Retro-extremists? What are we called?

[jamespowers]

 

[jamespowers]

No, too perfect for your ego

 

[rue]

:rofl:

 

[Deco-Doll-1928]

I get "your house reminds me of my grandma's house" quite frequently.

I kind of like the term 'anachronism', as a I was called by a nice young lady not too long ago. I think it fits rather well.

I think my life is chronologically misplaced.

 

[Deco-Doll-1928]

fftopic: Here is an example to me of a cultural tear down:
I remember at college, holding open a door for a girl. I had arrived there just seconds before she, so I opened the door and stood out of the way to let her enter (I had been taught this by my parents, and enlisted men such as myself do this for officers in the military. I had gone to college right after my enlisted ended in 1989). I can't begin to tell you the tongue lashing I got from this woman.

This is sort of a cultural tear down if you will. I did not mean to offend the woman. I held the door open to her as a sign of respect from the culture I was raised. I did not mean to insinuate, as she thought I had, that because she was a woman she could not open a door for herself. I was totally shocked by this tongue lashing.

I'm going a bit off topic about this, but when I read your comment, I couldn't ignore it. You'd be surprised how many times I will hold a door for someone and very few people say thank you anymore.

Thank you for holding the door for this woman even if she didn't appreciate it. I do.

People are unbelievable these days. Instead of appreciating a nice deed that someone went out of their way to do for them, all they seem to care about is their ego. I'm sorry to hear that happen. You did not deserve that.

 

[Deco-Doll-1928]

I dunno. A Venn Diagram can get complicated:

Keep adding groups and I am going to get really confused or run out of space really fast.

I laughed when I saw this. Thanks JP.

 

[Deco-Doll-1928]

Okay. I can now finally say that I read this entire thread (all 77 pages).

I have come to two conclusions:

1) I don't feel so well and I have a really bad headache. :dizzy:

and

2) I am so lost....

 

[jamespowers]

Okay. I can now finally say that I read this entire thread (all 77 pages).

I have come to two conclusions:

1) I don't feel so well and I have a really bad headache. :dizzy:

and

2) I am so lost....

So you are in the Those who are Very Confused group.

 

[Deco-Doll-1928]

So you are in the Those who are Very Confused group.

Yup! Right in the middle where I belong! lol

 

[jamespowers]

Yup! Right in the middle where I belong! lol

I am at the bottom. I get it and realize there is nothing to get.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

I like anachronist. People know anachronism, but probably not atavism. I had never heard of it.

 

[ButteMT61]

There are like all hobbies and lifestyles, varying levels of interest and/or commitment to it. I have a head full of love and memories of a world I lived as a kid. I have some of that in my life in clothing, things I collect, events I go to, etc. I think one can take anything to extremes - extremes seem to be the place where things and people get weird. I like to balance it with everything else and not get too bogged down in the finite details - I simply lose the love at a certain point. But if you want to be on the fringes, you have to expect some odd looks and snickers. Living in LA I have a lot of leeway it seems. And being in Pasadena, I have some comfort in old things as the community is generally appreciative of such things...

 

[John in Covina]

The tough part is that as ButteMT61 mentions we cover a wide range of interest levels from mildly interested to total immersion.

I get worried sometimes because as with collecting there can often spring up an element of competition where the extremists and perfectionists come down on those they deem not worthy.

So it becomes a tug between inclusiveness or exclusiveness.

 

[jamespowers]

The tough part is that as ButteMT61 mentions we cover a wide range of interest levels from mildly interested to total immersion.

I get worried sometimes because as with collecting there can often spring up an element of competition where the extremists and perfectionists come down on those they deem not worthy.

So it becomes a tug between inclusiveness or exclusiveness.

[video=youtube_share;-FucbvoFFy0]http://youtu.be/-FucbvoFFy0[/video]

 

[William Stratford]

The tough part is that as ButteMT61 mentions we cover a wide range of interest levels from mildly interested to total immersion.

I get worried sometimes because as with collecting there can often spring up an element of competition where the extremists and perfectionists come down on those they deem not worthy.

So it becomes a tug between inclusiveness or exclusiveness.

To be fair, most people are "perfectionists" in the sense that even those who claim not to be will often "come down" on those who they see as being perfectionists....because they have strayed from the path of being an "imperfectionist" (for want of a better word ). So the people who claim not to be perfectionists will criticise those they see as being perfectionists because by being perfectionists they fail to be the "imperfectionist" that the imperfectionist require them to be (otherwise they would not criticise them to begin with).

Sorry, got a bit Rumsfeld there.

 

[LizzieMaine]

As far as snickers and such go, it's funny. I've lived my entire life, aside from a misbegotten six months in California thirty years ago, in small New England towns. And I've never once -- not ever -- gotten snickered at for my "vintage ways." Some of the kids around here tell me the local teens consider me kind of a cult figure, which gives me all sorts of ideas for putting that to use.

In fact, the only guff I've ever gotten has been right here among my "peers" on the Lounge -- and only from the "I'm only in it for the hats/suits/etc." crowd, who can't seem to understand why anyone would be interested in anything beyond that. The value of this thread, I think, as long-winded as it is, is that buried amidst all the reptitition is a good explanation of why anyone would pursue an "atavistic" way of life as opposed to defining themselves as a "collector."

 

[ButteMT61]

To be fair, most people are "perfectionists" in the sense that even those who claim not to be will often "come down" on those who they see as being perfectionists....because they have strayed from the path of being an "imperfectionist" (for want of a better word ). So the people who claim not to be perfectionists will criticise those they see as being perfectionists because by being perfectionists they fail to be the "imperfectionist" that the imperfectionist require them to be (otherwise they would not criticise them to begin with).Sorry, got a bit Rumsfeld there.

I am OCD and a perfectionist to the nth degree - the key is not to project that on to others - unless you're in the company of all relatively equally "immersed" folks. I agree on the coming down on others bit and competition. It is like that here and everywhere hobbies/lifestyles are discussed. I can still compliment someone on a "nice bike", "nice jacket", etc. even though they don't meet my standards and/or needs. That's the key piece for me. If what you seek is to be at the top of any given game, and you are looking for that, then expect and ask for criticism. Otherwise, it's best to accept not everyone has the interest, need, money to live a given subject at the top.

 

[rue]

As far as snickers and such go, it's funny. I've lived my entire life, aside from a misbegotten six months in California thirty years ago, in small New England towns. And I've never once -- not ever -- gotten snickered at for my "vintage ways." Some of the kids around here tell me the local teens consider me kind of a cult figure, which gives me all sorts of ideas for putting that to use.

In fact, the only guff I've ever gotten has been right here among my "peers" on the Lounge -- and only from the "I'm only in it for the hats/suits/etc." crowd, who can't seem to understand why anyone would be interested in anything beyond that. The value of this thread, I think, as long-winded as it is, is that buried amidst all the reptitition is a good explanation of why anyone would pursue an "atavistic" way of life as opposed to defining themselves as a "collector."

The people where I live have gotten used to me, so I never hear anything but compliments on something I'm wearing, but the tourists don't know what to make of me.

As far as the FL "peers" you mentioned.... I will never understand the negativity. I usually just shake my head and stop visiting those threads when it starts now.

 

[John in Covina]

Well, if you want to see it in action several years ago there was the most amazing row over aviator jackets A2s and who had the most authentic repros. There were arguments over color, stitching, zippers, leather and nit picking that was well actully kind of funny if you weren't involved in the fray. Occasionally it comes up with how someone is accesorizing when dressing up. And it was a recent bone of contention for planning a get together out this way where there was some insistance as to authenticity in vintage wear for a specifc era that got a little too pushy. It does get tied up with a bit of self congradulatory - ness. I like what I like and I can enjoy what others pursue but I don't want people to stay away if they are interested just because they can't afford to come in vintage. I own no vintage suits, I have vintage ties and hats but I can't do the vintage because i don't find my size when I look.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Stuff like that is why I couldn't care less about the "vintage scene." My interest is in the culture of the Era, not in whether snap fasteners should be cadmium plated or galvanized.