she was merely stating a preference for original cars. YOU added the word 'redneck' which is the only derogatory word in the quote. the association between 'rockabilly' (the word you chose to exclude) and 'redneck' is obviously in YOUR mind.

 

[Solomon Kane]

I prefer walking.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I say this with good will, and with a respect for rhetoric (a good term that has been sadly maligned).

Rhetoric has a bad name?

bk

 

[Michaelson]

I say this with good will, and with a respect for rhetoric (a good term that has been sadly maligned).

...and it's accepted as such.

It's offered as my opinion only. Take it or leave it as you please.

Regards! Michaelson

 

[Michaelson]

I'm sorry Michaelson, but i saw that original post and i don't think it was derogatory or mean. she was merely stating a preference for original cars. YOU added the word 'redneck' which is the only derogatory word in the quote. the association between 'rockabilly' (the word you chose to exclude) and 'redneck' is obviously in YOUR mind.

Why, thank you for noticing that, herringbonekind. Seeing that you're located in England, and I live and work in Tennessee, located in the deep South of the United States...you're absolutely correct.... rockabilly and redneck are interchangeable terms in the area I live. Interesting you should recognize that.
Odd your attempt at sarcasim was actually correct (or am I wrong in this?). That's why I said 'paraphrase' in my post.

Regards! Michaelson

 

[herringbonekid]

there was no attempt at sarcasm.
i don't think you got my point.

 

[Michaelson]

As apparently you did mine as well. Isn't two dimensional media a wonderful thing?

Regards! Michaelson

 

[herringbonekid]

my point was that i don't think your paraphrased quote WAS true to the original statement (which you claim it was).... i think you twisted the quote into your own interpretation by the use of the word 'redneck'. that is a form of 'spin' as they say in politics.

but this is getting labyrinthine.

 

[jamespowers]

Uh, I am not sure where we are going with this but I just wanted to jump in here and say that anything you find offensive can be handled by the moderators for whichever thread you have a problem with.
As for the Dressing up for WalMart thread, I didn't see it as nailing a particular area of the country or the "trailer trash" moniker. WalMart is all over the world now. We could be talking about WalMart in China or somewhere in Europe but the topic would still be the same. It was more the point of dressing appropriately in public. I think it had more to do with manners and respect than snobbery. There are standards and there should be. There really is no dress code for WalMart but I am not going to go in there dressed in Pajamas and I don't think you would either. I really don't want to rehash the issue but that is the nutshell.
If you have a problem with what a person is saying there is the PM as well. Some may not realize what they said has any offensive connotation involved. Perhaps the two dimensional media makes it harder to get across light hearted humor as well.
Whatever the case, I just don't want it to get out of hand. :fedora:

Regards to all,

J

 

[Michaelson]

I see, herringbone. Well then, all this means is that you and I have a difference of opinion on this.

The written word in any medium is something that must be crafted to place the correct meaning in it's proper context. What you read was not necessarily what I read. Same thing goes to what I wrote was not what you THOUGHT I wrote. As you said in your opening line...?...I don't think your paraphrased WAS true to....et al". A matter of opinion here....and the one you formed.

My intent was to point out that folks from all over are reading our discussions here. We have an international community who walks these halls. We need to take what is written with a grain of salt, and try to understand what is actually being said rather than what we THINK is being said.

I could go on in attempting to understand why you'd make a statement that all this was in my 'mind', when my point was that in the area I live, redneck and rockibilly are used as interchangable words. Apparently you took 'redneck' to be derogatory in this case. It is not, but you not being from the U.S. would not necessarily know that...so we were talking at cross purposes.

Once again, let's not take away the original point I was making, or at least attempting to make.

Looks like I hit a nerve here with this single observation and stated opinion. Was I that close to hitting the mark? Sorry, but I thought it important enough to the health of the community to at least say something.

Regards! Michaelson

 

[herringbonekid]

i didn't realise 'redneck' and 'rockabilly' were interchangeable.
i thought 'redneck' was more of a generic term for poor 'white trash' whereas 'rockabilly' is specifically to do with 50s music and clothing ?