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... And now, class, today's magic word. A word guaranteed to set the back-hairs of your scalp straight up in the air:
Elitism!
Specifically, the elite in this field. The group of exceptional people who practice this craft of ours. The 'experts'.
Elite's are those people most often characterized with
adjectives like: trail blazer, pioneer, innovator, point-man, manufacturer, leader, author, craftsman, etc. Those who lead the way and set the direction and epitomize the standards of a specific
endeavor.
Model building is an example of a specific endeavor. In the vast group of model builders (and that subset in which most of you fall, 'kit assembler') who build/assemble miniatures, only
a few are regarded as experts within the field, the elite.
But, how awful it has become for the accomplished to be described by that word! Most of you now present a Pavlovian reaction,
immediately vocalizing a dislike for anyone characterized as an elite member of the group; you have become so conditioned by your peers to dislike anyone identified as an elite that the majority of our
elite's have gone 'underground,' where they hide the trappings of accomplishment and success from the rest of you.
I'm one of the few elite's in this game who stands his ground and won't permit
outside forces to cause any moderation of my stance. I'm one of the rule makers in this game.
The majority of you will never have a hand innovating or introducing new products or methods to the
craft. Most of you are (as it should be) the un-accomplished mass. A few (through natural selection, marriage, birthright, contest performance, article writing, kit production, etc.) are the elite. As it
should be.
The majority of you are kit assemblers with unrealized expectations of accomplishment (hence creation and oft used ego salves as, "Well... I only build for the fun of it,
anyway!"). Most of you will never be recognized as a member of the Model Building elite. And that, in and of itself, has not yet been declared a crime.
But, if enough butt is kissed, you are
willing to accept the existence of elite's within your ranks.
You can observe this on a daily bases on the boards, chat rooms (butt-kissing and smiley faced icons all but demanded by the less secure moderators), and to a lesser degree within the pages of magazines dedicated to the craft. Almost every paragraph of instructive narrative issued by many of today's elite's will be found to contain tempered words of apology and 'understanding' in order for the author to present to his reader the impression that he, the accomplished, is just 'one of the guy's', to his reader, the un-accomplished. I am amazed and disgusted every time I see this. And I see this all too often.
The trick, my fellow Elite's is to lead, not follow. Address your audience on your terms, not the masses. And may I recommend that you follower's stop your mouths and engage your ears.
Take advantage and learn more about the craft from the elite's out there.
I'm a member of an elite group of model builders. Listen, pay attention, and learn something. When offered a gift,
take it, say thanks, and make good use of it.
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