Kinda off related, kinda related; this thread is not related to black powder shooting in any way but my story here is related to both this threads intended subjects.
I was once a teenager (wow, can you believe that?) and a very interested, passionate teen especially about black powder weapons. Yes, that's where my interest started. So much so that alot of my early artwork is related to this type of stuff.
I signed up on a black powder forum (not naming which one, nor any of the people involved) after discovering these people were equally passionate about black powder as I was. I was 16 at the time, most of the people were at least 40 or older. No problem, expect the fact that teens, especially teens raised on the internet can be a little, weird. I was weird. I was a weird teen with a weird sense of humor. And trust me it changes every few years, the kids just younger than me in the teenage years right now are from a different world. I was raised in chat rooms and forums, the kids today have their tik toks; It is not the same.
I stuck out like a sore thumb on their site. My sense of humor was different, my vernacular was different. Im not excusing my behavior either; indeed it is off putting when you have a squeezy voiced teen trying to insert into your mature hobby group. We've had them on this site (THR) before and its the same deal, they just stick out. Nonetheless we answer their questions with honesty and courtesy.
It hit a climax when one day I chose a colorful pfp (alot like the one I have right now, I made it myself) and they didn't like it. They thought it was too childish on their adult site, and they called me a "troll". For those unfamiliar, a troll means someone who is purposely intending to cause mischief
and inevitibly some "troll" will jump in with provocative and insulting comments.
Like this. Someone who is only there for comedic value, even if it makes only themselves laugh. But not everyone who is annoying is a troll, sometimes they are someone who has trouble being respectful, or someone who never learned how to communicate controversial opinions properly.
They called me one, and I tried to defend myself explaining that no, I am here because I am passionate about black powder shooting, etc. etc. but they didn't believe me. Eventually they kicked me off the site, banned me, and I contacted one of the dudes who co-owned the site on another website and he sided with his buddies. It was a very interesting experience for me at the time. After about a month I let it all go, but I felt so pissed that I finally met some people who shared the same hobby that I do but they rejected me and didn't even give me a chance to explain myself. Goes to show, I believe we owe everyone a explanation. If their behavior afterwards still doesn't change, not much we can do but give them the hammer.
So that's my story and experience with stubborn people online, related to forum use. The reason I like this site so much is because everyone is so respectful, it's well moderated and the topics stay exclusive to just guns. No politics (unless it's related), no SHTF panic threads, just passionate people discussing firearms. I've been on other gun forums and they all look chaotic, compared to this one.