- Joined
- Mar 8, 2008
- Messages
- 25,491
Increasingly over the past few years I've noticed a certain trend among many axe groups, and I can't imagine I'm the only one to notice it. A certain personality profile has developed among some that I'm dubbing "toxic axe personality disorder" or TAPD. Symptoms of TAPD include, but are not limited to:
•Thinking that if hickory contains any heartwood or is not 100% perfectly vertical end grain with zero slope it will self destruct in the first swing.
•Thinking that any gap in the eye or crack in the wood above the eye when hanging an axe, no matter how small, will result in the head immediately flying off the handle.
•Thinking that nothing but the hardest of axes is at all worth using.
•A compulsion to doggedly criticize anything that does not match their mental schema of a "perfect axe" or "proper technique" well beyond the point that could be considered as constructive.
•The belief that only vintage axes should be used (often ignoring context) and that anything else is a waste of effort and money.
•A general disdain and vocal low regard for anything short of perfection regardless of context.
•A heavy reliance on "bible-like" common reference materials, regardless of the fact that those sources are not infallible.
I feel it's overall a hostile and condescending attitude that shuts down the free exchange of useful ideas, ignores the degree of influence of many factors, and dissuades beginners from joining in discussion or asking questions. Meanwhile, experienced users feel as though it isn't worth sharing their knowledge. What was once a friendly and helpful community seems to be increasingly turning to elitism and jockeying for esteem/prestige rather than a genuine eagerness for educating others and self-improvement. This is hardly the norm for all users, but the frequency of toxic axe personality disorder rearing its head seems to have been increasing of late, and across multiple channels.
Feel free to add your own, as this is scarcely a complete list. And let's all stay friendly and general in what's added. Making things personal is the exact opposite of what this thread is about.
•Thinking that if hickory contains any heartwood or is not 100% perfectly vertical end grain with zero slope it will self destruct in the first swing.
•Thinking that any gap in the eye or crack in the wood above the eye when hanging an axe, no matter how small, will result in the head immediately flying off the handle.
•Thinking that nothing but the hardest of axes is at all worth using.
•A compulsion to doggedly criticize anything that does not match their mental schema of a "perfect axe" or "proper technique" well beyond the point that could be considered as constructive.
•The belief that only vintage axes should be used (often ignoring context) and that anything else is a waste of effort and money.
•A general disdain and vocal low regard for anything short of perfection regardless of context.
•A heavy reliance on "bible-like" common reference materials, regardless of the fact that those sources are not infallible.
I feel it's overall a hostile and condescending attitude that shuts down the free exchange of useful ideas, ignores the degree of influence of many factors, and dissuades beginners from joining in discussion or asking questions. Meanwhile, experienced users feel as though it isn't worth sharing their knowledge. What was once a friendly and helpful community seems to be increasingly turning to elitism and jockeying for esteem/prestige rather than a genuine eagerness for educating others and self-improvement. This is hardly the norm for all users, but the frequency of toxic axe personality disorder rearing its head seems to have been increasing of late, and across multiple channels.
Feel free to add your own, as this is scarcely a complete list. And let's all stay friendly and general in what's added. Making things personal is the exact opposite of what this thread is about.
