Be careful what you say.

Digging up old drama but I cant help but be petty and blow off some steam. This thread came up when I was doing a search for "smile mix" to archive some old threads.

I think its funny Dr Beach Boy took on the unwarranted role of an authority figure here, then spent 5 pages tut-tutting, blaming and otherwise throwing shade at other people for being "rude" and criticizing public figures when we now know he's ok with bullying actual people off the forums and letting his vicious pals continue to do so behind their back over in the land of fake positivity to this day. Besides calling out someone who was rude to me personally, I just think it's an important life lesson:

In my experience, the ones who make a big show of getting offended on other people's behalf and playing the role of morality police are often huge hypocrites looking for an excuse to boss other people around and shame them for over-exaggerated transgressions. On left and right, a huge problem with our culture since the 2000s has been this like faux moral outrage and weaponized scolding to shut down uncomfortable but valid (or in some cases necessary) conversations. This is how we got to the "champions" of free speech cheering when a TV presenter gets fired for not toeing the party line, or (other side) running a mediocre female candidate in way over her head and dismissing all concern or criticism as sexism. I wish our culture actually valued free speech and backed people up for being free spirits who speak their mind. We might be a land of ideas and a social philosophy of self-improvement again, instead of this puritanical call-out culture that tears down anyone with brains and guts.

I guess I take personal offense at the premise of this thread because I haven't minced words about my thoughts towards certain insiders lately, so I feel this browbeating could've equally been directed at me if anyone actually posted here anymore. Well, Im sorry but if you're a public figure you have to accept criticism--and maybe learn to use it as a call for self-imporvement. That goes for Mike, Brian, Leaf, Melinda...anyone. If no one's calling for harm, or being needlessly vicious/libelous, it's fair game to say their work is flawed. I dont like the way the TSS Disc 1 was assembled, I dont like Mike's decisions for the band, I dont like Brian's solo career, I dont like Priore lying and distorting the conversation about SMiLE for decades. I dont believe Reum's SMiLE theory is accurate, I think Daro was a shitty person, sometimes Melinda rubs me the wrong way and I say Carl didn't have particularly strong musical/songwriting instincts. Sorry not sorry. I wish me and other posters ruthlessly bullied off the forums over the years were given anywhere near the same consideration as some of these hypocrites larping as kindly public defenders pretend to extend to the insiders. Whats the point of a discussion board if we have to pretend everyone was perfect all the time and the band's history is nothing but sunshine and rainbows?