What makes a TBN member's advice more credible to you?

[Domush]

I must say, I find it quite disappointing how many people become closed-minded of answers for reasons which have nothing to do with determining if an answer is correct.

Whether someone is rude or nice, insulting or complimentary, uses 'profanity' or kid language, is or isn't religious, agrees with me on other topics or is or isn't an ex-convict has absolutely nothing to do with whether advice is correct.

I'm amazed at how many people practice willful ignorance, not because they are too lazy to seek out information, but because they flat out reject information based solely on the source or method of delivery.

Sure, I'd much rather have information handed to me with a smile and kind words of encouragement, but knowledge is knowledge no matter how I get it. It would never occur to me to ignore rational information with evidence and logical reasoning behind it just because it came from a source I didn't like or was delivered in a fashion I'm not accustomed to.

Let's say I ask a question on here and I get some friendly responses which are wrong. Then I get a response which is from a rude, insulting poster who is affiliated with people I despise, but is answered correctly in a well-reasoned, evidence backed manner. I, being easily offended, decide to ignore this person's response in some "That'll show him!" gesture.

I then follow the bad advice from the nice people instead. Now, because of my fondness for things which make me feel good, I'm now making decisions based upon bad information and every decision I base on that poor advice is tainted and will turn out worse than if I had got off my high horse and listened to the well-reasoned answer from the jerk.

As a result, I'm now spreading bad information and making poor choices because I'm not wise enough to sift through the meaningless BS in order to get what I asked for in the first place, correct answers. If I choose to remain ignorant and make a decision based on that ignorance, everyone loses, especially me.

Feel free to ignore this if it offends your delicate sensibilities or if I have under 1,000 posts, was born on a Tuesday, missed a comma somewhere or don't smile at unruly children. :confused2:

 

[dodge man]

I don't know about others, but if I give an answer, and find out later I was wrong, I feel pretty bad about.

Whats the old saying, "Advice is worth what you pay for it". It kind rings true on all internet forums. But as a rule, you can learn a lot and usually get a good answer.

 

[JDgreen227]

I don't know about others, but if I give an answer, and find out later I was wrong, I feel pretty bad about.

Whats the old saying, "Advice is worth what you pay for it". It kind rings true on all internet forums. But as a rule, you can learn a lot and usually get a good answer.

On another forum, my signature reads: "My advice and opinions may not be worth anything, but they are free...."

dodgeman....no reason you should feel bad about a wrong answer UNLESS you were a pretender who actually knew nothing or were intentionally trying to mislead others with your advice. I am sure I have been wrong here many times, but as far as I know I never intentionally tried to mislead someone or pretend I knew more than I actually did about a subject.

 

[RoyJackson]

After nearly 5000 posts here, I can count on one hand the number of threads I have participated in that became a heated argument...

You've got 5000 fingers on one hand???????!!!!!

 

[dmccarty]

I was a kid, maybe 12 or 13, when my dad took me to a remote, kinda dilapidated AM tower site he was inspecting for appraisal for the owner to sell. Weeds all around the tower base, fence all but gone. First time I was ever anywhere near a tower; hadn't ever even given them a 2nd thought before. My dad was taking notes & not paying much attention to me, of course. Well, I walked right up to the tower, looked straight up it & thought, Wow, that's tall, very cool! Then for some reason I decided to "thump" 1 of the tower legs with my middle finger, I guess to see if it was solid or hollow, not sure, wasn't giving it a whole lot of thought. Before my finger could even contact the tower leg an arc jumped across & ZAP burned the ever livin' heck out of my middle finger knuckle My dad heard the zap & said, "You didn't touch that, did you???" I said, yeah. "Are you OK?" "Yeah, I guess, it burned me, though." At first the burn didn't look like much of anything, but over the next day or so it sure turned into a helluva wound with a lot of pain. That was the first time I got to smell really burnt human flesh. Very disgusting. You can bet I have never touched an AM tower again. Lesson learned, the hard way :thumbsup:

That was a good story.

I never would have guess that would have happened.

Later,
Dan

 

[dmccarty]

You've got 5000 fingers on one hand???????!!!!!

That was funny!

Later,
Dan

 

[xtn]

I think the primary subject matter of this site, and the likely demographic of its members, contributes overall to the general trustworthiness of advice and information found here.

We all have flaws, but the average TBN member I imagine is more likely to contribute meaningfully to answering a question than is the average member of a skateboard forum, just for example.

Of course that's all a generalization. Taken individually, personality types, knowledge bases and skill sets can vary widely. Fortunately a high percentage of thread topics found here, again due to the subject matter, can be evaluated subjectively. That is to say that there is a definitive answer somewhere in the mix of replies, and even if an OP has to try a few opposing solutions to his question, he will hopefully land upon the right one, and learn something along the way.

Personally when I have a hole in my knowledge or understanding of something, and I ask a question, I evaluate the answers against what I do know and understand. Do they make sense? Two people might both have the right answer but one of them explains it better. Two others might both have wrong answers, but one graciously accepts and learns while the other falls back on straw arguments and personal insults. I just wade through the mix and evaluate the posts on their own merits without regard to the posters' post count, membership date or other personal forum statistics.

xtn

 

[Allenfarm]

My experiences have been good. I'm new to the forum and people have been very helpful. I have only received a few undesired remarks.

 

[sfloggie]

As Radioman said, it is what makes sense as to the question and/or answer. Since I was and am still new, what makes sense does not make me do. I then read and study comments for those with experience and also with photos and links (I am a visual learner).

I try to add, but mine experience is limited to what I did and it will be simple. If I like something, or really like it like the Rachet Rake then I post pictures.

But best of all are those who have been around, or do these things everyday and still take the time to kindly explain how you are are right or wrong instead of simply using harsh words.

I have been helped by Bird and others with ideas and even with a laugh because of what they said. Bird saved me a lot of money on farm equipment and storage insurance. I had been trying to find insurance for a year and a half and he wanted in one sentence.

Jim

 

[The kid]

The 3000 post member may have more time on the computer than in the field, while the 100 post member may have been doing what he posts about for 50 years.

I don't have any opinion based on post count.

Bruce

Ditto Bruce, my feelings exactly. -robert