I'm going to take a break from fighting the bigger war to address a smaller one - because the smaller one is adding fuel to the war itself.
For some time now we've had the 'pet owning public' and the 'show folk'. Somewhere along the line things got twisted up a bit, and now too many pet owners are suspicious of show folks, and too many show folks engage in practices that make that suspicion understandable - when you look at it from the pet owner's point of view.
So I'm talking to the show folks here for the next few posts...
Want to say a few things about newcomers and old timers in the show world.
Bat out of the box let's talk about 'they' (and most in the show world know who 'they' is). 'They' are a thorn in the side of most of us, and create a tremendous amount of ill will. Unfortunately 'they' won't go away because they have the conviction of what I call 'the righteous'. They're right you see. Until they're in concrete and six foot under they'll be right. No argument anyone can make is going to change their mind/s because they're already right. There's no room for 'what works for you' - there's only room for what works for 'they' and it should work for everyone. Because they're right. If they're right how can being different from them be anything but wrong?
They're crusaders, they're on a mission to spread their gospel, with a bit of the martyr there perhaps, that 'lone light of reason in the wilderness' which is why I call them 'the righteous' - and is why 'they' are so loud mouthed, they want to be sure that they're heard, by everyone, because they're *right* ;).
And truthfully these people probably can't help themselves, they only see in black and white, there are no varying shades of gray in their world. If they weren't so destructive it would be easier to pity them.
The real problem with 'they' is the newcomer. How do you warn anyone about 'they' specifically without sounding like YOU have an axe to grind? Naming names rarely ever works, it takes time and 1st hand experience - I guess we just have to accept that the newcomer will have to learn the ropes just like the rest of us have had to. If the newcomer is lucky they'll find several someones along the way who will be willing to tell them of personal experience with 'they', by name, before the newcomer actually has to have a bitter experience of their own.
But even then you can't be sure that the newcomer will understand that it's a common experience across the breed and not just your own personal problem :-/.
About all you can really do is give your newcomer's a warning by telling them that they're going to need to grow a thick skin, and let them know that there are 'some' people in the breed who will not have their best interests at heart. Hopefully then, the newcomer will know to be wary of what they're told, see and hear until they have their own reasons to trust.
Because unfortunately some of 'they' have made something of a name in their breed for themselves and no matter the truth of it, that is going to impress the newcomer. For some newcomers it's going to take their own bitter experience before they learn.
This is one really glaring problem in the show world - fighting amongst ourselves.
One of the nails in the coffin...
'They' by the way are show people, not Arists, not pet folks. They're 'Us'.
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