Look at any metal detecting forum or blog. Then look at an online discussion of a subject by normal people and the differences become obvious. Take for example the two ongoing discussions at the moment, what people think of the idea of instituting a PAS in the USA on a typical metal detectorists blog here and here. This may be compared with the discussion (including non-academics) of the Sappho papyrus here and here. What are the differences? Which one has:
Substantive discussion?When you've examined the difference between the two discussion modes, judge for yourselves what these metal detectorists represent. Do they display the manner of interaction you'd expect from normal people or rather the empty braying of bus depot retards? Then multiply that by several dozen forums and blogs surveyed over a decade, all exhibiting the same empty-headed superficiality and posturing...
Successive posters developing a theme instead of jumping to another?
No four-letter words?
No Abba (sic!) video-clips intended as an insult?
No calls to "get the bum out of here!"?
No grocers' apostrophes?
No "lol"s and "ROTFLMAO"s?
No name-calling?
No reference to a "win-win situation"?
No references to masturbation?
No spitting?
No suggestion that other contributors need "counselling"?
No accusations of "trolling"?
No anti-Polish slurs?
No groundless accusations against archaeologists?
Members that do not take every criticism as a personal slur?
Members willing to admit they phrased something badly or were wrong?
Not all metal detectorists write like that, Steve Broom for example is in a different class from the majority detecting hoi polloi, and has no time either for vacant oiks like these:
If detectorists cannot engage in any form of sensible discussions about the issues that we are all being branded with, then do us all a favour and keep your opinions to yourself as some of us are trying to improve on the legacy that has been left for us by the less responsible detectorists.[...] As for old..."I’ll see y’all in the bar!"... Sorry, but if that is my company for the night, I would prefer to drink alone...!Metal detecting needs more normal people speaking for it and engaging in intelligent discussion.
TAKE A GOOD LOOK at this behaviour, for these are precisely the sort of people the PAS wants to grab more and more millions of public quid to make into the "partners" of archaeological heritage professionals and to whom they want us all to entrust the exploitation of the archaeological record. Take a good look and decide what you think about that as a "policy".