Straight talk is best
I have been posting on this forum for awhile on various subjects. I enjoy the dialog here whether it is in agreement with some of my own views or not. There is quite a bit of wisdom and a wealth of experience for those needing information about our industry and about the building of surf boards.
One of the issues we often discuss is products in the market place and where they line up. Many times these discussion turn nasty.
I have given a lot of thought to why some of those discussions become so heated, on a forum where straight talk about products should be the norm and fair criticism should be seen as a positive and potentially informative thing rather than something to get bent over. I think the main reason certain issues divide, is not because folks cannot take criticism, but because many times when people post they are way to concerned about hurting someone else’s feelings by straight honest talk so instead they posture, which makes them appear to have a personal agenda. Even if they don’t.
Instead straight honest talk is often frowned on and seen as stirring the pot, which I think is a mistake. There is nothing wrong with coming straight out to promote and answer questions to interested parties about something you believe in rather than posturing to please everyone or not offend anyone.
The fact is, someone will be offended by just about anything you do when you take a stance, give an opinion, or even in the most positive way you can think of give constructive criticism. In my opinion, honesty is the most respectable thing you can do and posturing is about the most dishonest thing you can do and also the cause of resentment.
The one question I might ask is:
Why must someone who wants to speak about there own fin design, surfboard design or etc. feel obligated to mention all of their competitors names as viable other options or pay homage to others not in their own camp simply to avoid fragile egos being damaged? Folks use what they use because they believe their product is better or more useful to them than the other’s products. They ride what they ride because they believe that design works best for them or they use certain building techniques and etc because experience has given them favorable results.
It is not insulting someone to promote something you believe in. Forums are places for open dialog. You cannot post a private thread. If you bring up a subject, you should expect others to challenge you or have hard questions for you. Just because you want your thread to stay about your pet subject, does not mean it will. It‘s unrealistic since most subjects have other side subjects or cause people to think about other questions they may not have considered. If you post something about one of your products and someone else comes on your thread and challenges your product with theirs it is not a hijack. It is fair play on a public forum. If you want privacy, you should start your own forum, go to specific blog or discuss it in person.
I do not think hijacking is the biggest problem on surfing forums either. I believe dishonest agendas are. That is folks who want to come off like they would not dare promote themselves on a forum and are just here to be everyone’s friend when in fact the opposite is true. The agenda is actually to bring attention to themselves and their product. Frankly…it does not bug me when folks promote their products here as long as the thread is informative and interesting. I don’t think any of us like blatant infomercials that dragnet the forum for business, but I don’t really think that is a huge problem here. Much of the griping about spamming is also misdirecting in my opinion, because as I have said before….if your known in this business and discussing surf products, building boards or related subjects you are self promoting even if it’s unintentional. Your reputation quite frankly precedes many of you and that is good and fine. You have earned it.
We pretend as if surfing and the surfing business is not a business and that everything that goes on in the sport if it’s good is done in a benevolent manner and anything done to steer folks one way or the other or for profit is bad. There is nothing wrong with profiting from your experience and if your helping on a public forum by answering questions or aiding in better technique all the better. The variety of folks giving their side of things and promoting things they believe in is how folks that want to learn can actually learn something or find other ideas or ways to consider subject matter. Obviously, I am not speaking of hype, which is extreme and usually dishonest selling.
On a personal note: I sell what I sell because I believe in it. I deal with the manufactures I deal with because number one…I believe in their ability….number two….I like them and number three I have grown to trust them through many years of having successful dealings with them. Big names do not meant squat to me. How long you have been in the business, how good you surf, or who you know means even less unless it‘s accompanied by something of more substance. I am interested in your ability to produce quality and your character.
For me, when I post, my attempt is to be unashamed of those folk I deal with or the type of products I deal in. If you feel you are slighted because I don’t include your company in my threads or responses, it’s not personal, it’s likely that I am not familiar with it or it simply does not fit with my program. You are not being slighted because I don’t mention you. When we post here we should not feel obligated to mention every other company or person in our same field unless we feel like it. We should expect challenges to our claims though which is completely fair.
If I speak out against something in the industry, it’s not expected that you must agree, but it is simply me giving my point of view and attempting to cause thought on the subject. I have learned more from a well thought out challenge than all the petty post where folks egos get bent. Thinking back on some of the poly vs. epoxy threads ….they were filled with division and disagreement, yet were some of the most informative threads posted in years on sway locks. Spirited discussion is really a good thing because it involves passion. As long as personal attacks are not part of the equation, I think more honesty and less posturing is they way to go. No need for the long list of compliments before making a point about your own product. I think saying what you have to say is best and letting the chips fall as they may. I think most folk that post here are reasonable and free from personal agendas.
We do not need to all sing Kumbaya. The diversity of talent, thought, ideas and techniques are what have always made this place interesting.
Solo
