... in response to Ken- Now that is a post I can respect an..., posted by Oscar on Jun 14, 2002Oscar,
I do appreciate where you have offered posts which have been of help to me and to others.
A word about the "Good Ol' Boys" feeling, though...
It is somewhat natural, and we have all felt like "outsiders" at some time. People react to that differently. Some will post only sparingly, and others will jump right in and post things right away.
Personalities vary and I don't think their is a right or wrong way to do this.
I got my share of: "Hey read the archives" advice when I first got on, too. And you know what: It is good advice.
The "Old guard" doesn't say that because the newbies questions are not worthy of comment... it is because most newbie questions do not have simple answers:
"Where should I go to buy a lady's address?
"What do you say to people who think you are a loser for doing this?"
"How can you spot a scammer?"
"What is the best way of finding the lady, and knowing she is for real?"
These are valid questions, but the truth is that there is no one answer. And the only answer worth anything is when you can read a thread and see the wide variety of opinions, and use the breadth of the discussion to form your own opinion.
So, if someone asks: "What agency is best?" I will say: "Read the archives" not because I don't want to offer an opinion... but because the better answer is found in the archive... not in my one answer.
Also, it is by reading the archives that you figure out who is who, and you are able to figure out whose advice seems most reasonable to you.
If you read a post KenC, and it is the first post you've read, you may wonder: Where does this guy get off offering advice? It is only after you read through the archives that you understand that Ken is one of the board's many success stories.
If you read Jack telling guys how to best find success in Ukraine... that doesn't mean as much unless you realize that Jack has been to the FSU countless times, and he runs FirstDream Agency...
So, it isn't an "exclusionary" thing... it is a way to introduce the newbies to the best way of figuring out what is going on.
Also, many newbies get on and read the board for quite awhile without even knowing that the archives exist!
Finally, yes, if a newbie starts by saying: "I read in the archives that _____ But I have a question... " it lends credibility to them. It shows that they are serious about this. Most guys WANT to help the serious men... but I don't have time to waste on tire-kickers and trolls...
I know that when I first got involved, I wanted to read whatever I could get my hands on. If the newbie doesn't have that thirst for knowledge, then they are probably going to get burned before this is over, because this is not an easy process, and most information will not be handed to you on a silver platter.
So... yes, I will tell almost anyone to read the archives. I don't do it because I think I am better than they are.. it is because it is the best advice I can give to someone who is starting this process...
BTW... I was kinda amused when someone's post recently read: "Even old-timers like Ramblin and MarkInTx have gotten engaged..."
Cracked me up... I never thought of myself as part of the old guard... just shows what can happen if you stick around...
