brand snobbery & forum bullying - a growing problem
As I frequent the various watch forums daily, I've begun to see an increasingly disturbing trend, in the form of internet bullying, for lack of a better term, prevalent throughout some watch forums. The internet, and world wide web, has created many an internet tough-guy and gal throughout the years, with some internet posers readily espousing their opinions and views, without hesitation, or fear of reprisal or admonishment, able to hide behind their keyboards and internet personas.
There has always been an air of snobbery that has been an undercurrent of the watch collecting community. Whether it be a prevailing notion that brand X is far superior to brand Y, "Swiss Made" watches have the highest quality of workmanship, and contain the best , most reliable watch movements, it's been the stuff that fanboys and fangirls are made of. We all know what they say about opinions, everybody has one, like an Invicta Pro Diver, LOL. But lately, opinions about brands, have morphed into direct attacks on the style tastes and senses of fellow watch aficionados, sadly something that I've seen with my own eyes.
To be honest, I'm not even sure how one develops such a deep seated hatred of a singular watch brand, to the point that you not only hate the watch, but also think lesser of anyone that is fond of wearing the brand? Stay in the watch collecting game long enough, and you're going to amass your share of less-than-desirable customer service experiences, it's inevitable. My advice, before running out and starting an anti-brand campaign, take those experiences with a grain of salt. Use a bad customer service experience as a learning experience, and look forward with anticipation to experiencing and new, and different brand or timepiece.
There are a myriad of watch brands and styles to suit each and every collector. And half the fun, is experimenting with different brands and finding the right brand for you. After all, your opinion is the only one that matters, especially when it's your hard-earned money being spent. And to those that like to exalt themselves, by belittling others and their style choices, consider the following: everyone doesn't like the same things, that's what makes us individuals, everyone doesn't have the same financial means and disposable income, variety truly is the spice of life, and beauty and artistry can be found in all brands of wristwatches.
I implore the various forums, and their moderators, to do their due diligence in maintaining civility, decorum, and respect within the watch collecting forums, as the forums are a great resource, and a way to bring together like-minded individuals in a singular focus, the joy of collecting watches. All watch collectors should be able to interact within the forums, without fear of judgement. After all, in the grand scheme of things, there are far more pressing concerns in life, and the world in which we live, than someone's watch-of-the-day choice.