(This post was last modified: 01-16-2020, 08:08 PM by Steinmetzify . )

Interesting read and quite true. The part about irony masking a lack of self reflection rings true as well.



Regarding the Wolfman stuff, I've seen this mob mentality before, both on shaving and guitar forums.



For guitar gear stuff, you have to be able to prove credibility before anyone will listen to you regarding gear...if you spout an opinion on a guitar/bass/piece of recording equipment and no one knows you, you'll get piled on just for the fact that people DON'T know you, regardless if your info is spot on or not. When you have the chops to back it up and can prove that with clips or videos, you'll get a better reaction for sure.



Interesting correlation between experience and income level/purchasing power that comes into this too; in the guitar forums we call it diminishing returns.



Some guys play $10,000 guitars and swear up and down that they're the best guitars they've ever played and no one else's opinions matter. I've played $10,000 guitars and they're really good; the fit and finish is better, the tolerances are tighter between guitars from the same builders, and the general overall level of guitar is a higher end product, but not worth it to me to upgrade from the $2,000 guitars I play now.



Same with razors....I've read posts from guys who swear up and down they get the best shaves of their lives with an L6 and a stick of Arko. Good for them and I applaud their skill level. That's not me. I know this because I keep a $16 razor around to test technique every couple weeks, and while I'm getting better at it, there's no way that for my skill level a $16 razor works better for me than a $200 razor. I also find it hysterical that these same guys will swear up and down that the expensive razor couldn't possibly be better than their $15 razor, without ever having tried one. It makes me want to send them a Blackbird just to see what they think afterwards.



I'm getting the best shaves of my life with a Blackbird and some $30 soaps, but there's no way to PROVE it like there is with a guitar forum....what am I gonna do, take before and after pics of my face?



This is why I don't rag on the Wolfman guys. Is it worth it to me to buy a Wolfman razor? Not yet. My technique isn't there, the diminishing return cost is too high and I don't feel like my skill level is at the point that I'd get the most out of it.



Will I buy one eventually? Yeah, I will....if only to see if they live up to the hype. If they do, it'll stick around and go into regular rotation, just like the 'expensive' guitars I've bought.



The thing that bothers me about the trolls is two fold.....#1, they either truly believe that there's no way these things can help improve their skill level or #2, they're mad that they can't afford one.



For #1 they're being incredibly narrow minded to think that their skill is untouchable and they're the best that they're ever going to be, that smacks of arrogance and has no place in this gentlemanly hobby. WTF are you on a forum for if you already know it all, just to try and convince everyone else of this 'fact'?



For #2, suck it up buttercup. If you want the razor and don't want to pay for it, you're doing something wrong. Save up, look for a deal, make friends with guys that have them and ask to borrow one, WHATEVER. But ragging on people spending money on something you actually want but don't want to pay for is also not gentlemanly behavior. You want what some call the best razor in the game but you only want to pay $52 after tax? Cmon...



Also, not to take this off the rails, but this comment in the first paragraph of that article astounded me:



'More than 40% of adults don’t read a single book for the rest of their lives after college. And that’s just the people who go to college. Not a single book.'



I read that and my mouth dropped open. This can't be true, can it? I'm a voracious reader and have been for over 40 years...I just took a 3 week vacation and the first day I was off I read 4 books. That statement shocked me and I seriously can't believe it's true.