There needs to be people who are prepared to diagnose accurately and without malice about any given situation. That is why Furbs and many others post as they do. It doesn't mean you have to be pompous or high and mighty, just cut through the crescendo about how good things are.

The one that makes me question reality is this old trope: you will endanger future endeavors if you don't be quiet. Which is similar to being told that all mathematics is in trouble if we can't agree to 2 + 2 = 5.

Attempts to stop this by complaining about the tone of the criticism (lack of respect etc) or characterising it all as a single whinge generally only rebound on those that do it. The game itself, and the state of it, will have a habit of throwing up new critics, despite how often the critics are routinely removed, baited, whatever.

It's a fairly simple and fundamental point.

The defenders-of-the-faith do more harm in helping 'their own' game, than good, in reality. I'm beginning to think they do more harm than the more extreme critics. It is one of the ironies of the situation, and must be mildly frustrating to those who take the uber-fans' viewpoint seriously (I do not take them seriously) . It is like arguing Copernican values. You can do it, and you can ban contrary views from various forums...but what a waste of energy, and how silly, ultimately.

Much of the criticism is based on really obvious, simple points. A whole lot more is getting people to see these points, which they can;t do if they're busy trying to gun all criticism down.

Ben