I suppose I should respond to some of these comments:
Perhaps I should have included some emoticons for those readers unable to distinguish the satirical from the literal, facetiousness from earnestness, sarcasm from simple declarative statements. Is there an emoticon to indicate tongue-in-cheek?
Why do you suppose any grower, breeder or collector would be hesitant to open their doors to strangers who might care to view their collection? Anyone who has worked at an orchid sale could offer a number of reasons. Why do you lock your front door at night? Why do you lock your car doors while you are shopping? Why would you insist that your daughter not roam the streets at night unless properly accompanied? By so doing are you implying that all people are thieves and rapists? Hardly. You are simply taking actions to prevent being victimized by that small proportion of the population that engages in these activities. You certainly won’t be criticized for it.
Orchid nurseries are uniquely vulnerable to pilferage. The removal of a single keiki from a plant is nearly undetectable. Pollen (which can be of considerable value to breeders) can quickly and easily be removed from a flower. Perpetrators of such theft may attempt to rationalize their actions, but the fact remains that they are stealing, and it is a form of theft that is very hard to detect.
The article wasn’t written as a portrait of the beginner or the experienced orchid grower. It is a portrayal of the extremes in attitude and actions I have personally witnessed in my years as an orchid grower. I have seen how people behave in retail environments. The vast majority are friendly, courteous and respectful. A minority, however, are absolutely boorish, and some are un-rehabilitated thieves. Retailers take elaborate and costly precautions to prevent theft, yet who accuses them of treating everyone like thieves? They are similarly justified in attempting to prevent the breakage of high value items by rendering them inaccessible without the assistance of a salesperson.
I didn’t make any blanket statements or generalizations about any segment of the orchid growing community. If any readers want to read between the lines, that’s their option. It would be fair to expect them to offer quotations from the article in support of their claims.
The idea that I portray experienced growers and breeders as “whining, social misfit(s)”, and newcomers as "stupid, financially weak, dishonest redneck(s)" is completely unsubstantiated. I do state, however, that it is the prerogative of any grower to set the terms on which anyone might tour their collection, and to question these terms (or to violate them) is truly rude and could rightfully result in banishment. Since such terms or rules governing one’s behavior are seldom expressed in advance, it seems common sense to err on the side of caution.
To say that one’s behavior only hurts oneself isn’t quite true. Bad behavior on anyone’s part is commonly attributed to the group to which that person appears to belong. When someone visits an orchid collection they will be viewed by the owner of the collection simply as an orchid hobbyist. If it turns into a bad experience for the owner, it can negatively impact the prospects of hobbyists who might wish to view the collection in the future. It isn’t necessarily fair to attribute the actions of a few to the group as a whole, but it is very common in human intercourse. It provides the basis for all human stereotypes.
I am currently working on an article about internet forums in general, but orchid forums in particular. It shouldn’t present much of a challenge to support my observations, since all statements made online are preserved and directly attributable to their authors, or at least their online pseudonyms. Stay tuned and thanks for listening.
Rick
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