Dealer affiliations and attitudes, assumptions and lack of respectful engagement in audio.

Don’t know about all that but can say in confidence that respect is typically earned not owed so if there is a problem there perhaps we all need to take a look in the mirror meaning society as a whole. 

Car culture people more gentle natured, really. The Alfa Romeo and Mustang forums I belong to can get very competitive and sometimes very nasty. Ducati forum mostly good people, nothing to prove. Nicest group of people I've encountered over many decades are classic Brit car enthusiasts, owners, something about slow cars and gentle people. I've found the faster the car the more you have competition between people, pretty much like high end audio.

ghdprentice

Each of us helps to set the tone. If we just ignore insulting and inappropriate behavior hopefully they will go away.  +1

It is sad, we all have brains and so we can chose to have an enjoyable discussion if we want.  But it is not so common. The advice above is helpful in that regard. 

Op ,I  absolutely agree with your thoughts and I’m guilty at times of being a butthead. My opinion is the problem is caused by our social evolution with the internet , over population and a conditioned impatience and a continual need for instant gratification. Take texting while driving , at first it was kids and now everyone does it. The town I live in is extremely mean by nature. Here it’s about not stopping for traffic lights that change to red. Every single light change has someone going through a few seconds too late. It’s interesting because now when you get a green light nobody goes for a few seconds. So the amount of movement time is essentially the same. Living in Fresno there is a popular T-Shirt that is a hand pointing a revolver at you with the caption “ Fresno , see it like a Native “. It’s just off the hook here. Anyway all our social ills carry over to chat sites. Being in recovery for over 30 years I have to rely on my Reprograming with suggestions like “ Look for the similarities, not the differences “. Or “ If you Spot it, You Got it “. I was told there is a God, and I’m not it. With all the experience I have and the instruction I’ve received, I can and still do occasionally spit fire . We live on the internet and are never together in person and are conditioned for instant gratification, as if my opinion actually matters. As a former shop owner and a professional businessman, you are painfully aware of our social ills. What I would like to share is that a few months ago I went into a showroom and adjacent warehouse that used to be Sun Stereo in Fresno. I followed the salesman showing us Quartzite for our remodel. I suddenly stopped in the doorway of the old showroom and asked him and my wife to please indulge me for a moment. I stopped looked around then closed my eyes. I had a perfect image of what I saw standing in that spot almost 50 years ago. It was absolute joy being in my “ Old Happy Spot “. So thanks for posting and bringing me back to that place of joy. If I could only grab a couple of those vintage receivers, a Nakamichi  Dragon and some JBL 300’s while in the “ Way Back Machine “. Regards , Mike B. 

+1 Calvin, well put. And we can all use a reset from time to time.