You're right things require balance .. people have been shut down in the forums for posting
"hey, who's with me to jack up the price of X"
stock manipulation
fraudulent returns
tax evasion
People have discussed them all and more. All of those behaviors upset the balance of the secondary market and portray Brickpicker as a community in a negative way. Most members here do not want that because it is an unfair picture of how most members conduct themselves but as a society, we pick and choose those negative moments as highlights and expressions of how the world is.
It's not about an echo chamber, it's about being polite and truthfully many of your comments about resellers make you come across as an ass passing judgement on everyone who does it. We get enough "bad press" from people on other LEGO fan sites and in my opinion (and many of those here) it is unwarranted. They pick one moment in time and label all resellers as "blood suckers in it just to make a buck."
People don't want to read (rightly or wrongly) "And this is why people frown upon resellers and their impact on normal availability... not just "providing a service" " because whether you see it or not, your comment implies 1) you don't agree with it and 2) that it should not have been done in the first place. It was not helpful nor conducive to intelligent conversation - I was surprised to read it and was surprised people let it go so easily. I can provide more examples, please don't make me.
But let's get something straight - I agree with much of what you say, just not how you say it. That's been said of me as well, but after four years and at least a half dozen members such as yourself coming here and "telling us how the market works and why people hate us" we tire of it and maybe focus on things we shouldn't. Or maybe we should tell members when they're coming across as pompous and arrogant? Maybe they didn't mean to and we're just providing constructive feedback? Let's call that the Ironbrick effect. He's one of the most notorious members to join in the last couple of years who was constantly telling us we were WRONG, INCORRECT and didn't understand a thing about the secondary market (why it exists or how it works).
I call it like I see it, I already said that. It's not about thinking I am superior but I'm not afraid to tell someone the truth about what I see (you should get that, you seem to do that as well).
It also wasn't directed at you. It was directed at all those comments people on FB and other LEGO fan sites have said over the years about reseller scum. I have no idea who you are or what your situation is - good on you for paying for your kids college. I am quite a small investor around these parts .. most of our disposable income goes to our kids' activities and travel.
Anyways, for all those bored with this .. flynnibus, please feel free to reply but I'll take further replies to PM if needed. I've said my piece ... I'm done.