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Rational Thought

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Steve Marshall

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Has it always been that shooters don't have a clue? Every day, it seems, on this and other forums, I see stupid questions. And before I hear the trite "there's no such thing as a stupid question" let me say that, yes, there are. It seems that in today's world, few people require logic in their lives. They'll parrot any idiot circumstance rather than think for themselves. No longer is it required to study up on something and yet we insist on the fruits of our labor. Is it just because of the internet? Is it better to rely on someone else's half-assed thought than to develop cognizant rational thought.

So Bubba does a home build because, well, it's smart to save money or Iz akwirein a skil or it makes me cool. Wannabees and couldabees and ninja's abound. We have OPSEC and price point and tacticool but apparently little or no skill. We are bombarded with how/what/when/where/why to shoot, basic friggin' questions on reloading and God forbid learning anything about ballistics whether internal, yes Virginia, there is such a thing or at minimum, the basics on external. You know. How to hit a target.

I can think of no other pastime where guys need to exchange ideas, especially fallacious ideas, like they do in the shooting sports. Repair a car? Get a Chilton's. Install a toilet? Get a 1-2-3 Plumbing. Grow a turnip? Get a Home Gardening for Idiots. Grow a set. Do some homework.
Shoot, fail and apply some analytical thought. Then shoot some more.

Where are the Elmer Keith's, Jeff Cooper's and Julian Hatcher's? There are some great forums out there that are being diluted by the mindless. There are forums on reloading, casting and making hits at something greater than 25 yards. The core of these forums know of which they speak. They are the guys that push industry on all fronts to improve product. But EVERY website I go on is marginalized by twaddle.

So my question is this. Are there any sites that boot people for dumbassery? Can I go someplace that refuses 9MM vs. 45, or flat as a string trajectory or head shots on deer at 783 meters? Must we continue to sift through the dreck or just not browse at all? I'm retired. Not an option.
 
7/10

great detail and length, but you could have scored higher if you let more anger show through. It was almost between a whine and a rant.


In off road forums - most notably Pirate 4x4, which is the largest with god knows how many like 50,000 members (and I haven't been there in years, someone could clarify for me): The way they weed out the idiots is to have a whole forum section dedicated to them. So if you're a newbie idiot asking a dumb question, the moderators immediately jump down your throat, and move your BS to the newbie idiot section.
 
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6/10

It would have been a better rant if there were:
More run on sentences
More CAP LOCKS

Interesting read none the less
 
So what you're saying is that this forum is so full of idiots with stupid questions, that you want those same idiots with stupid questions to guide you to a forum without idiots with stupid questions.

I added the link for one below:

http://bit.ly/1vccGBW

[smile]
 
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Steve Marshall said:
So my question is this. Are there any sites that boot people for dumbassery? Can I go someplace that refuses 9MM vs. 45, or flat as a string trajectory or head shots on deer at 783 meters? Must we continue to sift through the dreck or just not browse at all?
Click to expand...


Those are all dumb questions, you will be the first to be banished under the new NES stupid question guidelines. [rofl]
 
I hear what you are saying. One forum I belong to, is very heavily moderated. But, this keeps the threads you have mentioned to a minimum. If I were to post a "FLGR vs. GI plug" it would get locked in about .02 seconds with a moderator comment "this has been beaten to death, I suggest you use the search function." I like that forum because of the strict adherance to firearms and reloading discussion, it keeps things very organized and professional but one can only discuss guns and reloading for so long.

I like this forum more and more for not only the wealth of knowlege among its members, but also that one can talk about other aspects of life with a groups of largely like minded individuals. I joined up on castbullets.com for specific casting related discussion but havent even posted once there. I do a ton of reading and almost any question I have can be answered if I do a little looking around. I don't want to be "that guy" who asks "how do I smelt lead".

Perhaps you are right that in todays instant info world, we can find an answer quickly on a forum rather than through trial and error through our own efforts. I hear ya about the keyboard commandos, and their 500yd headshots on a running deer with their "thuty thuty" but it is what it is, and not worth the effort to call them out on it, or I'm just not one to be inflamatory to some grandios internet stranger.

Besides, it's entertaining.
 
Neriski3 said:
Those are all dumb questions, you will be the first to be banished under the new NES stupid question guidelines. [rofl]
Click to expand...

Seriously. What a stupid thread. Yeah, let's discourage stupid people from asking stupid questions about gun ownership. We're much better off with them figuring it out on their own. And screw having any sort of cohesion within the community, we should be alienating the noobs and pissing off the non-noobs who are sympathetic to them.
 
new guy said:
Seriously. What a stupid thread. Yeah, let's discourage stupid people from asking stupid questions about gun ownership. We're much better off with them figuring it out on their own. And screw having any sort of cohesion within the community, we should be alienating the noobs and pissing off the non-noobs who are sympathetic to them.
Click to expand...

Yep.



I think people just want something to talk about so they start a thread when they could just do a simple search for an answer. if you got rid of all the non gun, not serious topics here it would be a pretty slow, boring forum.
 
ehh, All interests and hobbies are like this. Stay away from weight lifting forums.

I've run into the problem going the other way: people who read way more than they experience and either a) run their mouths about things they don't really understand or b) major in the minors.

I've been plenty guilty of B in the pursuit of many a different things, this shooting thing included.
 
new guy said:
Yeah, let's discourage stupid people from asking stupid questions about gun ownership. We're much better off with them figuring it out on their own. And screw having any sort of cohesion within the community, we should be alienating the noobs and pissing off the non-noobs who are sympathetic to them.
Click to expand...

There is a very healthy level of ball busting on this forum that generally keeps things "in check", at least in my opinion. But the older I get, the more I think your perspective is correct, with obvious exceptions aside. (I mean... there is trolling and blatant jackassery that shouldn't be tolerated, etc...)
 
Well, you could stop whining on a forum you apparently don't like and start your own. So the real question is, why are you so lazy? [laugh]

Seriously though, forums don't start or run themselves. If you want something, go make it. Stop looking to others to provide it for you.
 
Beansie said:
There is a very healthy level of ball busting on this forum that generally keeps things "in check", at least in my opinion. But the older I get, the more I think your perspective is correct, with obvious exceptions aside. (I mean... there is trolling and blatant jackassery that shouldn't be tolerated, etc...)
Click to expand...

I've been on a few forums over the years, from the super strict forums to forums where it's basically anarchy. Between the mods and the healthy level of jimmy rustling you mention I think the level of policing/vigilantism on NES is probably just about right. Opinions will vary, but attacking people with stupid questions seems like bad policy, particularly on the subject of firearms.
 
Yes there are a fair share of dumb questions

Our education system now teaches people WHAT to think instead of HOW to think ...

BUT beyond the dumb overdone topics NES has been an invaluable resource for me moving to Mass with all the FR laws, getting involved in 2A events, finding good spots in the area clubs/shops/gunsmiths and pure entertainment. So take it All for what it's worth as a whole and you don't have to visit the site.
 
i find the stupid questions funny, peoples responses to those stupid questions are even funnier
 
Not everyone grew up around firearms like some of us did.
A little patience goes a long way to keep it growing
I've been shooting for 45 years and still learn new things contantly.
I consider myself a rank amature at reloading compaired to some folks here and like the fact I can get feedback from more experianced people without being called a dumbass for asking a question
 
I would be much happier if people don't like a thread would just not comment on it. Yes there are "stupid" questions..... I would much rather a "stupid" questions than stupid actions.
 
I thought a growing population of new shooters and the chance to educate them would be good for 2A legislation and gun culture. We shouldn't be elitist as if we never asked dumb questions. Yeah you could just respond "search for it" and then report the thread... Or you could just ignore it and let someone else with more patience better YOUR community. ;)
 
I was gonna start a new thread but this seems like the right place.

What's better for headshoting gophers at 500 yards, 9mm or .45?
 
Varmint said:
I was gonna start a new thread but this seems like the right place.

What's better for headshoting gophers at 500 yards, 9mm or .45?
Click to expand...


Gopher hunting is for girly-men. Real men hunt bears.

So to answer your question about hunting gophers 9mm is better because girly-men carry 9mm. It's a win-win for girly-men.
 
...methinks this thread belongs in Off Topic. I hate these n00bs coming in and tossing shit where ever they think it will stick. This rant is not firearm specific.
 
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