22
Jun
2006
The following is a copy of a post that I made in the general area above. Since it deals particularly with the sport of skiing, I am repeating it again.Jun
2006
It's called TROLLING, and I unknowing did it this week. I dropped into a bulletin board devoted to the lovers of extreme skiing with the goal of asking their members if the type of ski experience that is easily obtained at the Club Med villages in the French Alps, could also be found in North America.
My 34 weeks spent at the different Club Med villages in France over the last 17 years has limited my appreciation of other skiing opportunities closer to home. This had prompted me to seek out internet forums which focused on powder skiing.
Since many of this particular board's members are devoted to a romanticised bohemian skiing lifestyle as well as their particular territory (Western North America), any discussion which casually referred to my loyality to Club Med was met with acrimony.
It would appear that any strangers on their bulletin board raising any of the following subjects may be met with an insulting response:
1) France,
2) Club Med,
3) "cookie cutter all inclusive vacation packages",
4) comparing skiing in the Rockies to the skiing that occurs elsewhere in the world.
5) the quality of the ski instructors at Club Med
So I hope that my unfortunate experience helps others to be aware that Club Med members are an identifiable minority who can be vulnerable to insult by other people in the world who have an intolerance when their particular sporting passion gets associated with Club Med.
Club Med was originally invented by its own members and is constantly re-invented inspite of the large corporation that drives it.
Ironically, this bulletin board which was hostile to Club Med is sponsored by an enterprise which was likewise founded by a grass-roots movement (of extreme skiers) and has grown into a prestigeous giant which markets ski videos and ski wear. They even support worthy causes.
Unfortunately, its ok for the mass marketing of ski vacations to be attacked, but not the mass marketing of extreme ski videos.
By the way, this particular bulletin has no moderator so there is a certain amount of lawlessness that can occur.