I hit 6-8 forums of different types on a regular basis. Nearly all having to do with collectibles of some sort. Without exaggeration this is by far the most critical, rude and bitchy of the bunch. I get that a lot of it is done in humor, which I enjoy and appreciate. But overall it can be a really uneccassarily nasty place, in my opinion. Though that doesnt keep me from coming back as the pics, information and small amount of comraderie are worth it for me. But the question is, has it always been this way? Is it the specific culture of this board? I dont find most vinyl or Japanese toy collectors to be this way in person, just the opposit. So rathar than make assumptions I thought I'd ask those that have posts in the high hundreds if not thousands, why is it so? Now please call me a Cunt and move forward but its a genuine question.

things change over time. Maybe when there were few users and all of them knew each other the place was just warm and fussy. This place is rude, but a lot has to do with the nature of some users just using the place for their own gain without giving much to the community. People just deal with it. I deal with it, because someone had a signature that said something about us being mole people and how someone might help you out just because youre not an asshole, and that has proven true to me.

I feel that honesty (being assholes and mean) to be much enjoyable than some asshole trying to be all nice and then you help them out and they end up being less than reputable people.

Iuno, im only here and on the CAD forum and thats all I need.

I'm not long timer but you're a C.U.N.T.!!!! You asked for it!

Actually, I think it's an unfair assumption and I generally hear it being said ONLY on other forums that SB is full of rude turds but it's generally said by people who can't get on SB, who don't understand or collect our culture.
Also, we're mostly all adults who understand about sticks and stones and don't burst into tears whenever our feelings are hurt.
Other forums filled with collectors of those bunny-headed toys and their designer counterparts, like their plastic-culture mainstream action figures brothers, are mass-produced and readily available where as many of the collectors here have a pallette that extends towards toys that are only made in small amounts in Japan, made in a style that is becoming increasingly rare as the producers/factories of such toys become fewer. (That's NOT getting into vintage, oi.)
SB is no different from any other forum, the rules are blatantly obvious and are posted for everyone to see. Most full frontal attacks are directed towards people who don't read the rules and come on treating the place like "any other forum". It's not any other forum, you can't buy this shit at Walmart.....

Now if Wal-mart would start carrying some Buta no hana...

Man, you should've been here back in the "RFSO" days. From what I lurked around and saw, that's when it was really brutal!

But honestly, I frequent another forum that is easily way more critical and rude. And no, its not 4chan.

Actions > Words!

RFSO > KR2.0!

Genuine enthusiasm & interest > Pointless hype & smoke-blowing!

Old guard via PM and email > Asshat noobs and chancers on an open forum!

2006 > 2013!

My opinion > Anyone elses!

I don't think it's a nasty place for the sake of being nasty for no reason. On the contrary it only gets nasty when people think they can come here and pull a fast one, or generally do asshat sort of things. If you stick around, show a genuine interest in collecting and are not here to make a quick buck on hyped toys then you'll do fine.

Long Time Collectors > Hype Driven Speculators

yeah- the nastiness comes when carelessness or greed comes into play.

its easy to be sarcastic with search links, etc- but when people come in here demanding answers and links or whatever, then two weeks later blab and post about lotteries or auctions, then the people who genuinely care get upset. its not a matter of secrecy, or rites of passage, its always a matter of doing research, trying to figure things out before whining that no one is saying anything. then those people turn around and sell all of their toys on ebay because collecting is too hard or they need bionic eyeballs or whatever.

the thing that upsets me most (not that i collect these specific toys) but people who buy gorilla jus, photograph them, then sell them. or win a nag lottery, say its the best toy ever, then sell it on ebay ( you know who you are) .the constant flux of buying and selling is strange to me. i know certain circumstances happen, but that cant be the case for 90 percent of people who sell everything they have to pay for car rental or some other excuse.

while being on this board for a while, and being more active now, i can honestly say ive made genuine connections with people, made internet friends (since i havent really met anyone in real life from here) and gotten some amazing knowledge and hook ups with toys ive been seeking. ive even been sent free toys for being a nice guy. im almost exclusively buying vintage toys, so thats a different playing field, but the people collecting vintage have been at it for a long time, so the attitudes are different.

you have to take the rudeness or whatever is bothering you with a grain of salt, take a step back, and make sure you understand why someone is being rude (whether they are being rude to you or someone else, there is almost always a reason)

the forum was different, and its always different and changing. 6 or 7 years ago you could have a discussion about kaws or some other western toy without having an argument of "is it art, art toy, whatever" now its a pissing contest.

i dont really know where this is going so ill repeat some others

Actions > Words!
Genuine enthusiasm & interest > Pointless hype & smoke-blowing!
Long Time Collectors > Hype Driven Speculators
my opinion = doesnt really matter

If you think it's rude now... have fun looking at threads from four, five years ago!

I actually think people aren't rude enough anymore. It feels like many people have simply given up. And that's sad, because if you're not vocal about what you dislike, the parts you do like will slowly vanish to apparent indifference, and you'll drift away from a place you probably found fun in the first place. Not to say all change is bad. But some is.

There are a handful of miserable individuals here but from what I have seen there are far more helpful and genuinely awesome people.

Its pretty smooth sailing as long as you don't Collect Ugly Nag Toys... then you are just asking for it =P

The board is just a front and doesn't really truly represent the hobby (and the whole scene outside the board), wait until you meet people in person and you realize everyone isn't an asshole. That's why people just stop posting (or even coming); sometimes the crap you deal with here stops being worth it

Not a perfect place, but overall, I enjoy it. Eventually you'll be able to sort out the solid guys from the goofy stuff. I think the asshattery has been on a steady increase over the years though. can't say why, but I'm just here for the toys and good company where I can find it. I try to stay out of the drama and not make any.

I am rudest to the people I love the most on here. And that's probably because I've known some of them for 7-8 years or longer since I joined in 2005.

That said, There's a definite punk vein that runs through this board, which is what drew me (and a lot of the early folks) to it. Most of the early vinyl stuff was very rooted in punk rock, and that's an environment where you shove each other, and make fun of each other, and are generally angry and mean about other people. Its part nerd, part punk, which is a perfect cocktail for being a snobby online asshole.

I actually kind of like the hazing that goes on. I've been made fun of on here plenty, and I've also been valiantly defended. I know who my friends are (and I let the other shit roll off my back pretty easily). I don't care if you hate on what I like. I'm confident and I like it, and that's good enough for me. I think when it comes down to it, this board was created with a very specific and niche interest. When new people came in and didn't really understand that or started talking about stuff that was just an obvious ripoff of some of the stuff that this board was originally about, I think some of the old guys (and girls) lost interest, and got angry.

In my opinion, none of the new toys coming out in the last few years have anything to do with the old stuff that drew people here originally. I guess a few of us can't look away, and keep hanging on. Some of us still find some value here, but most of us see the tiny board of our friends has turned into a free for all for all kinds of bullshit ugly toys. I stick around, sometimes to watch the train wreck-sometimes to pick up some cool stuff. mostly to hang out with my friends on a message board, and make fun of people...just like I would in real life.

And for the record, I still hang out with the guy who made this board. I recently watched his table at the punk rock flea market while he bought a hot dog & looked at records. I gave away a bunch of RFSO stickers to people who didn't have a clue what it meant, but were just happy to get a free sticker with a brain on it. And that's pretty much what's become of RFSO.

So yeah, that's my 2 cents. But what the hell do I know? I collect dolls.

"Back then" people didn't act as stupid so to deserve most hazings. I mean a little, but it was resolved quickly with no boo-hooing. Also this was pretty much the only place for a lot of info. Now there's so many more outlets. If you get banished from here you can still collect with no disadvantage almost. It used to be one of few sources for those NOT in Japan so getting booted was a bigger deal.

However, I think some have gotten too harsh. I see complaints and snide comments that aren't needed. Attitude for attitudes sake. Yawn. But I think it's just out of years of dealing with crap and just getting hardened to it.

Anyway. Just don't be a dick, on the internet and in person, and it's all OK. Plus don't be an over sensative weirdo either.

The focus of this board has shifted dramatically in the past 5 years. The "rudeness" use to be a way to maintain the tight focus this board was specifically created for. But now that pretty much everything is accepted with open arms I think maybe some "rudeness" may stem from old-timers feeling lost in this brave new world. Or from new asshats who are just here to dabble in the hot new toys for 18 months.
Personally I find the board to be quite tame, bland and boring these days...
Still, there's quite a few good folk around to make it worth your (or at least my) while. Certainly the only toy board I read.

I'm writing to Todd Akin to see if he'll join up. We need some real asshat comments to stir up shit.

That's what skullbrain is all about, and certainly the charm of the Board!

I love it here it's the only forum I think I (fit) In! At first all I collected was toy graph space troopers I had about 80 odd at one point even getting them sent straight from toygraph. But it becomes a ritual of the first thing I do when I get my hands on Internet access is coming straight here. Some people just come here and act like Whiney bitches and expect to be not called out on it, playground antics

I've thought SB become pretty tame over time. It seems like most hostility comes if you say anything negative about a damn toy...

Almost all crazy anger comes out now if people say they don't like a hyped toy, a flipper, or someone throwing paint on a toy.

Yeah, much less excitement. I mean there are things exciting me, just not on the board.

The few things I end up getting excited about are either drowned out by hyping or ANTI hyping (just as fucking annoying) or are things that fade here so no one talks about them.

I'm mostly excited by finding random awesome "older" figures for cheap on Mandarake.

Same here...Actually for about the last year and a half I've mostly bought/traded for older toys. A handful were figures I never thought I'd own(Pink Goga, Exohead lottery figure and CKA proto MM).

I bet they are all having a lot of fun on the "other" board :p