Still musing on KIP

I'm not sure why some folks feel that knitters should be held to a standard of behavior that is 'higher' than others. Does picking up a pair of size 8 straights automatically mean you're on a path to enlightenment or sainthood (if either of those fits your PBS, or Personal bullshitBelief System)?

What is this obession with being "nice"? Is it a female thing? And why would standing up for yourself verbally be construed as "so sad", "unfeminine" or "not gracious"? While I admit that letting rip with the verbal abuse may not be the most charming immediate reaction, if someone is verbally digging at my hobbies, I don't really see why being polite, "feminine" or standing there to just take the abuse is the socially correct response.

Fuck that noise.

I'm not really here to educate with my hobbies. If I wanted to do that, I'd sign up to teach. I don't want to teach. I want to do my own thing, and possibly share with others who enjoy the same hobby, and if someone approaches me politely and with genuine respect and curiosity, then I'm more inclined to share with them. I'm not here to be a respresentative of the Craft, or an ambassador to the unwashed, unenlightened Wal*Mart sock buying masses.

Anyway, this entire discussion on various lists (Socknitters being the most prominent lately) has me pondering this phenom as a commentary on social behavior, standards and expectations based on gender as a whole.

I'll tell you one thing though - Never have I been more sure that a circ makes a handy garotte in a pinch.