Can We Stop With the Haughty Attitude?

Hey there, it's me (28F) who's back again, this time with a rant. I wasn't planning on polluting Parfumo with a negative rant, but I have to do it to get it out of my system. 

A few weeks ago, as I was perusing Reddit and subreddits about perfumes, I stumbled upon someone who was showing off their collection to the community. There was nothing particular about it, but the OP gushed about his perfumes and the collection he was building up. I found that particularly endearing, but his perfumes were oriented towards men and did not concern me. I was about to back out of his post, when I saw that another user had left a vitrolic comment, stating that his collection was not a collection, but a copy paste of generic fragrance made for the mass and curated by brainless influencers. 

Disc scratch.

Before we continue, let me remind you what the word collection means: ''a group of objects of one type that have been collected by one person or in one place.'' By this definition, OP definitely had a collection. I couldn't believe another member of this community was shitting on somebody's beloved collection.

Recently, there's also been some echo of negative opinions on other people's choice of fragrance on Parfumo which I find absolutely sad. I just can't wrap my head around why those negative people like to bash other people's collection or choice of fragrance. Whether you love niche, designer, clones, dupes, or anything in between, what does it do to you if someone else loves something you don't? If there wasn't a public for those types of perfumes, they wouldn't exist. May I also add the fact that not everybody has the financial means to acquire niche, designer or more high-end perfumes? I find myself being part of the privileged ones who are able to buy more generic perfumes, but also designer and private collection fragrance. Doesn't mean my collection is better than someone who collects - let's say - Bath & Body mists.

You are totally allowed to dislike a perfume or to have a negative association with one, but to place people who love certain perfumes in the same basket (or the same stereotype) when you know nothing about them? I'm sick and tired of this. For the people who say they're tired of seeing the same perfumes pop up because influencers hype more generic perfumes made for the mass... Well, I'm sorry, but we all have to start somewhere. That somewhere can be your local store, your local CVS, Shopper's Drug Market, Sephora, TJ Maax, B&B, whatever. For example, I started out with Sephora fragrance and Shopper's Drug Market perfumes, but I'm now slowly branching out into what Etiket sells (which are niche, more private lines of perfumes). Doesn't mean I've left my more generic perfumes behind. I still love them because their scents are lovely, but also because they're a reminder of the beginning of this journey. They helped me determine what fragrance type I like and dislike.

A hobby is for everyone. People are different: some love more generic perfumes, some prefer more niche ones. There's a public for every type of perfumes out there and if you don't like a certain type, group, brand or whatever, please stop raining on other people's parade. You're allowed to share your opinion of course, but please have some respect. Be more benevolent towards others and their collection. You don't know how they got their fragrance and what meaning lies behind those scents.

Rant over.

*** Cover from Valeria Boltneva