While scaling the slippering slope of sophistry erected by certain RAO claquers,
it occurred to me that Their contradictions should be taking a toll. The Holy
Blinding Rituals are alternately promulgated as an antidote to sin, as a means
of discovering the purity of trVth, and as a defense against "unscientific
claims" or some such.

Is it sinful to spend "too much" on an audio system? In the real world, that's
an individual choice; in the Hive, there's an absolute answer. Perhaps the
'borgs are unable to comprehend the relative value of money because, of course,
they ain't got much.

Is trVth of any value to hobbyists? In the real world, again, an individual
choice; in the Hive, you're either with sicccnciecce or against it. Since the
concept of "fun" is unknown to the 'borgs, They are forced to view audio as a
"deadly serious business"™, as Major 'Borg Nousiane has called it.

Is there any merit in disputing an opinion, whether rooted in personal
experience or simply feelings, on the basis of "proof" or lack thereof? In the
real world, the entire concept is nonsense. This point has been hammered home to
the Hivies time and time again, and yet They still retreat to the "claim" and
"proof" 'borgma.


The oddest aspect of Audio 'Borgism is that certain individuals, specifically
lesser 'borgs and dyed-in-the-wool nerds, are willing to defend the Major 'Borgs
simply because they share a class envy. They seem unable to accept that in the
real world, people make subjective choices for subjective reasons, and their
explanations for their choices are couched in subjective language. This approach
is fine for wine, cars, cigars, art, skydiving, restaurants, and movies, but
not, according to Them, for audio.

Oh, wait, it's the marketing departments who are the sinners. They indulge in
[gasp!] exaggeration and hype. This is obviously completely different from
marketers of other consumer goods, where only trVth is spoken and only "facts"
are proffered.

No, wait again, the problem is that consumers buy stuff that's too expensive.
Who defines "too expensive"? Why, the 'borgs do, of course. There are hidebound
rules for how much stuff should cost. We need laws to prevent people from
spending their own money on stuff they want to own. After all, say the 'borgs,
even though Big Government is evil, we have a precedent for interdicting
"controlled substances". They want to expand that category to include the likes
of Krell and Wilson.


Certain other RAOers -- the anonymous or pseudonymous ones -- are not ashamed to
admit they identify with the Major 'Borgs. Do they offer some religious rituals
to Normals as a way of "proving" what They know to be "true"? No, they do not.
They simply lash out angrily at Stereophile and those who berate the Major
'Borgs. Why don't they tell us about the purity of the Holy Blinding Rituals,
instead of merely running intereference for the Major 'Borgs? Perhaps they will
explain this omission to me. The "tests" are the sine qua non of audio
utilitarianism, and yet the anonyrodents don't seem to care about them at all.
Lionella, torrie****s, and Bwian McLardass haven't told us a single detail of
their own experience with "tests". Could it be they're the ones who are "afraid"
to take them? It can't be a question of time -- they all have loads of spare
time to burn. Maybe it's a question of money... a proper testing box for the
blinding rituals runs several hundred dollars. That's a lot of bicycle repairs,
or a lot of sewers to scrub, or a lot of investors to rip off.

I don't expect the Kroopologists to explain Their silence on the subject of
"tests". It's so much easier for them to attack me for pointing out Their
hypocrisy.