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Question about the whole 'gatekeeping' thing. I thought it was just online drama until my local shop in Omaha had a whole scene over a new reader asking where to start with Spider-Man.
Guy came in, maybe early 20s. Asked a simple question at the counter. The clerk just sighed and started listing like 60 years of continuity. Made it sound impossible. Saw the guy's face just fall. He left without buying anything. I used to think people complaining about gatekeeping were just being sensitive. But seeing it happen right there, turning someone away from the hobby... that convinced me it's a real problem. How do shops near you handle new readers asking basic questions?
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anthony1655d ago
Man, that's the worst kind of salesmanship. A simple "start with Ultimate Spider-Man" would have made a sale and a new fan. Some people just get off on feeling like the smartest person in the room.
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noah_black5d ago
You're right about people getting off on feeling smart, @anthony165. I see it all the time, like when someone asks for a simple recipe and gets a lecture on the history of the spice trade instead of how much cumin to use. It happens with movies, tech help, everything. That gatekeeping turns a simple question into a test, and it just pushes people away.
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charlie_stone725d ago
Ugh, I'm guilty of that sometimes.
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