I got called a snowflake on a Facebook Martin Buy Sell Group

[Skarsaune]

Originally Posted by SalFromChatham

Thank you guys. I think after IA sell this guitar, if I sell any more, I might just bring it to Russo's in Asbury and consign it. They would list and sell it for $2600 (they told me to list at $2700 by the way - they cant even get a new D28 in the store from Martin). But they take 25%... But then again they deal with all the discussions, and shipping if needed. But this D28... they would sell it in the store I am sure.

I recently sold a J-50 by consigning through a local store (Music Mountain in Erwin, TN). The fee was 20%, and I took a little less than I was hoping, but not having to deal with the public whatsoever was worth it to me.

[619TF]

Originally Posted by bfm612

I think the fact that you're never on Facebook might explain why you don't understand the attraction to it. It's probably on the whole a terrible thing at all sorts of levels, but people do find some benefit from it. People find old friends, family, and, yes, community through the platform, and those can lead to genuine relationships being rekindled. I do not know most of my friends' and families' phone numbers or emails, especially ones to whom I haven't spoken in years, but I'm sure I can instantly find them on a social media platform. Also, lots of artists use Facebook or Instagram to spread news on tours, merch, etc., so people find utility in that. People can do that math on whether or not there's a net benefit to signing onto Facebook, but that math will look different to each person.

There's a million and one other ways to find people nowadays. Using FB might be slightly easier and less costly but certainly NOT worth the trouble. Add that to the fact that you can be found easily by people who you'd rather not hear from and maybe that will help you understand the useless and frankly harmful nature of FB.

[bfm612]

Originally Posted by 619TF

There's a million and one other ways to find people nowadays. Using FB might be slightly easier and less costly but certainly NOT worth the trouble. Add that to the fact that you can be found easily by people who you'd rather not hear from and maybe that will help you understand the useless and frankly harmful nature of FB.

Yes, I agree there are other ways to find people, although maybe not as easy as Facebook, especially depending on where you are. In the Philippines, for example, a staggering number (>95%) of adults use Facebook for messaging. That's an extreme example, but that illustrates a difficult tradeoff that people need to make when a collective decision on a favored platform has been made. If everyone's on it and you've been on it for years, leaving it is trickier. A switch away from it requires a critical mass of people for it to work. You can't expect many friends to get a hold of you via pagers when everyone else is on an iPhone.

So, there really is a benefit to being able to reach out to people on FB, if you're able to use it wisely. I rarely use FB, but taking a peek at it, it's mostly friends' harmless photos and articles from the NY Times, NPR/MPR, Playbill, The Onion, and Molly Tuttle. In moderation, it's fine, but it probably is too much to ask of people to use FB sparingly. For people who've made FB their main source of online communication, it'll be tougher to quit because there are benefits from using it.

Nevertheless, if FB just disappeared, it won't be the end of the world. You might even end up with a better world.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by RvrDxn

You are taking personal responsibility out of the equation. Nobody is forcing anybody to post anything.

Not at all. We are all obviously responsible for what we do and what we say. And what we come to believe. Given that, I stand by every thing I posted. More access to more people, with more amplification and reach than ever in human history, with the negative and false signals amplified far more than the positive and true. It's not simply about what we do, it's become about how it's amplified. We're responsible for what we do. Facebook is responsible for what they do with it.

I think "Amplified for Outrage" captures the nature of the algorithm quite nicely. There's a good Tech Crunch article with that in the title if you want to find it.

Both things can be true at the same time.

[619TF]

Originally Posted by bfm612

Nevertheless, if FB just disappeared, it won't be the end of the world. You might even end up with a better world.

Not even a scintilla of doubt about that one.

[westview]

FB virgin here. I just read what I've been missing. No thank you.

[RvrDxn]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

Not at all. We are all obviously responsible for what we do and what we say. And what we come to believe. Given that, I stand by every thing I posted. More access to more people, with more amplification and reach than ever in human history, with the negative and false signals amplified far more than the positive and true. It's not simply about what we do, it's become about how it's amplified. We're responsible for what we do. Facebook is responsible for what they do with it.

I think "Amplified for Outrage" captures the nature of the algorithm quite nicely. There's a good Tech Crunch article with that in the title if you want to find it.

Both things can be true at the same time.

I hear what you are saying and actually agree. I just often times come across people blaming social media for the worlds woes and not taking into account the part played by the individual. Sort of a reflection blaming the mirror for what they see sort of thing.

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by SalFromChatham

Thank you guys. I think after IA sell this guitar, if I sell any more, I might just bring it to Russo's in Asbury and consign it. They would list and sell it for $2600 (they told me to list at $2700 by the way - they cant even get a new D28 in the store from Martin). But they take 25%... But then again they deal with all the discussions, and shipping if needed. But this D28... they would sell it in the store I am sure.

But if you do the math on that, 75% of 2600 is only $1950. If you listed it for $2100 on any forum and sell it in less than a day and still have made $150 more. That's just something I think about when people mention consignment. If you price it $100-$200 over what you'd make after consignment there would be no back and forth and commenting because it would sell nearly instantly.

[imwjl]

I can't avoid Facebook just because some commercial sites and some groups are part of the paid and volunteer work I do.

I'm in total agreement with Facebook problems but here like other places I see some of the same inane criticisms and behavior.

In most cases you can avoid bad neighborhoods just like in real life. Even as someone who must check Facebook 2-3 times a day, my own feed looks pretty good. It's circles of family, true friends, and people associated with good activities and organizations.

The bad elements aren't much different than the past week requiring a few trips across the whole metro area and through downtown. I didn't waste adrenaline, emotion or time over the minority who behaved poorly.

It still leaves me bothered by how people react to and respond to outrage that I feel is a real problem. That's as much a problem for people who watch TV and swim in crap from pundits as it is with Facebook.

This is all part of a core problems such as.... Too many are not good about cognitive biases. It should not be acceptable to tolerate willful ignorance. Maybe there's a connection with the obesity problems. Following crap that supports the narrative people want to believe vs a more fact-based life.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by imwjl

I can't avoid Facebook just because some commercial sites and some groups are part of the paid and volunteer work I do.

I'm in total agreement with Facebook problems but here like other places I see some of the same inane criticisms and behavior.

In most cases you can avoid bad neighborhoods just like in real life. Even as someone who must check Facebook 2-3 times a day, my own feed looks pretty good. It's circles of family, true friends, and people associated with good activities and organizations.

The bad elements aren't much different than the past week requiring a few trips across the whole metro area and through downtown. I didn't waste adrenaline, emotion or time over the minority who behaved poorly.

It still leaves me bothered by how people react to and respond to outrage that I feel is a real problem. That's as much a problem for people who watch TV and swim in crap from pundits as it is with Facebook.

This is all part of a core problems such as.... Too many are not good about cognitive biases. It should not be acceptable to tolerate willful ignorance. Maybe there's a connection with the obesity problems. Following crap that supports the narrative people want to believe vs a more fact-based life.

Well said.
One need only choose as wisely as what to be involved with and as the need dictates. I choose to be a non-participant when I find it non-productive.

[Mr. Paul]

Starting with AOL, Prodigy and Usenet groups in the early 90s and only worsening since then, society's bungholedwellers have found a way to amplify their ugly voices above all others. They are not who we are but it sometimes can seem that way.

[Boozehound]

Originally Posted by Mr. Paul

Starting with AOL, Prodigy and Usenet groups in the early 90s and only worsening since then, society's bungholedwellers have found a way to amplify their ugly voices above all others. They are not who we are but it sometimes can seem that way.

It's a breeding ground for misanthropes, and unfortunately it allows them to find each other and amplify their voices.

[Dirk Hofman]

Yes, it's all very simple to avoid. Personally I took the step to remove folks who were not actually good friends, and that got rid of the extraneous content I wasn't interested in, but good friends also like to argue about things, and those posts breed activity, and they ended up in my feed anyway.

I removed Facebook completely not because of the experience, but because I didn't want to support a company that had data policies I don't agree with and which refused to address deep issues with the platform. I work in software so how a company behaves is very clear to me, and it's very clear how a company can do the direct opposite, and be a force for good, both in the local community and the world. No interest in supporting a business model which is directly against my values.

[Neil K Walk]

In all honesty I try to hold my tongue when I peruse the classifieds after reading the NGD just months if not weeks before. I guess I haven’t reached that point in life yet. All the second hand guitars I cut my teeth on either came from garage sales, flea markets or pawn shops. I have deliberately kept away from eBay/PayPal, Craig’s List and Facebook.

That being said, I have seen the trend in used guitar pricing lately and I don’t know - the prices don’t quite seem realistic. Good thing I’m not really in the market though.

[islandguitar]

Ok, folks I think we've reached the end here.