Experience and certainty

[bearsbearsbears]

As this forum is going a bit unused, I figured I'd post on a "meta" forum topic.

I'm noticing that some of the newer or newish folks on here are hard certain of their beliefs despite an admitted lack of experience with the particular subject at hand. It can be quite difficult to discuss a point with someone whose position was adopted entirely second-hand.

I know I should ignore their ham-fisted, cocksure arguments, but as more people reply, this becomes difficult. It's everything I can do to not respond to misinformation on lead in Yixing, for example, to explain yet one more time that lead is never used in clay bodies for technical reasons.

These posts at least have reminded me to keep an open mind, myself, and defer to others with firsthand experience where I have none. Also, to do at least some small research before posting responses to others' questions.

[MarshalN]

What do you mean? Lead is everywhere! Flouride poisoning is imminent!

[ABx]

I was just thinking about forums in general, and how a general trend is for a more geeky and inquisitive contingent to be replaced by a cast of newbies with egos that can't tolerate not being the most knowledgeable on a given subject. I don't know if that's what's going on, but maybe some variation of it.

Unfortunately tea enthusiasm is fertile ground for paranoia and near superstitious beliefs when it comes to health stuff. Tea will make you lose weight and live forever, but at the expense of lead and fluoride poisoning!

[Proinsias]

Don't reply if it is tiresome to do so. The newbies will never stop coming and you will grow tired.

A while back there were threads on teachat with people testing yixing wih lead testing kits, maybe if left to their own devices the new gen will also investigate it themselves.

a general trend is for a more geeky and inquisitive contingent to be replaced by a cast of newbies with egos that can't tolerate not being the most knowledgeable on a given subject

or a bunch of fresh, eager enthusiastic tea heads asking and questioning everything being met by a bunch of egos that can't tolerate having common knowledge questioned.......

it's a double edged sword

I'd imagine most people drop by teachat for a short time only and pick up what they need, anyone hanging around for years is going to see a lot of repetitive posts.

[bearsbearsbears]

Tea will make you lose weight and live forever, but at the expense of lead and fluoride poisoning!

Amen! Put that on your nei piao and wrap it!

or a bunch of fresh, eager enthusiastic tea heads asking and questioning everything being met by a bunch of egos that can't tolerate having common knowledge questioned.......

I think we've all been on the other side of this. I once said online that I'd never let iron touch my tea, and yet now I own a tetsubin.

But, really, there's a difference in wisdom between questioning something subjective and something objective. Lead, fluoride, and other health topics are not subjective matters. Whether or not an oolong has to be roasted before aging, or whether a gaiwan really brings out more fragrance, or whether metal is bad for your tea water--that kind of questioning seems useful and not easy to take on faith in someone else's experience alone. Yet so many make up their minds based on what someone else told them, not what their own tongue tells them.

A while back there were threads on teachat with people testing yixing wih lead testing kits

I think it's funny they lead test their yixing but not their glazed cups.

[MarshalN]

Why is it that nobody bothers to lead test their raku ware?

[bearsbearsbears]

Why is it that nobody bothers to lead test their raku ware?

With Japanese raku, the threat is from many, many heavy metals--not just lead. There are often high amounts of other colorants like chrome, cobalt, copper, manganese, and the like in various raku ware. The focus on lead is, really, myopic. For example, green yixing and blue yixing probably have high amounts of heavy metals in them (chrome/copper and cobalt, respectively.

So yeah, back to what ABx said. Drinking tea will cure and give you cancer at the same time.

[ABx]

So yeah, back to what ABx said. Drinking tea will cure and give you cancer at the same time.

I spent longer than I care to admit trying to figure out how to fit that in

[MarshalN]

Yeah, and you know what.... if I only use my raku bowls once every blue moon drinking old matcha... I don't really care if it has lead in it. Chances are I'm ingesting more just in my regular drinking water.

[brandon]

Correcting some people's brain full of half-truths isn't worth the exhaustion involved.

On a better note - Happy birthday Jason!

[bearsbearsbears]

On a better note - Happy birthday Jason!

Aw thanks!

There's a new post on my blog I'd appreciate hearing your comments on (and anyone else here, for that matter). It's about breaking tea cakes. Linky: http://puerh.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-sy ... cakes.html

[brandon]

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 30#p191633

I am posting this here to avoid lashing out at this unexperienced but very certain individual. Thanks for humoring me.

[TIM]

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 30#p191633

I am posting this here to avoid lashing out at this unexperienced but very certain individual. Thanks for humoring me.

more to come