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The Ocelot

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I was recently criticized for this blog by someone unfamiliar with the concept of context. He jumped on me claiming that I was a hypocrite for posting on VU threads, yet making comments that might be interpreted as critical of the forum. I'm posting this because I stand by the words I wrote and feel my points have merit.

TheKiwi;14831092 said:
Heeeheeehee. Went into my first B&M today. It was a beyond vape shop. Fun experience, but Nrh worth getting excited over. There were a bunch of folks who were just excitedly buying mods and ATTIES and getting the folks at the shop to "help them blow clouds"
Hmmm :/ On one hand I'm glad they aren't smoking tobacco and have found something fun to do, but on the other, with articles about how more kids are using e-cigs more than smoking (never mind the skewed logic), I dislike clouds becoming the focus of vaping. I wish there was enough funding to make a PSA showing the variety of people who vape. Not telling personal stories, just people holding whatever they use and saying, "I am a vaper." I wonder if there's a Kickstart sort of thing for not for profits. (Not nonprofit, that's a whole other can of worms.)
ItTechy;14835192 said:
It's not impossible....Maybe perhaps we could reach out to the folks at CASAA, or sumpt'in....I mean vaping, really vaping is not what we see reflected from soooo many of those B&M' and the folks that work there...I still only feel comfortable in one B&M and it's 2 1/2 hours from where I live!
Exactly! I don't feel like I have much in common with how I often see vapers portrayed. I know from my own experience the variety of people who vape, yet when a Google images search for "Vapers" comes up with a stock image:

b4e2bd9a979a37b53bf9099cfc89054d.jpg


and these:

-1fc4b26ff288e06e.jpg
vapers-unite.jpg


long before one like this:

vapers-collage.jpg


something is definitely wrong with the message. Why doesn't the community have a publicist? I want to see more images like the above with a wider representation of devices.

I have nothing against Vapor Joe and his crowd, but I wish they got less face time.

Vapor-Joe-vapefest.jpg


A search of "Older vapers" comes up with no pictures; "Adult vapers" is almost all ads or pictures like the ones from the "Vapers" search, plus this disheartening one:

ZP5LWs9KzfXh5htw7xCRq_gcfVWFk5cWL69yM943WmY0NeFcsau31iaFjEa3yQYqDcPYi5gsJ7XL7pDigESaEbBlMKA_ydiju4FARQ5B=w426-h284


"Senior vapers" is the only search with any pictures to balance the others. One is of Liz, from Vaping for the Over Sixties on youtube (who isn't even vaping in the picture) and the other of this lovely woman:

adult_lady_vaper.jpg


I think there needs to be a stronger emphasis on how much we have in common with the rest of society, rather than being a subculture. The way it's being portrayed, people might want to protect their children from vapers as much as from vaping.

Parents always think their children won't smoke cigarettes or take drugs, especially if they stay away from "the wrong sort of people." I'd like to think of myself as nonjudgemental, but I'm not stupid. Are these the types of people parents want their children exposed to?

1398271979580


I'm aware that the pictures I've shown don't actually represent the majority of vapers, but that's my point. Unfortunately, they are the type more often seen in the media. Sensationalism sells. Freaky subcultures are far more interesting than average people, but average people, average vapers, is the face we need to put on vaping to get more public acceptance.

rawr
cheetah_icon_by_topazdragon19-d35u537.gif
 
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TygerTyger

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Thought-provoking, and well-spoken. Thanks Ocelot.

Just to add some backstory on "VaporJoe and his crowd"..... ironically, Joe never wanted to do a show or get so visible. It took a LOT of convincing and prodding to get him to start broadcasting at first and cascaded from there. He simply wanted to run his blog, help folks find deals, and stay in the shadows. Even now, despite all the fun he has at meets and the like, he sometimes admits that he'd love to attend a meet where NO ONE knew who he was and he could just mix and mingle with vapers without all the hoopla. Even here at home, we recently visited a grocery store where someone approached him out of the blue saying "Are you.... VaporJoe???" It was kinda cool, rather humbling.... and a little weird too.
 

The Ocelot

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I understand Tyger Tyger. In my piece I was referring to Joe and his followers as a visible representation, not really promoted by them, but jumped on by the media. I think the kids look great, but I live in a different world. I'm trying to convince "average people" that vapers come in all shapes and sizes and the "scary people" shown on the media don't represent the whole picture.
 
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UncleRJ

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I think it would be a great idea to show vaping from the standpoint of "Hey, I am not smoking anymore, I'm a Vaper now!"

Show pic's of folks from all walks of life enjoying their vape instead of smoking.

Like someone having a cup of coffee while reading the morning paper and having a vape.

That kind of thing and showing just small amounts of vapor instead of what looks to be an outtake from the movie "The Fog".

Showing a couple having a vape after sex could be pushing it too far but you get the idea.
 

MercuryVaper

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Fuddy duddy's is what you all are. Lol, Just kidding. I consider myself just a vaper. No tats, no Huge gauged ear plugs although I do have gauged studs. And on what Tyger said about Joe's unsolicited vapers fame, I wouldn't know Joe if he were standing next to me. No disrespect to Joe, I just don't give a shit about the personalities portion of vaping. I just vape to stay off cigs, plane and simple.
I totally agree that the face of vaping has become the face of youth trying to set themselves apart from "the norm"...The more they try to be different the more they look the same. Nothing new here. But, it is the wrong portrait of what the majority of vapers are like. I don't even like to go to my local b&m anymore, I feel uncomfortable being there. I'm the one that stands out as being different. That sucks, not for me, but for the limitations the owner has put on the ability to cater to an all inclusive vapers market. He can never be as successful as he could have been with a more "normal" staff with a professional appearance. I may be totally wrong on my opinions ymmv.
 

Mike H.

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In the eyes of the public, image has alot of bearing on peoples judgement..Its a sad thing to say but, its more of a racist judgement.

A group of gang bangers standing on the street corner, A bunch of tatooed bikers with leathers and chains, Punk rockers with crazy hair, and just anything outside of what some see as normal or see as rebellious is the image being shown and the government as well as other anti vaping groups know this...Consider it the strategy to persuade the majority of "normal" people that vaping is a bad image.
 
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AstroTurf

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In the eyes of the public, image has alot of bearing on peoples judgement..Its a sad thing to say but, its more of a racist judgement.

Racist Judgement?!?

Not!!!

I don't like his cop like appearance and I don't like his gangster like appearance and I don't like his tattoos...

Has nothing to do with race or racism.
 

Mike H.

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Racist Judgement?!?

Not!!!

I don't like his cop like appearance and I don't like his gangster like appearance and I don't like his tattoos...

Has nothing to do with race or racism.
Who said anything about race?

People judge based on what they like or dont like...thats a form of racism in general...No matter how you sugar coat it, everyone is racist to one degree or another.

People judge based on looks..people judge based popularity..people judge based on wealth..people judge based on almost every category you can think of.

Dont twist it into a race issue as its not...its a racism based on choice of others.
 
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AstroTurf

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Who said anything about race?

People judge based on what they like or dont like...thats a form of racism in general...No matter how you sugar coat it, everyone is racist to one degree or another.

People judge based on looks..people judge based popularity..people judge based on wealth..people judge based on almost every category you can think of.

Dont twist it into a race issue as its not...its a racism based on choice of others.
Ah, You said something about race.

Geez, read your own posts, please.

And leave racism at the door.

This is about outward appearance and what the average vaper might look like.

Let's not make it anything more... Ok

Jim
 

Mike H.

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Ah, You said something about race.

Geez, read your own posts, please.

And leave racism at the door.

This is about outward appearance and what the average vaper might look like.

Let's not make it anything more... Ok

Jim
i said "racist judgement"...nothing about race as in color of skin or religion...maybe you should read it again?
Outward appearance is something people judge and can be racists against...the average vapor can look like anybody.

If some new fad was portrayed by the media as something gang bangers do who kill and steal and rape it wouldnt be an accepted fad by the majority...Thats All media is trying to do is portray it as something "different people" do...not "normal people"...They are using it as a sort of racism to gain public support.

But, im off to go to work for now. So, ill be back later.
 

AstroTurf

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i said "racist judgement"...nothing about race as in color of skin or religion...maybe you should read it again?
Outward appearance is something people judge and can be racists against...the average vapor can look like anybody.

If some new fad was portrayed by the media as something gang bangers do who kill and steal and rape it wouldnt be an accepted fad by the majority...Thats All media is trying to do is portray it as something "different people" do...not "normal people"...They are using it as a sort of racism to gain public support.

But, im off to go to work for now. So, ill be back later.
May I introduce you to Merriam-Webster...

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racist
 

The Ocelot

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@The Ocelot - It's your fault! /lol /joke

I also received two rather "nasty" emails in response to my own Blog post which was inspired by YOU!

:)

Thanks for having the tenacity and "guts" to bring this issue to light.

I don't understand why someone would send you nasty emails. Your blog is well written and your points valid. I don't think people read anymore, they just skim, pick out words or phrases to comment on and forget about context.

I stopped going to the best B&M in town (it really is good) since I just don't fit in. The day it opened I popped in and the 20-something owners were just giddy to discover this old lady built her own coils, had some bitchin' authentic mechs and a bronze ProVari, which they had never seen. This was over a year ago. At the time, Japanese cotton was popular in the forums, but hadn't made it down to the street level, so when one of the guys said he used Japanese cotton and I replied, Koh Gen Do? he literally squealed with delight that I knew what it was.

Since then the shop has filled up with more and more clouds and I get lightheaded. It's not a large space and it feels strange to have to go outside to vape. Yes, it's vapor, not smoke, but it's not oxygen either. The owners have always been nice to me, but as their popularity grew, I stopped dropping by since it had become a hang-out and the young patrons stare at me like I'm from Mars. I don't blow huge clouds, but I'm no slouch either - perhaps they can't reconcile my appearance with not vaping an eGo.
 
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The Ocelot

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i said "racist judgement"...nothing about race as in color of skin or religion...maybe you should read it again?

I think the term you are looking for is "bigotry." A "bigot" Is someone who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ. The word has been misused for so long many people think it is synonymous with "racist," but it isn't. A bigot is someone prejudice against any group of people different from what they believe should be the norm, whereas a racist is someone prejudice again a group of people because of their race. However, I did get the gist of what you meant.
 
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