12-27-2016, 11:55 AM
(12-27-2016, 11:26 AM)LongRanger_imp Wrote: We had a guy on the F800GT forum two years ago who had been a very loyal and enthusiastic owner but got a wild hair and traded his BMW for a Triumph 800XC on a whim. From that point forward, his posts became increasingly derogatory, critical, and argumentative, all in favor of his new-found bike. He continued with his trolling and tirades for about a month before he was finally ignored and he stomped off. Too bad too, because until he bought the Triumph, he was a respected contributor and offered valuable experiences and insights. Very strange, and unfortunate. What is it with motorcycle forums?
Rationalization is a powerful human drive. We never want to admit we made a mistake, e.g. buying a bike that we ended up not liking, so we blame everything but ourselves for either a) not understanding our own needs and preferences or b) not fully vetting the bike to determine if it would meet our expectations.
Rather than admit those two things, many people will go to great lengths to deceive themselves, and one of their tools of self-deception is to engage in efforts to convince others of a view that they themselves don't fully accept.