I am throwing this out there in response to recent activity in the
Show Your Collection thread. While I was initially writing it there as a reply, it really applies generally to everyone as sound advice, nor do I have any wish to clutter up an individual's sharing thread, and hopefully can be more useful here where others might [hopefully] read it.
I don't think the reaction has been overly harsh - at least not in this particular case. And I wouldn't say it is flaming or hating either to reply to these posts, as per what SBers might have a reputation for among others. I think people here are genuinely trying to be helpful and just steer it towards the right direction.
Obviously people are free to like what they do, and the collections of forum members are incredibly varied and diverse. And, many of us also have collections that fall ourside the purview of SB. But that doesn't also mean a spoon collector would be welcomed here with shouts of 'Hurrah!' after posting shots of their collection. I myself have an amazing collection of nose goblins I have spend the better part of a decade gathering together; but I imagine I shouldn't share those photos.
We've all got varied tastes, and no one is better than any others. It is not anyone else's place to judge what you like; nor should you have feel like you need qualification of your collection from anyone other than yourself.
Skullbrain is a varied place. And there are all kinds of subforums that cater to different interests. But the main point to remember is that, believe it or not, there is an underlying connection between them. The theme may have become more blurred with time and there is a lot of gray area, but generally the board is focused on one specific area of toy collecting. It is
not a general toy forum. Hopefully that much is clear before you join here. Nor would I ever want it to be; there are untold numbers of those available elsewhere. So, when people perceive it as 'attacking' newcomers to the discussion, I think we are just trying to maintain the focus of the board to keep it - as much as is possible anyways - for a particular hobby. In recent years, there has seemed to be a bigger influx of 'other' toys and customs that don't necessarily fall into this mould. Toys in general are great, we all love them, so I think it is fair to say that we have respect, or at the very least understanding, of collectors of other sorts than our own. But I do not believe that it is from a belief of superiority, elitism, or cliqueness or whatever you want to call it, if we try and maintain the original focus of the board. Naturally, there has been evolution of this and welcoming of new areas over the years, but the inherent theme remains the same. It is not that we fear widening the scope of discussion or are against anything new, but I don't think any people who really use this forum for what it is intended for and appreciate its uniqueness want to see it diluted to be a general toy collector forum. And if certain people want that, fine, but that is not SB, you can save those discussions for the places you think are superior. If people complain about SB so much, then why come here? You might have to develop a thicker skin (this is the internet after all), and you should be open to criticism, but that's life. Not everyone likes the same thing or agrees all of the time. Nor is anyone perfect. Particularly if you come here with your customs or new toy, éxpect to hear some hoenst feedback. We are not here to be yes men or blow empty compliments your way. Most people on the board have seen so much in the way of vinyl toys they have amply experience to know a thing or two. The fact is, the board is a great place, with all of its faults. And probably because of them in a lot of cases, it has lasted. We may be 'different' here, but I argue that is a good thing. There are actually a lot of decent folks out here, and we are incredibly helpful, generous, and welcoming folks. If you can follow a few simple rules, be respectful, and enjoy toys, there is room for you here, too.
So if you spent the time to read all this, and I hope that you did, I think you'll probably find that with a bit of patience and and an open mind, this is a superb community to be a part of. There is a learning curve, and every one of us stumbles here and there, but we can understand each other, and are all here for love of the same thing.