Met an idiot in a picnic who thought pen collecting was...

[burmeseboyz]

Good comeback man. I don't actually think spending so much money on pens or any hobby is something to brag about. It's just a personal thing. But since it did shut up that d-bag, it shows how shallow he is.

 

I only have to justify my collection to the ones I love. And they don't require much justification as long as I'm happy.

[Iridium]

My usual answer to criticism is not a particularly clever one. I simply frame anything I collect in terms of investing in antiques. In general, I find that most people seem to easily accept anything that could potentially make money, even though that's not my goal with regard to fountain pens at the moment.

[F308gt4]

Well I usualy wouldnt bother answer him but my blood was boiling and I replied nonshalantly "Not sure what there is to collect about FP's but if I sell all my FP's I will be able to buy you car and have enough left over to cover the renovation in my basment".

 

I would have replied: Then why don't you just sell them and do something more useful with the money. He was probably thinking along the same lines, but just didn't say it out loud.

 

Just because that guy doesn't understand FP collecting, doesn't make him an idiot.

 

Sorry, I just don't get it. I'm not a collector, just a user. I understand that people like to collect things, and that's fine. But, you have to admit, collecting fountain pens is unusual, and lots of people don't understand it.

 

There could have been many polite/respectable answers to his question. I think you picked the wrong one in this case, and it made you come off worse than him.

 

JMHO

[georges zaslavsky]

You owned him brilliantly. I applaud you. I was once told by one of my collegues at my older job "200euros in pen is too much." I told him "It is still better than writing with a lousy bic and having an average penmanship and crappy spelling. You think that I have not money for other things? Never make false assumptions on someone you don't know."

[ThaIwan]

Hehe, good response! Sometimes people are just too pre-occupied. The other more abstract pleasures of collecting he'd probably never grasp so you got all my credits.

[Fazby]

My standard is "Yes, I know. I am 'different'." ('Weird' fits also.)

 

If the other person is a jerk, it continues: "That means I am not like you. I can live with that."

 

 

[Ghost Plane]

Imagine my joy when I tentatively handed one of my beloved pens to a left handed under-writer friend, thinking he wouldn't understand the pull of the pen. Instead, he carefully inscribed a few words and looked up with surprise. "This pen has a voice! It's like writing with a piece of art." Another convert

[goodguy]

Just because that guy doesn't understand FP collecting, doesn't make him an idiot.

 

Sorry, I just don't get it.

Actualy my problem is with cockey people,all my life I did,dont know why but when people start bragging about everything they have I tend to loose my calmness.

Before this insident he was laughing about few other things that were concerned to me and pointed his ... was better.

Even my wife got really annoyed and she is the easiest person to get along with and everybody loves her.

 

He is an idiot because thats what he is in my eyes.From my end the pen collecting issue was simply the last strow.

[goodguy]

You owned him brilliantly. I applaud you. I was once told by one of my collegues at my older job "200euros in pen is too much." I told him "It is still better than writing with a lousy bic and having an average penmanship and crappy spelling. You think that I have not money for other things? Never make false assumptions on someone you don't know."

Sweet reply Georges

[BillTheEditor]

My standard is "Yes, I know. I am 'different'." ('Weird' fits also.)

 

If the other person is a jerk, it continues: "That means I am not like you. I can live with that."

A little too close to Churchill * for safety, at least for me. I'm afraid it would come out of my mouth as, "In the morning, I shall have a collection that has increased in value. You will still be a jerk."

 

* Holier-than-thou woman at a dinner party: "Sir Winston, you're drunk!"

Sir Winston: "Madam, in the morning I shall be sober, and you will still be ugly."

(An old story, no idea if it's true, but I love it.)

Edited August 6, 2008 by BillTheEditor

[JFT]

You did well to shup him up! I haven't had anybody made fun of my hobby yet just some remarks by people that were quickly put in their place. You didn't attacked him just showed him the value in the only thing$ he seemed to understand. Reading your misadventure here's what is burning my mouth: "Some people collects pens while others cultivate their stupidity I prefer the pens!"

 

You owned him brilliantly. I applaud you. I was once told by one of my collegues at my older job "200euros in pen is too much." I told him "It is still better than writing with a lousy bic and having an average penmanship and crappy spelling. You think that I have not money for other things? Never make false assumptions on someone you don't know."

 

Well said!

 

Just because that guy doesn't understand FP collecting, doesn't make him an idiot.

 

Sorry, I just don't get it.

Actualy my problem is with cockey people,all my life I did,dont know why but when people start bragging about everything they have I tend to loose my calmness.

Before this insident he was laughing about few other things that were concerned to me and pointed his ... was better.

Even my wife got really annoyed and she is the easiest person to get along with and everybody loves her.

 

He is an idiot because thats what he is in my eyes.From my end the pen collecting issue was simply the last strow.

 

100% with you, people that are so small that they need to try to raise themselves by belittling others are simply idots!

[wednesday_mac]

"Why in the world do you collect fountain pens?"

 

"They're good weapons."

 

I leave it at that, and no one's asked for any follow up.

 

 

[ethernautrix]

Is this a prevalent attitude, people who use fountain pens antagonized by those who don't? It's such an odd... phenomenon.

 

When I've let friends try my fountain pens -- well, first, they're shocked that I'm allowing them to use one of my fountain pens (80% of the time, a steel-nibbed one), but they hold the pen with an adorable awe that makes me grin.

 

Maybe I've blocked out anyone's negative response to my fountain pens, because these threads make it seem as though fountain pen users and collectors are persecuted, and it makes no sense to me. Do stamp collectors get grief from their friends and co-workers? Other collectors?

 

Sounds like the guy who scoffed at goodguy would have found SOMETHING to mock him for; sounds like the kindv guy he is, the type looking to put people down.

[goodguy]

100% with you, people that are so small that they need to try to raise themselves by belittling others are simply idots!

Thanks for the support buddy

[alexalex]

I don't get it.. What's the point in trying to impress anybody with the VALUE of your collection?

 

"My pen is bigger then yours"

 

 

Regards,

alexalex

[FrankB]

"You collect fountain pens? Why would anyone do that?"

 

"Oh, well, it's like fine wine. You have to know what you are doing and the good taste to do it."

 

But I have never had anyone be that rude.

Edited August 6, 2008 by FrankB

[daveg]

Actualy my problem is with cockey people,all my life I did,dont know why but when people start bragging about everything they have I tend to loose my calmness.

 

Just as long as you make an exception for people with $500 pens...

Edited August 6, 2008 by daveg

[Shangas]

BillTheEditor,

 

That little spat involving Winston Churchill is true. It was between him and a lady (I believe, Lady Astor), as Churchill was leaving a restaurant or a club. One of his most famous quotes.

[burmeseboyz]

I don't get it.. What's the point in trying to impress anybody with the VALUE of your collection?

 

I don't think goodguy was trying to impress anyone. The other guy was bragging and talking about how his stuff is more expensive etc. He was saying that fountain pens are not worth collecting because they're cheap (Potty Mouth) etc. Goodguy just beat him at his own game.

[IPv6Freely]

I don't like the attitude, but I understand it. I mean, I know I sure thought my co-worker was crazy when he told me his pen was over $100. I was like... wait... what? Why?!

 

Then he explained collecting, and that there are MUCH more expensive pens out there. I was blown away. I still think people are nuts who spend thousands on a pen, but then again I guess that's just because I'm not in a position in life where a thousand dollar pen would be an intelligent purchase.

 

I usually tell people "well, people spend hundreds, if not thousands, on baseball cards... and they're just pieces of paper...."