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Subject: 
Re: Keeping things in perspective
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Tue, 27 Mar 2001 02:26:45 GMT
Viewed: 
137 times
  
Well this doesn't address the whole "people leaving" part of your post which
was it's core but I have some comments to make and this seemed to be a safe
place to do so.


<snip>
Another gentleman conveyed a
deep anxiety that our forum is being jeopardized and that we should take
ourselves more seriously lest our cause stray.

I actually think we need to take ourselves much much "less" seriously.  I have
found it a bit stuffy in here lately and it disturbs me a bit.  I came here to
make freinds and share a cool hobby.  That really is all I want out of this is
to make freinds and share a cool hobby.

Unfortunately much of the discussion here has strayed from that.  I think to
many people are to hung up on TLC's involvement here.  Some take the negative
route, and some think we need to be super nice to them.  I could care less
about this stuff, I even occasionally feel we would be better off as a
community if TLC had never showed up here.   That isn't supposed to sound as
negative as it comes off but I think their presence here has created rifts
within the community which while unintentional do exist in part because they
are here IMHO.

Now I love "Bulk" ordering but I often times wonder if it is worth it (1).


Anyway, my response to such comments is to keep things in the proper
perspective. This is a hobby. This is something done for fun. We use
colorful plastic building bricks to create larger shapes and interesting
designs, including vehicles, towns and other items. We do not make these
bricks ourselves, we purchase them generally from a store. The bricks are
made by a multi-billion dollar corporation. This is sometimes our only hobby
and sometimes, in my case, one of several hobbies.

Exactly, this is a hobby (at least for me it is).  It is not a way of life or
something to center your life around (for most of us anyway).  I would also
wish that people would realize that for me it is a hobby.  Some people seem to
want to make it seem that I mean ill towards people in my posts.  That is never
the case and while some feel that way I think they read to far into what I (and
others) say.  We all need to chill and take 2 steps back and just take 1 step
back forward when we are ready.  Right now we are in each others faces way to
much.



I strongly feel LEGO building is a noble and creative hobby and most of the
enthusiasts I've encountered undeniably have an inner spark, that artistic
and creative essence that inspires others. Some people understand and
support the hobby, others laugh and ridicule it. So what? Is our hobby so
dependent on acceptance from others? Must we "belong" to something in order
to validate what we do? Absolutely not!

All hobbies and activities can bring out people's eccentricities. The
closer, more involved you are, the more sensitive you are and more likely
behave in a manner that, especially to an outsider, seems unreasonalbe and
eccentric. So, my best advice in keeping perspective in this forum is to
find balance in your life. Get out there and do a variety of things. Don't
limit yourself to just one hobby and one point of view. Years later, you may
even look back and say "What was I thinking?"

Thats some of the best advice I have seen here in a long time.



Eric Kingsley

(1) Please don't take this personally, it is how I feel and have wanted to say
it for a long time.  Dan just gave me a place where I felt safe in saying it.
If you don't agree with it fine but don't rip my head off for thinking we
*might* be better off if TLC never showed themselves here.



Message is in Reply To:
  Keeping things in perspective
 
Greetings everyone! I am starting this post in an effort to foster better understanding of this hobby and help keep things in perspective. Feel free to join in and say your piece. All I ask is that everyone keep an open mind, use kind words and read (...) (23 years ago, 26-Mar-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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