12-18-2014, 10:39 PM
(12-18-2014, 03:10 PM)Guth_imp Wrote: Such behavior doesn't just apply to motorcycles. I feel that the Internet is at least partially to blame (and yes, I get the irony here). There are plenty of other forums out there for just about anything you can imagine: cameras, hi-fi gear, guitars, etc., etc.. On pretty much all of those forums you'll find stories of similar purchasing tendencies. When people start chatting it up with others about a shared interest that they are all fairly obsessive about, their perspective begins to change. Every shortcoming is now being scrutinized not just by themselves, but by all these other guys as well. In addition, when someone acquires the latest and greatest example of whatever it is they are obsessed about, the differences are usually built-up to the extreme (this one blows the old model away in every respect, blah, blah, blah).
Next thing you know, people are itching to do away with something that that they had been pretty happy with in search of something supposedly much better only to end up repeating this cycle over and over again. Behavior which might have struck someone as excessive when examined in isolation no longer seems so abnormal in a forum of like-minded individuals. In turn, for many it becomes easier to justify actions that might not have seemed so normal in the past.
On the extreme side of things, forums like this one are to obsessive-compulsive personalities as taverns are to alcoholics. It's typically more fun to hang out with those who share your vices than those who don't.
(Interestingly, I lifted some of the above text from a post I made on a guitar forum a few years back. The topic was why guys buy so many guitars.)
I have to personally disagree with the above comments. From a personal prospective I have never been influenced of justified my actions because someone else was either doing it ( on a forum) or said it was okay to do the same. I believe this is the first forum I've been on which a topic like this has even come up for discussion.
What you are talking about is justification, how one persons sickness can make you justify your actions. I would consider it more of a compulsive hobby than an addiction and to put it in the same class as a alcoholic to a tavern is just incorrect. The alcoholic or addict has three paths in life, Recovery, jail or death. I don't see someone buying a guitar, surf board, camera equipment or motorcycle going to jail or following those three paths.
Addiction works in the complete opposite of your post, addicts will find people who are as sick as them or worse, then comes isolation, if your one of the lucky one's there will be intervention and recovery.