V.I.P. Guest Blogs
By a guest contributor Joy O. Vaping
In the relatively short time that vaping has been a known viable smoking alternative, an entire counterculture has grown up around the practice. Much of this has to do with the fact that many of the sales of personal vaporizers take place online, and where the Internet is involved, forums are bound to follow. And where there are Internet forums, drama ensues.
The denizens of these forums are so similar to each other from board to board that they have almost become stereotypical. Many of them fit in more than one category, and can usually be male or female. Herewith are the occupants that can be found on almost any e-cig discussion forum on the net:
The Regular Guy—he’s the bedrock of the community. Not being sexist, there are many Regular Gals as well. These are vapers with a genuine interest in the activity, know how to mind their manners, and are generally well liked. He will tend to shy away from flame wars and trouble. The fact that most forums are primarily stocked with Regular Guys and Gals makes the rest of the occupants tolerable.
The Fanboy—Fanboys are also sometimes girls. They have picked an e-cig company or companies who can do no wrong. They will protect and defend the reputation of the company as if their own life depended on it, or as if they held the majority stock in the company. Any critique of a product of their favored company will be perceived as an attack and be met with disdain if not outright ire. Several Fanboys and Fangirls in a coordinated attack on any single poster soon becomes a mob.
The Egotist Vet—this guy (or gal) have been around since time began, to hear them tell it. They feel a sense of ownership of the board, and do not hesitate to pontificate to others on a semi-regular basis. They seems to think their longevity gives them certain rights that don’t belong to mere lesser mortals. Perched from their self-perceived Mount Olympus, they will occasionally make a booming pronouncement. They do not engage in dialog with anyone but other Egotist Vets, however. They will often have a side battle going with the Truly Knowledgeable, not because of any legitimate differences in information, but because of a battle of …ego. Get out the measuring tape, boys.
The Truly Knowledgeable—this guy is the most valuable members of the community. He has studied the art of vaping enough to have a PHD in the subject. He knows the amps, ohms, mahs, volts, and resistance backward and forward, enough to regurgitate it in their sleep if necessary. He is openly willing to share his information, and spend his spare time running tests on each new product, or making videos to inform the community. He should never be confused with the Egotist Vet, who may have this information, but is not willing to share it with anyone but other Egotist Vets.
The Mod Ho—this poster will own the latest and greatest piece of vaping equipment as soon as it is released. They won’t be able to stop themselves. Some, but not all, will let everyone know how many mods they own, which is their favorite, why their selection is the top pick, and why what they own is better than the next guy’s. Independent wealth is desirable, but not required; 700+ credit rating optional.
The Juice Junky—this poster is very vocal about the use of juice over pre-filled cartomizers. They will have tried every filling method and settled on one, to the exclusion of all others. He will own bottles of juice from every company, and have many flavors on hand from sampling the companies’ various selections. He is a good person to know if you want to try a juice before buying; he may be able to either give you a review or send you a sample. Chances are excellent that he will have dabbled in blending his own flavors as well.
The Off-Topic—she will never discuss vaping. She will post pictures of her kids, her garden, her cats, and pretty much everything that surrounds their known world. She will always start a new Post for each Off-Topic subject no matter how irrelevant it is to vaping. Their participation is limited solely to her own life and activities.
Hit and Runner—this person will pop in infrequently, is usually in a hurry, and will have very little to say. She will claim Real Life obligations, and will usually only stop by to wish someone well for a milestone. Hit and Runners are generally not offensive. New Regular Guys & Gals may not even know who they are.
The Enabler—beware, this may be a tough one to recognize. Initally, the reader may think they are a Fangirl, but it is a masquerade. Look a little deeper, and you will realize that they enable those with bad behavior by taking up their banner in the face of “bullies” who are simply calling troublemakers on their penchants for stirring shit. Once the cheerleader façade cracks, they will show their true colors. They’ll achieve high visibility as the leader of the Wounded Doves, a dubious honor at best. Her passive aggression will become noted far and wide, and the reader will waiver between love and hate of her.
The Wounded Dove—this is the person who has no stomach nor hide for Internet discussion. They will most willingly cause trouble, but then whine they are being attacked when people call them on it. They are prone to taking private matters public, to engender sympathy from others, especially The Enabler. They are often shocked when a moderator does not side with them in a clash. After a certain number of encounters, they will always dramatically and publicly leave the board. But never fear, they will always return and tell their tale of woe whenever a new Wounded Dove is initiated into the ranks. This usually happens just when the board has become a peaceful and pleasant place to visit again after the last dust-up.
The Loon—a poster who initially comes off as just a normal, Regular Guy, he will sometimes disappear for weeks or even months, only to come back with a long, sad tale of a personal tragedy. Don’t mistake them for a Hit and Runner; he's going to be back for awhile, taking ownership of the board, generally causing trouble and getting his feelings hurt along the way. Related to the Wounded Dove, he too will capture the attention of the Enabler and be taken under her wing.
The Parent—often confused with an Egotist Vet, this person has become Mother or Father to the other posters. She will give advice, solicited or not. Condescension is the trademark of her replies as she belittle all those around them like a dog pissing on a tree to mark its territory. She has been doing it so long she does not realize that her condescending ways are off-putting.
The Wannabe—attention whoring is the purpose behind every post, and they will often be encouraged by The Regular Guy or Gal. They fancy themselves the leader of the community, and thinks that every word that comes off of her keyboard is a golden maxim. Unfortunately, they are plagiarists and will use others’ research and words as if they were her own, conveniently forgetting to give proper attribution. They are too lazy to do the work themselves, but loves the attention and recognition that comes with the accolades. These are people who have spent a lifetime without a single original idea. Fortunately, most smart people can see through this
Know It All Newbie—perhaps the most annoying of all posters, he has read just enough to be dangerous. His excitement about this new world of vaping will lead him to give advice to anyone and everyone. Often, this advice is wrong, and when he does get it right, much like the Wannabe, he will also omit proper attribution.
The Pest—the opposite of the Know It All Newbie, this one knows nothing, and will pester everyone with every little question that comes to mind. Most discussion forums are filled with helpful Regular Guys, Gals, and the Truly Knowledgeable. The Pest will always take advantage of them at any given time. He will do this via the forum, via private message, via email if possible, and would do so by phone if given the opportunity. After awhile, the graciousness of the forum will give way to frustration.
The Prize Piggy—never has anything to say, but will only show up and reply when there is a contest in progress. Their posting history shows that they visit numerous forums, contributing nothing but prize entries. They are wandering scavengers seeking only what they can take. They are not members of any community, and can call no place home.
