<VV> Providing Answers

[mhicks130 at cox.net]

95% Smitty?  I can't believe that.  If that's true and not an exageration, then that says something very, very sad about our Corvair community as well as people in general.  

I do wonder though, if the general consensus of the knowledgible members is to not mentor or help the less educated of us, then what is the reason we join the clubs?  I know I didn't join just to go to IHOP once a month (although that IS nice).  I joined to be among other people with a similar interest as mine for shared knowledge and resources.  I know I don't know everything about how to work on this car or where best to get parts or which parts are recommended and I'm hoping some more experienced members will know what I don't know.  

We say we want to attract new members but what do we offer in return?  You're on your own dude, I've been burned in the past?  I don't mean you should give parts away or give up your personal time for one person who hasn't shown their commitment to the car or our club but we should offer things like our upcoming tech session.  Anyone who wants to learn something can come and learn. Those that don't, won't.  I understand it's difficult to balance helping people and being taken advantage of but I don't think it's either/or, black or white.  We can still help people without giving away the farm.

Oh well, there's always IHOP.  Mmmmm, pancakes.

mike

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Smitty Says:     For a good 15-20 years after I got interested in
Corvairs I went all out to help people.  

<snip>

After a while I realized that I was simply fooling myself.  The people I
was helping were simply using my services to get their heap fixed up and
running so they could sell it.  Easily over 95% were cultivating me just
for that purpose. 

<snip>

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