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3 Ingredients to a Healthy Audio Community

Through my own personal audio journey, I have learned to value and hopefully embody 3 qualities: humility, respect, and a sense of community. I hope to inspire dialogue about how our lovable audio community can be more like a (functional) family, and less like NBA players talking trash (no offense intended to basketball lovers).

I've learned the hard way that most, if not all, of my preconceived notions about audio have been wrong. For instance, let's talk about cables. I used to think that they had no bearing on sound quality. But, when I actually tried cables that used scientifically researched and proven technology, I had to admit that they do in fact make a huge difference. What I needed was to approach new technology with more humility, realizing that my opinions may be wrong and that other's thoughts and experiences are just as valid as my own. In fact, others' who have actually tried something that I have not have a much more valid perspective than I do, since they have first-hand experience and I do not.

There's a word for this attitude -- respect, that's right. I definitely need more of it, especially online where I don't actually know anyone else and they don't know me. I struggle with this one. If I feel someone is wrong, I want to hop right in and call them out. But, I don't know that person. I don't know if they are new to audio, or an experienced engineer. I don't know their qualifications or experiences. And, I don't know what they're going through in their life. So, who the hell am I to say that they are wrong and/or that I am right?

If I can nail the above two character qualities, I can help contribute to our community of music and audio lovers and not just leech off of it. If we all work to exhibit more humility and respect, we can forget about who's right or wrong, and just focus on helping each other enjoy what we have, and hope to have. For ultimately, this hobby is not about correctness but about emotionally engaging with and enjoying music, both individually and collectively.
128x128daveman2
hilde45's avatar
hilde45
5,090 posts
 
@teo_audio 
Retort is require to correct problems, and if it’s all virtue signalling and consequence.... then we get killed for raising the correct questions.
So, good luck finding the median.

I think this is right, and if I understand it it means --

We don't want "virtue signaling" -- we want virtue; that is, self-control in how we signal, avoiding ad hominem attacks.

We want "retort" in the sense of logical rebuttal, done with respect and civility.

Finding the median? The arguer really has two jobs, logical and emotional. The logical job is to present the argument in ways that highlight the facts and stakes as they see them and to push back against claims which seem false or exaggerated in ways that simply present counter facts or demur. The emotional job is the one featured in that scene with Luke and Yoda -- to look into oneself and reflect on whatever makes one want to strike out in anger; and then tame that part of oneself. It's the bigger challenge for all of us, so perhaps having a bit of tolerance for other's foibles (aka "humor") is the key ingredient, after all.


spenav
443 posts
 
Agree with the OP. Also sometimes we just have to agree to disagree.  We cannot convince everyone. That’s just the nature of the beast. At times, people just have to be called out, respectfully too. 
larshepping
34 posts
 
daveman2.....This thread wouldn’t have anything to do with that dumpster fire of a “discussion” about rap from last weekend, would it?

I’m on several other forums focused on audio and non-audio hobbies and they each do a much much much better job keeping politics out of the discussion than Audiogon does.

Why do they do that?

Because absolutely nothing at all is added to a discussion of, say, turntables, home brew beer, vintage radio restoration, or mycology by having people flex their political views. Yeah, people disagree all the time and get in each other’s faces about what thing is better than another thing but no one is ramming a political flag down someone else’s throat.

How do they do that?

Community rules, a user agreement, and active moderators.

On Audiogon you’d get

“But muh rights and freedoms! You can’t tell me what to do or say!”

To which one might reasonably reply

“Well, you’re on a privately owned and operated site with a user agreement that you agreed to but can’t seem to abide by. Stop being a jerk.”

And then someone would say

If that happens, we get turned into a burning dumpster of political correctness that is flying down the highway at juggernaut speed, killing all in it’s correctness path. A cloaked vehicle to do harm via. A communofacist agenda rockin’ machine that no one can touch, for ill or for better. Mostly ill.

One of the issues is that Audiogon has very broad definition of what kind of content can be moderated. Also, some posters seem to be exempt from moderation.

Perhaps they’re actually moderators who are also interested in promoting their political agendas, saving the audiophile world from “cultural Marxism” one expensive component at a time.





dletch2
455 posts
 
humility, respect, and a sense of community


Is it humility to not accept that you, like everyone else on the planet is biased?


Is it respectful to not accept your inherent biases and use the results of that lack of acceptance to disrespect others?


Is the community served when you refuse to accept your bias, yet proselytize your personal views that have never been tested without bias?


Humility does not mean accepting everyone's views as valid, when those views are clearly colored by personal bias they refuse to accept. I respect your right to an opinion or view, I don't have to respect the one you have. The community is not served when people viciously promote personal views, not tested for bias, as absolute truth.


What many people here want is C, C, C. Conformity, conformity, conformity.  When they don't get it, they insult you, your system, or your hearing, usually knowing nothing about any of them.


Humility, respect, and community are nice words. Cults are all about respect and community too, and members are expected to have humility, at least where it concerns the self appointed gods. 
musicfan2349's avatar
musicfan2349
242 posts
 
Thank you @daveman2. Nicely said...
Happy listening.
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