stereotypes, ageism, and the scientific method

[P3D rmt <rmt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I suspect that stereo clubs member ages seem high because older folks, 
having seen their broods take flight, become "joiners" in seeking a 
surrogate family.  But I would not argue with, or discount, Dr. T's 
observations and inferences about people getting interested in 
stereography during the peaks of popularity. 

I wonder about the attacks on his observations and comments, and cannot 
understand what offence could be taken from or intended by his remarks. 
Perhaps we have not yet arrived at a consensus about the nature of 
E-mail; certainly photo 3-d is neither a scientific treatise nor a 
private conversation.

People should be free to post their observations; other people should be 
free to disagree with them or challenge them - but perhaps good manners 
should restrain us from responding along the lines of "How dare you make 
an observation without proper scientific data and statistically 
significant numbers to prove your point".

I doubt that most VM collectors are female, if that's what was said, but 
having observed the perusers of stereocards at several NSA and ISU trade 
shows here and abroad, I'm quite sure that Dr. T is right that most card 
collectors are male.

Dick Twichell


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