Has fanboy behavior ever turned you off a gun or accessory?

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wojownik

wojownik

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Leaving brand names out of it, has the fanboy phenomena ever had a reverse psychology effect on you?

For example, I've been considering an accessory, but the constant fanboy zealotry for that particular brand X, is actually turning me off. Same with guns - the more some folks are beating down a particular brand of rifle that I happen to own, the more I seem to want to cling to it.

I really don't want to get into specific brands - rather just interested in the social phenomena of fanboy-ism and how it impacts peoples' buying (or even "keeping") decisions, if at all.
 
ARs and Glocks have suffered due to the antics of fan boys. I dislike them for many reasons but one of the biggest is that you cannot post a thread about Ruger Minis or any other semi-auto rifle without AR fan boys hijacking it. Same with Glocks but not quite as bad. Sorry there is no way to address this without naming names.
 
There are a few guns that I don't have an urge to buy because of the obsession some people have with them. Not to say there is no way I would purchase one but I currently have no urge to.
 
LOL - jimmyray - your signature line seems to address part of the equation :p
 
It's short sighted and immature to disregard a brand based on "Fanboy-ism"

It's good or it's not. It fits you or not.

While I may be baffled why some people have great fervor over this or that, I'm smart enough to reach my own conclusion.

I bet most other folks are, too.
 
It's short sighted and immature to disregard a brand based on "Fanboy-ism"
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Well at almost 60 years of age(next birthday April 13th) and over 40 years of shooting,collecting and even being a licensed dealer I think the immature and short sighted part has been ruled out. I got my first AR 20 years ago simply because I wanted one. Never did find out what the big deal was. Have no desire for a 1911 preferring d/a semi-auto handguns. I believe everyone should get what they like for whatever reason they like but I also believe fan boys should acknowledge that their choice isn't everyone's choice and that those who don't share their choice aren't some kind of immature,short sighted neophyte who just doesn't know any better ;).
 
You like blondes. He likes redheads. I like them all. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. But it sure is hard to put up with a know-it-all. Fleetwood Mac said it best, "Go your own way."
 
Hate the fanboy...not the product of which he is a fan!

Fanboys are very prominant around some very popular and more importantly capable firearms. I do not consider myself a fanboy of any such products. I have some of the obvious ones because of what those products are good at...fanboy haters can just deal with it.

I will refrain from names here. But I own two very popular fanboy firearms, and I shy away from two others...all 4 on the merits of the platform itself as I see things.

There are also some fanboy items that I have yet to avail myself to that I hope to someday but because of practical reasons, I have not yet done so.

Conversely, I have been in the camp of the fanboy on a platform or two and found myself disillusioned...and decamped.

There are still others that, for whatever reason, have never captivated my interest. I am sure I am missing out...but I won't miss them.

So no, the fanboys can do or say whatever they want, if I like what they tout, I will have one. If I don't, I won't.
 
I agree that some fanboys think you're stupid if you don't acknowledge their item is the best ever, which always gives me a chuckle.

Once, someone posted "Glocks are the best!" I simply asked what brought him to that conclusion. I expected a list of reasons why he thought "Glocks rule," but his first response accused me of never having shot, never owned a gun, etc.

My point is, I won't let a fanboy or hater keep me from evaluating something myself, then making my own decision from there.
 
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If you:

-care what a "fanboy" (or anti fanboy) thinks
-and define "fanboy" as someone who making his assessment based on factors other than performance

...then you and the fanboy are basically one in the same; emotionally driven creatures.

Personally I only care about performance and my own tastes, and not what random people on the internet might think about it.
 
I think the issue with fanboyism has nothing to do with the equipment itself, it is just that people don't want to be associated with that group. Although it is certainly a tiny percentage of perfection owners that do it, they really soured me on the perfect brand. I highly doubt I would own a perfect gun anyway, regardless of the fan-base, because although I shoot them well (not perfect though) they are just too generic, common, and blocky, and I feel like they are the go-to gun for people that don't care to do much research. Which is fine. They are a very safe bet. My issue is when someone got told by a friend that it is perfect, don't bother looking at anything else, so they buy it, like it (although they have no other real basis for comparison) and then vehemently defend it against any and all attacks, and blatantly bring it up in threads where it isn't even mentioned or called for.

Of course not everyone is this way. If you tried dozens of guns and the perfect guns fit you better than the rest, more power to you! And I will never really bash the perfection brand, since I know they earned their rep, but if people are asking about which gun to get, I will just say, try one out, see if you like it, but there are several other options that are equally as perfect.

How's that for keeping brands out of it? :)
 
I tread more cautiously when there is a lot of hype around a certain item or class of items but ultimately I make my own decision.

I WILL avoid a product for the opposite phenomena: brand bashing. No matter how good your specimen of brand X is you'll have trouble selling it if everyone is hating on the manufacturer.
 
ARs and Glocks have suffered due to the antics of fan boys. I dislike them for many reasons but one of the biggest is that you cannot post a thread about Ruger Minis or any other semi-auto rifle without AR fan boys hijacking it. Same with Glocks but not quite as bad. Sorry there is no way to address this without naming names.
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I agree, except for me it is Ruger - had enough bad experiences with a variety of their products -but go explaining that, and everyone wants you censored and silenced
 
Despite the widely held beliefs of our consumption-driven society and its fanboys, none of us are what we buy. A few men understand that from the get-go, for others it takes longer.
 
I've been turned off to Glocks by the attention they receive. Last time I was in a big used gun shop, I decided to ignore my prejudice and take a look at one. I picked it up and immediately put it down. The shape of the grip just felt weird to me.

Despite that, I'll probably shoot one soon. I want to try a 10mm, and the only Seattle metro range that rents a 10mm has only a Glock, AFAIK. I'll have to shoot the 9mm Glock as a baseline, I guess, also too.
 
Yep...

nyte-sytes.jpg
 
I feel anti fanboy "fanboys" are a bigger turn off. It makes it hard to listen to them when all they do is bash people for being fanboys. I like what I like. If I didn't like it I wouldn't own it!
I guess I'm now part of the anti "anti fanboy, fanboy" club.

Appreciation of something comes from use and experience. It may be subjective and unfounded, but it's what they like. Calling them a brainless fanboy is far more ignorant and stupid. You don't know how that person came to the conclusion they did. There are very few fixed truths in this world, and even fewer apply to the world of guns. With the exception of Glock > 1911. lol ;-)
 
Fanboys pollute the water. There is a difference between a "fan" and a "fanboy". Fans base their opinions based on experience. Fanboys base their opinions on marketing, heresay, and ego.
Fans are enthusiastic about owning a superior item
Fanboys are enthusiastic about being a superior item

I myself tend to avoid the fanboy camp like the plague. They are easy to discern, usually by a display of their general lack of knowledge, followed by an assertion of their expertise.
 
The only fanboy opinions I discount are those who have little experience with OTHER brands or models. If all you've ever shot is a 1911 (or Glock, or SIG) it's a little silly for you to say "it's da bomb, OMG, nothing bettah....".

Heck, I detested Glocks for many reasons and while I had fired a few, never developed a taste for them.......until three years ago. Now I have a G26, two G19's and two 17L's.
 
I don't care if anyone is a fan of a certain brand,it's when they try to imply that every other brand is a POS compared to there favorite. This is when they loose all credibility with me. I'm not going to take the words of a nameless, faceless,narrow minded person on the net as written in stone. I never felt the need to trash another product to make me feel better about my purchase or what I like. Truth is there are some very nice Pistols Rifles and Shotguns out there to be had and enjoy. To fall in love with one brand, style, or caliber is foolish to me.
 
It may be subjective and unfounded, but it's what they like. Calling them a brainless fanboy is far more ignorant and stupid.
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Ha.

I would never call someone a brainless fanboy for advocating for their favorite gun on an internet site, but if it somehow becomes obvious that their favorite gun is also their ONLY gun, or the only one they've ever spent significant amount of trigger time with, I think it is totally reasonable to take their fanboy OPINION with a grain of salt.

If someone asks about DA/SA 9mm's to take a look at, let me ask you, which post is more useful?

"I like my Beretta 92FS, the DA is long and heavy but the SA is real nice. It is a big gun but for HD and range use, it is a soft shooter, quite accurate, and smooth, the slide feels like it rides on lubed ice. Some people don't like the safety/decock so that is something you have to learn and get comfortable with, but overall I think it is a great gun!"

-- OR --

"Glock. 'nuff said."

I think that is the type of behavior that turns people off.
 
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