Care

This is a post I’ve sat down and started to write multiple times, and it’s never come out right.  I hope this attempt get across what I want to.

I get asked all the time “why do you care?”  This is usually in response to some post or comment of mine pointing out, or making fun of, something I think is “stupid”.  Inevitably someone will come along and ask “why do you care?”  Interestingly, this is often followed by an accusation of me being an “asshole” or a “dick” or a “jerk”.

I don’t know why I care.  But what many seem to miss is that what you think I care about really isn’t.  I’m not interested in appearing smart, building industry contacts, schmoozing, or other self-serving goals.  I’m simply interested in helping to keep people from making the same mistakes I did, and selfishly I find that if I can make my case in writing it helps me to solidify a concept in my own mind.

So then comes “well, you think making fun of the guy or being a dick to him is going to get him to think or change his mind?”  Nope, I sure don’t.  That guy is already too far gone.  The kind of guy that starts a thread to post about what he sees as a piss-poor rollmark on a Colt AR, or the kind of guy that revives a thread that hasn’t had action in a year just to defend his purchase to a bunch of strangers, or who sees an entire chart and explanation of features who gets all worked up over the fact that his personal AR has a single feature that is in conflict with the document...  There’s no helping that type, and it’s because they are all emotionally wrapped up in whatever it is they are posting about.

But I’ll tell you a secret about the internets... for every two guys posting in an argument there are 200, if not 2000, watching and reading.  So every time there is a thread with a bunch of guys congratulating themselves on being stupid with no dissention, there are exponentially more people reading it thinking “well, if they were wrong someone would say something”.  Think I’m wrong?  Then that’s because you’re one of the guys posting, and you don’t talk to the guys reading very often.  But I get emails weekly, if not more frequently, from guys saying things like “you know, you saved me a lot of money.  I read this thread and was all set to buy one of them until I read your post and realized I just need to shoot more”.  Even the people that DON’T agree with me, who may have their ego wrapped up in their argument, are going to have to question their position at least a little bit to come up with a counter argument.  Unfortunately, all too often, that counter argument gets wrapped up in “well, I just don’t agree”, which essentially means “I have no idea what I’m talking about, can’t articulate a valid point, but want you to leave me alone”.  Fine.  But those other 200... 2000... guys?  That makes an impression.  And it’s THOSE guys that email me thanking me for saving them money.

Regardless of whether an issue gets resolved or not, whether it be Zumbo, or RECOIL, or triggers, or optics, or whatever, the fact is that the discussion is good for people.  Otherwise everyone just reverts to what they are supposed to be doing, or thinks they are supposed to be doing.  Take the guy that tells me “I’d love to go take a class but I have to stock up on gear first”.  It’s really not his fault.  He simply doesn’t know better.  It’s what he’s supposed to do.  I live in SE Florida, and today I was leaving the store when I saw a woman in her 50s, all buff and toned, wearing workout gear, with fake hair, fake tits, and fake lips, come running out of the store and get into a Mercedes.  Why does she do all of that?  Because she doesn’t know better.  To her it’s normal, or what she’s supposed to do.  and guess what?  When you show up to IDPA or to a class in your 5.11 pants and vest, with your Oakleys and so on, you’re just like her.  Know what the two of you have in common?  Neither one of you are thinking.  It takes a fly in the ointment to get people like that to think.  and I’m that fly.  Sometimes you may agree with what the fly says, and sometimes you may not.  It may well be that the times that you don’t agree are the times that you might ought be paying the most attention.

Which still doesn’t address WHY I care.  The truth is I don’t really know.  But I think it’s interesting that I’m questioned about it all the time, from people who in turn call me names.  How is it I’m the “mean guy” who’s a “dick”, but also the one that cares?  Frankly, I think it’s pretty dickish of you that YOU don’t care.  And let’s take just a second to look at what you DO care about.  Post after post on facebook or the forums about your collection of irrelevant guns? or favorite college or pro sports team?  Or your car?  Or your golf swing?  or some dippy band you saw last night?  Or your dinner?  or social issues that don't affect you?  or some legal case that’s getting tons of publicity on TV in a town or state that is thousands of miles from you?  or even worse, politics?  Like any of that matters?  So while you may not care about the same things that I do, the fact is that you care about some pretty stupid shit yourself.  Everyone does.  It’s the way the world works.  I’m trying to get a guy to think, maybe save himself a few bucks, maybe even save his own life (if he stops buying guns and starts buying gym equipment) and you’re worried about some over-paid thug running after a little ball, and I’M  the dick?  Seriously?

TYV has been undergoing some changes lately.  Most of it happened without me realizing it, but after thinking on it some and discussing it with a few friends, even I’ve noticed.  This post is the first part in what will be three posts, hopefully released over the next three days, attempting to give people an idea where things are headed and why.