[Loughla]

100%. I use some online communities to learn about my hobbies - such as woodworking. The woodworking subreddit used to be my go-to place to learn about the skill from others.

That being said, they have very firm views about a certain brand of table saw, and will be slightly (and politely) combative if you justify using something else.

All groups have this issue - it's very, very, very easy to become an unhealthy echo chamber when it's all online. I believe it's because people automatically project their own emotions, beliefs, and standards onto comments from other humans. In other words, my theory is that online nonsense is so easy to fall into because everyone seems to think, contrary to reality, that they're the only person online.

Also, gas stoves absolutely are better than electric ones.

[pteraspidomorph]

Induction stoves are fine! They're safe, efficient, cheaper to operate (in europe at least) and allow for precise control of their output!

Some time ago I tried to ask for advice related to my LCD TV. Then I found the "home theatre community" absolutely loathes my model. It's a fine TV that I got at a good discount, but apparently the only advice I'm allowed to get is "nobody should buy that model, so buy a new one".

[bombcar]

As to TVs I get it - for some people it's a major purchase and they want to feel they made the right choice (I did this with a Plasma years ago) - and they feel they have to "defend" that choice - especially if they "came" to it after another model.

But there's another valid choice - this TV does what I want and is cheap enough that I'm not going to bother investigating further, and if I have to replace it in X years I won't mind much.