Live and let live.

[Old Henry]

Just do what's fun for you and let everyone else do the same, or, how to "Don't Worry, Be Happy" in this funnest of hobbies.
(Some "musings" of a Phlathead Philosopher, [or is that Flathead Filosofer?]).

I love this forum. It is my number one "social media", way above Facebook or any others. I enjoy most everything I read and enjoy the interaction between everyone, most of the time. But, over the 4 years that I've been on the forum I've been uncomfortable at times with some of the contention and "squabbles" and, unfortunately, have participated in some. And, although it is stimulating at times, it is usually at the expense of someone's self esteem. So, I've pondered what the cause of such is and possible approaches to reduce if not eliminate it.

The contention seems to arise when one with a passion for one thing finds it ridiculous that another would not have the same passion and criticizes such lack of passion. I've found that most fit into certain categories of flathead hobbyists, at least on this forum. There is probably a wider variety on other flathead forums and some with less variety. But on this forum I see these:

The Mechanical Perfectionists. These are the guys who, for the most part, cut their teeth on flathead blocks and have been "tinkering" with them most of their lives. Most of what they know they have learned from experience - the "School of Hard Knocks". Their passion is mechanical perfection if not innovation and they are happiest when they are in their private sanctuary (the garage) tinkering with the machines. For many, actually driving their cars on the road, particularly long road trips, are not their passion and not what they call "fun".

The Drivers. These are the guys whose passion is sitting behind the wheel with the car going down the road. Doesn't matter when or where, the more time and places the better. Their passion is not mechanical perfection nor spending long hours in the garage trying to reach such. For many the maintenance and repairs are a painful but necessary means to the end of keeping the car going down the road. Driving is what's fun for them, not turning wrenches.

The Innovators. These are the guys for whom mere perfection of the original machine is not enough. They lay awake at nights dreaming of ways to "improve" the machine and spend their most joyful hours "tweaking" it with their new ideas. They may or may not be passionate about driving but are very passionate in their "creative outlet."

The Historical Purists. These are the guys whose number one priority is to recreate or preserve their car in as original and authentic condition as possible. Their loftiest goal may be to have a flawless 1000 point car at the car show and take home the biggest trophy. They may be so passionate about preserving the perfection they have created that they may not drive their cars at all and have others without this passion label them "trailer queens". But that's what's fun for them. Nothing wrong with that.

The Greenies. These are the guys who are fresh and new to the hobby. They may have just inherited or found or bought an old flathead that they know nothing about but catch the "bug" to do something with it. They may start with just wanting to get it running to drive it or find they have one of the other passions listed above and want to pursue that. These are the guys that absolutely everyone should be able to identify with and have empathy for since we all began in that category.

The Rub. Now to the source of contention. I think it can, in most cases, boil down to, as I said initially, someone with one passion thinking his passion is the best passion and superior to all other passions and that anyone that doesn't have his passion is clearly inferior. A very typical "rub" is the Mechanical Perfectionists feeling that the Drivers, that just want to do the minimum to keep their car on the road, are inferior and need to be scolded for such mediocrity. Or, on the other hand, the Drivers feel that the Mechanical Perfectionists, who hardly every drive their cars, are just plain "dumb" since "That's what Ford made them for." The Purists may feel that the Innovators are corrupting the pure art form and are disgusted at it. Anyway, you get the point.

The better way. So, keeping in mind that is just a hobby, not something more critical than that for most of us, and that it should be FUN above and beyond anything else, we should do all that we can to keep it that way, both for us and for others. Rejoice, not only in what brings you joy, but in what brings others joy that may well be quite different. At least don't criticize their approach to happiness, maybe even give theirs a try some time. You may like it and become even happier.

Just my 275¢

P.S. There are a very few on the barn that are just "bullies" who seem to get their fun out of criticizing, ridiculing, and belittling certain "victims" that they pick for any thing and everything for no reason at all, i.e. not based on any of the "passions" above. The world will always have such and there isn't much to be done about such other than report their snide remarks to Ryan when they get to be too much.