The High Road
People often ask me why I never respond to negative rumors, post, or comments. The answer is very simple, I want to try my best to portray the hobby in the best light that I can. By going in the trenches and defending what I believe, just to discredit someone that is spreading nonsense is nothing more then stooping to their level. You actually validate their point if you respond. I would be lying if I said that when I see something that I know is an out right lie about me or my business, that I didn’t want to fire back. But again, what would I be accomplishing? I would look just as foolish as the person posting in the first place. I have a saying that says, “Internet wars are like the special Olympics, even if you “win” you still look “special”“. Recently we let Kel go for reasons that I will keep to myself. I have a ton of respect for Kel and appreciate everything that he did for us for the years he was with us. I wish him and his family the best and in the end I have no doubt that it was not only the right move for our business, but in the end it was the best for Kel and his family. He had no intentions of working with snakes his whole life, and he will be better off for finding another career. He is a good person and I miss him on a personal level. With that being said, there were rumors flying all over the place about him quiting for one reason or another. It is pretty humorous that not only were the rumors ridiculous, but what was more insane was the fact that everyone felt that it was only the right thing that I share all the reasons for letting him go. Again, I go back to the “high road”. Why would I share something that is an internal decision. People want it just so they can gossip about other peoples business. There is nothing to be gained by sharing details that are no body’s business. I think the entire hobby and the world for that matter would be better off if we didn’t have this need to get into other peoples businesses and try to make things up about things that we know nothing about. Is our life perfect? Far from it, but I refuse to focus on the negative and I certainly will always continue to take the high road when it comes to the insanity of the rumor mill. That’s my two cents on the politics of the reptile hobby.
