Why do people persist with "Mine is better than yours!"

[bobdar]

There is no substitute for pubic inches.

[Triple Jim]

Are people so insecure in their own skin that they have to revert to this behavior? I GUESS SO! Why???

A good part of it is an attempt to improve self-esteem by a people who lack it.  If a person buys a Chevy, and his friend buys a Ford, Chevy guy feels that his friend has told him he made the wrong decision.  If his friend instead buys a Chevy, Chevy guy feels that his friend has confirmed that he made the correct decision.  When Chevy guy puts a pro-Chevy sticker on his Chevy, he tells the world that Chevys are better, and that he made the correct decision.  (etc.)

[Lannis]

A good part of it is an attempt to improve self-esteem by a people who lack it.  If a person buys a Chevy, and his friend buys a Ford, Chevy guy feels that his friend has told him he made the wrong decision.  If his friend instead buys a Chevy, Chevy guy feels that his friend has confirmed that he made the correct decision.  When Chevy guy puts a pro-Chevy sticker on his Chevy, he tells the world that Chevys are better, and that he made the correct decision.  (etc.)

But (like being a Yankees supporter) can't all this be in good fun?    Lord have mercy, when we were teen-agers and buying our first bikes, EVERYONE in town was buying CB-series Hondas, and I bought a Yamaha.    We used to give each other a hard time about it, but it was all good-natured, and 45 years later, the Honda boys STILL call me "Yamaha" when we run into each other.

If I have a Moto Guzzi patch on the back of my jacket, say that I hope the Red Sox win the pennant, or give my buddy with the Titan guff about his "mosquito fogger", does that all have to be some Freudian stuff about superiority, tribal drum-pounding, and compensation for penis length?   

I'm going to go look up "projection" now, just in case .... 

Lannis

[Triple Jim]

But (like being a Yankees supporter) can't all this be in good fun?

Sure it can be in good fun, but people with high self-esteem don't find it as fun as other people.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Sure it can be in good fun, but people with high self-esteem don't find it as fun as other people.

Pretty wide brush you're using there, Jim..

[Bill Hagan]

There is no substitute for pubic inches.

THAT is really funny.  Kathi, however, laughed a little bit too much when I read it to her.   

Sure it can be in good fun, but people with high self-esteem don't find it as fun as other people.

OK.  I understand that.  But, as I am about to reveal if already not earlier confirmed in my previous posts here, what I know about psychology and related disciplines would fit in a very small tank bag. 

As I guy who can be as tribal as the next guy -- tho I do worry that my tribes can be a bit small and somewhat strange -- I wonder if "high self esteem" (even the true, not mere facades masking feelings of inferiority)  cannot often be evidence of arrogance more than or as least much as appropriate confidence?

While not all tribe members are affable, I'd rather hoist a glass and wile away time with most of those than with smug members of a self-esteem elite.

Yes, I must pack for Atlanta and this has been a wonderful excuse to avoid work, but I have just been busted by  .

 

Bill

[Triple Jim]

Pretty wide brush you're using there, Jim..

Yes it is, but nothing is black and white, it's all grey area, and everyone is somewhere in the grey. 

[sdcr]

Back in the late 70's, we had a Honda dealer about a half mile up the street from a Yamaha dealer. The Honda dealer put the official company slogan on their marque, " Honda, Follow The Leader".
So the owner of the yamaha dealer put up his own sign...." Don't follow anyone".
Yes,it was friendly competition. These guys are now partners in one large multibrand store.
 

But (like being a Yankees supporter) can't all this be in good fun?    Lord have mercy, when we were teen-agers and buying our first bikes, EVERYONE in town was buying CB-series Hondas, and I bought a Yamaha.    We used to give each other a hard time about it, but it was all good-natured, and 45 years later, the Honda boys STILL call me "Yamaha" when we run into
Lannis

[Two Checks]

I was at the store one day in my Dakota and parked next to a jacked up Ford with a sticker reading, "real trucks dont have spark plugs".
The owner comes out and says to me,"cute little truck" to which I replied,"I bet all the Pete drives say that to you. Besides real trucks have 18 wheels".
He quietly turned and loaded his groceries.

[JJ]

I think it has got to do with how one made the decision.

I bought my car by elimination, so I tend to think it is a better car than the other models in the comparison list.

I bought my Guzzi by heart, they are not the best bikes out there but I love them. It doesn't matter if one says his bike is better than mine, I won't get into the argument.

Hi Phang!  How are you, greetings from Vortex-Land, and what's new in Singapore?  Are you riding these days?  :1:  I hope I can visit with you again in the near future!

[Penderic]

Being recognized as the best in any contest is common. Some don't care. Some obsess about it.

I know a very competitive car racer. He told me once, "If there is not any chance of winning, why bother?"



 

[Arizona Wayne]

Maybe this should be "I like mine better than I would like yours", so our preference doesn't sound so harsh. 

[tris]

IMO its a sub set of

• whats the fastest colour
• whats the slipperiest oil
• what are the stickiest tyres
• etc. etc. etc.

the answer to all of the above being "whatever I've got" 

PS Black is the fastest colour 

[Phang]

Hi Phang!  How are you, greetings from Vortex-Land, and what's new in Singapore?  Are you riding these days?  :1:  I hope I can visit with you again in the near future!

Hi JJ, motorcycles are getting more expensive here as the policy maker introduced a new tiered tax system to the new motorcycles recently. I'll cling on to my old italian steel.

old tax structure was 15% of the CIF (cost, freight, insurance) price, and of course other taxes too.

new tiered tax structure, CIF in US dollar

first $3,600 of the CIF - 15%
next $3,600 of the CIF - 50%
remaining CIF above  $7,200 - 100%

i.e. a CIF $10,000 bike will attracts $540+$1,800+$2,800=$5,140

with other taxes and dealers' profit, out the door price will be around $22k to $23k

[Sheepdog]

This topic prompted my use of the George Patton quote on my signature line. Diverse opinions are gold for a society that wishes to continue to grow. The key is figuring out how to get folks to truly listen to each other.

[Darren Williams]

Because people evolved with a competitive nature, eat or be eaten. In our modern society there is less danger of being eaten and food seems to be relatively plentiful so we have to find other ways of releasing our competitive nature. Or just wait a number of years till you have low T and then you will be over that childishness.   

[Muley]

45 years later, the Honda boys STILL call me "Yamaha" when we run into each other

says Lannis.

I can't possibly get into a "mine's better than yours" argument.  I buy as many parts, lube, etc. as I can from the local auto parts store (the only one for 25 miles).  A friend of mine worked there on Saturdays, which is when I had time to visit the store.

He calls my EV a Yamagucci.  All I can do is hang my head and walk away

[slowmover]

It is an ego problem which is a large part of the worlds problems. Zen Buddhism should be exposed to all children sometime in school.

[Rotten Ralph]

Back in the late 70's, we had a Honda dealer about a half mile up the street from a Yamaha dealer. The Honda dealer put the official company slogan on their marque, " Honda, Follow The Leader".

That, of course, was an Ariel Leader.

[Lannis]

Maybe this should be "I like mine better than I would like yours", so our preference doesn't sound so harsh. 

Yes!  I think that the sin that's being called out here is not "Having a Preference" but "Expressing a Preference".

If I prefer a Moto Guzzi to a Harley Davidson, or red to blue, or Virginia Tech to Virginia ... how can I express that preference with hurting someone's tender sensibilities?   

If I say "I like Moto Guzzis better than Harley Davidsons" I am, by implication, denigrating HD, I'm "putting them down", I'm "hating on them", because I like another brand better than them.   Because if I like MG better, and say WHY I like MG better where other people can read it, then I have to either explicitly or implicitly say why HD is "worse".

And then the hand-wringing starts.   "Why can't we all just live together?"   "Why do we have to put down our brothers in the wind"?  "Why do we have to hate on others just because they're different?" 

In other words, why can't we ALWAYS just sing Kum Bah Yah and NEVER express anything that someone might take in the wrong way?   After 20,000 posts on WG, very many of which are "positive" or "way to go" or "I like that", I find that I almost NEVER get any follow-up posts to any positive comments, but almost ANYTHING that might look like a "negative" comment or a criticism of someone gets a "grumpy" or "snotty" or "hate" or some other tag. 

Well, sorry, snowflakes.   It's happened so often that I'm immune now.   I recognize what's happening, I'll continue with normal discourse using my real name so I can account face to face for anything I say, and someone else can lead Verse 2 of "Michael Row the Boat Ashore" or whatever ...      And I continue to find that almost EVERYONE that I meet at an actual Guzzi rally is a pleasure to meet and talk to!   

Lannis

[Orange Guzzi]

Every thing others have is better than mine because I am Guzzi Cheap. 

[Shorty]

All the psychobabble aside, it's just fun to push people's buttons. After all these years, we can often predict who will feel forced to offer a rebuttal.  It's almost like saying "Good morning, Kev! BTW, Harley's SUCK!"   Then he says good morning back by saying, "According to these newest statistic, you are FULL of it!"     No harm, no foul, until someone starts thinking you MEAN what you say. In winter, that happens way too much. That is why we have moderators.    Part of the charm of this forum is that they let you hang out here even if you quit drinking the Guzzi cool aide, lol. Not that there's anything WRONG with archaic, fluid flinging, unpronounceable, vulgar latin styled ball bearing jackarses.....  

[Lannis]

All the psychobabble aside, it's just fun to push people's buttons. After all these years, we can often predict who will feel forced to offer a rebuttal.  It's almost like saying "Good morning, Kev! BTW, Harley's SUCK!"   Then he says good morning back by saying, "According to these newest statistic, you are FULL of it!"     No harm, no foul, until someone starts thinking you MEAN what you say. In winter, that happens way too much. That is why we have moderators.    Part of the charm of this forum is that they let you hang out here even if you quit drinking the Guzzi cool aide, lol. Not that there's anything WRONG with archaic, fluid flinging, unpronounceable, vulgar latin styled ball bearing jackarses.....  

Lot of truth to that too ...

"Harleys Suck", so Kev says ...
"Dielectric Grease", so Wayne says ...
"Winchester Motorsports", so Dean says ....
"Rich People", so Lannis says ....
"Jap four-cylinders", so Tom says ...
"Indian Summer", so Dusty says ....

Maybe the problem is that we know each other's game too well now ....

[Penderic]

Oh Oh. Now you done it!



 

[ScepticalScotty]

I was born into a Ford family in Gladesville, Sydney Australia. But I have grown up and can appreciate other cars. 

[boatdetective]

This discussion is all well and good. However, it does tend to avoid some well proven scientific truth:

1)  The Red Sox and the NE Patriots ("da Sox an da Pats") confer recognition and respect to their fans as we bask in the light of their eternal glory.

2)  The Beatles had a more widespread musical influence on modern pop music than the Rolling Stones

3)  My R1200R is mo betterer than Willow's 1200S

[charlie b]

Well....I am right, so you must be wrong....  :)

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Hmmmm...If the R1200R had more character.... maybe!?!

[boatdetective]

Hmmmm...If the R1200R had more character.... maybe!?!

Did...I...hear the sound of a gauntlet hitting the floor?

My bike actually came with an Akrapovic can on it. Sounds fabulous. I was out today with a friend who has the stock muffler- sounds like- a sewing machine.   My bike is a 14, so it has the DOHC ("camhead") motor. Really quite nice. 8500 redline.

[Denis]

"My stuff is stuff. Your stuff is shit." - George Carlin