I don't know why anyone would want to identify themselves as a "naysayer". It is perfectly natural when something does not make sense to you, or doesn't work for you, to be sceptical about it. The scepticism also tends to get triggered by over-the-top claims and bullying tactics often being employed.
Bully tactics by believers:
1. Challenges to play. It's stupid to ask some run of the mill forum guy to play a pro to prove his point. Aiming is a very, very small part of pool. Most people know how to aim to some extent, and the difference made by "better" aiming is miniscule if you are not a top shooter. That is to say, for a run of the mill amateur, the misses will be caused by stroke or alignment, unless you are a complete beginner.
Actually challenges to play come from both sides. Aiming is a big deal, a very very very big part of the process since being aimed wrong screws everything else up that follows.
2. Constant prying for personal information. This is a big red flag. I'd advice anyone against giving their name on this forum. One of the forum people got raided by authorities after another guy turned him in for running his business out of his garage. The douchiest forum move of ALL time. That same guy is completely relentless and will not quit. There have also been threats to peoples lives. Stay anonymous, stay safe.
On the flip side anons have made slanderous comments and accusations and have zero accountability for that. IF a person knows they are likely to be sued or popped in the mouth they are less likely to go off with lies about someone else.
3. Flat out stating that someone is wrong, then acting as if that has been proven by the mere fact of stating it. Then making fun of that person based on an assertion that has not been proven.
You mean the way Duckie makes statements of fact about how CTE doesn't work and is useless etc....???
4. Blaming failure to comprehend on stupidity of the student, when in fact lots of people have the same exact problem with the material.
Um, nope, those who have success are ALWAYS willing to help those who genuinely want to learn figure it out. But a lot of the time the statements run the lines of, "I tried this last night and it's gibberish therefore it doesn't work...."
5. Namecalling. Over and over and over.
Like, "snake-oil salesman", con-artist, religious nut, delusional, banger, two-bit coward, etc....names like that???
6. Constantly asking for censorship of "non-believers". Calls for them to be "muzzled" etc. Also calls for the forum to be "cleansed", whatever they mean by that.
I will state for the record that I want EVERY SINGLE NAYSAYER barred from constantly poisoning the discussions. In real life if people are trying to have a positive conversation disruptive people are removed and I see it being no different here. You can start your own contrary discussion if you like and INVITE people to debate you. But don't jump into every discussion where people are just trying to work out the methods and poison it with negativity.
Being disgusted by these tactics and baffled by certain claims, should not be grounds for being labled a "naysayer".
Don't act like all this has no precedent. Going all the way back to RSB the dynamic has ALWAYS been that a person tries to present a method to help players improve and certain people try to knock the method and anyone who uses and promotes it.
IF people were allowed to present their methods without getting trolled then those discussions would result in short threads among pool nerds who like to play around with alternative methods. But trolls turn the discussions into flamewars resulting in both sides digging in.
