People who sit on "know-how"

I wanted to talk about a slightly unpleasant side of any subject matter that has to do with any type of learning. I'm not pointing fingers but have noticed that several people on this website do this, at least in my opinion.

So, I can't quite understand certain type of people, who may have knowledge about a certain thing. Let's say clocks for example.
They may be generous when it comes to valuating or dating items but won't share their knowledge or even a bit of the specific information on how they do it, what things shaped their opinion on it or what to focus on when looking at a clock. Usually not even when it's requested.

Are they afraid that someone else might learn something about clocks as well? Isn't knowledge about clocks, for instance, better to be shared and preserved than known by chosen few, only to be forgotten completely?
Hanging onto know-how as if there's a limited amount of it around doesn't make sense to me and comes off as petty.

I'm perfectly aware that not everyone has time to go into specifics to educate people about their interests or hobbies, but this same mentality exists also in real life situations regardless of whether they are hectic or not. Is anyone else bothered by this?

 

I think many people have knowledge that is accumulated over years of experience and experience is hard to "teach". Sharing an opinion is a form of teaching as well, and I can think of no instance here where someone has not given justification for an opinion when ASKED, whether the opinion was formed on the basis of experience or "book learning". And sharing knowledge is a two way street - once an opinion is given, it is now the responsibility of the recipient to pursue the matter, either by asking specifics or by investigating elsewhere.

Just my opinion, and I hope it is in line with what you are "asking". If not, I apologize for being off on a tangent - again!

 

And there are those, not you Mansons, who can't be bothered to even say thank you for all given.

 

I know that was aimed at me. I know I'm not the most eager person when it comes to compliments but whenever I find someone's contribution helpful and agreeable, I like the post, or try to at least.

I can. Probably several, but certainly one in a brass candlestick thread.

 

Was it?

 

PLEASE! Ladies and Gentlemen - this is a valid subject that should be open to discussion - but not if it is going to devolve into a he said - she said free for all of personal attacks.

One other thing to consider is that there may be times when a person goes into a thread, gives an opinion and then never returns - assuming that they answered the question asked. Thus, no need to return and they are quite unaware that clarification or additional knowledge was requested. Not all subjects appeal to all people, so they dip in and drop out, with no desire to discuss the subject further.

Somewhere in my massive file of drivel I have written over the years is a monograph on "Saying Thank You" - I wonder if I can locate it..............

 

Not meant that way Mansons.
I just asked a question.

 

Bluemoon,I must admit I can see your point,even if I find its spirit a tad peevish. I think many people assume that once they give the basic information that the asker will research it further on their own. Wich would be fine,if everyones research skills on the computer were the same! I try my hardest,but sometimes I just cant find stuff that someone else takes one minute to dig up.Silver hallmarks come to mind,I can look and dig and read till my eyes bleed,then I post on here and voila,3 minutes later theres the answer.Its frustrating because I know I looked for hours.Mansons made valid points concerning people returning to threads,sometimes(like with the Finds thread) I just forget,then I stumble on it later and theres 12 pages to catch up! To sum it all up in my not so eloquent way,most of us are rank amateurs with the exception of a few who are very knowledgeable, so when we leave a suggestion or thought,thats all we have to give.NO board should be an end all to be all,just a jumping off point at best.
PS...manners have changed drastically in most of ours lifetimes,its a whole new world out there and quite often theres a clash of cultures,generation gap rears its ugly head for real!

 

I have often asked about clocks on here, though not suggesting that Bluemoon posted that as anything other than a hypothetical example.

I've always had an informative response, often from af, and am always grateful for the info provided.

However, there is another point that may be valid. Most people do have limited time and dip in and out of threads. If an OP has been given an informative response that suggests a line of research, then surely such OP does not expect to be spoonfed with ever more detail?

There was a case in point recently where I asked what book would be appropriate to describe antique clock movements.af provided the answer, I got the book and all is well.

Part of the value of this forum is helping people to help themselves

 

And that my dear, is known as teaching! The point I was so laboriously trying to make

Thank you!

 

I don't know if clocks was a very good example.

 

What I meant was that instead of replying "1910s" and nothing else, some might appreciate a bit of reasoning, background information aka "those screws can help you determine the age of a piece like this" or something. If not for anything else, the credibility of the valuation.

 

In that case, I always ask for the reasoning - And I am never put off by a reply that goes something like "I've been doing this for 30 years and I know my widgets"......as I said, experience itself can not be taught, but there is still valid information to be garnered and used as a jumping off place for further research. And if the person of whom I have asked for further information does not reply at all, I just assume that they have not returned to the discussion, and am not put off by their desire to NOT discuss it further.

Having gotten a degree in social anthropology, I have often had to rely on a simple "I know because I know" to begin research. Even if information given as an opinion turns out to be WRONG, that is still learning - you've learned what is NOT - very helpful toward discovering what IS.


By the way, I would not bother with a discussion that did not have valid points, or that I felt was useless, so the fact that I have replied extensively to your post should tell you that I think this is worth discussing to some extent.

 

NOTE: I'm not dropping out of the discussion, I have to go take some morphine and roll a doobie - both of which require that I sit and vegetate for a bit.

Later, Dudes and Dudettes!

 

Yipes!

 

I am only too happy to share any knowledge and know how I have and have done so since joining this great forum useful or not.
I am also happy to receive the same and have done so.

I'm not sure how anyone would know that someone is "sitting" on know how though.

 

I have recently listed a pewter bowl on Ebay which I dated to 1920s but with art nouveau styling. I assumed that anyone interested would know art nouveau styling without further explanation, but I explained the date mismatch.

Now that brief info was provided for a listing that provides me with an income. And yet I did not go into depth on the reasoning.

In this forum there is no expectation of reward except the joy of learning. I'm sure that on most occasions, requests for further information will be met, but if not, time for additional research

 

Too much info, Mansons ;-)

 

I love this forum ! even if the subject is not relevent to things I am interested in I soak it ALL up with relish, I love learning about others interests and I love the discussions and the knowledge shared here, Thank You All. Joy.

 

Sigh,how that makes me long for "higher" days! The pot,not the morphine!