What Happened to Sharing Knowledge?

It's rant time y'all.  (I say that like each post doesn't contain one in some form.)  

As you know, I'm venturing into gardening this year and I've been trying to learn as much as possible.  I've already learned a lot which I'm grateful for and have seen mistakes that likely cost me in the past.  Once you start clicking on certain things, the algorithm starts pelting you with new accounts to look at and it's usually something helpful.  You start poking around that page and think "this looks useful" and follow.  Repeat.

I've expressed my disdain for that irritating trend of "comment the word SALAD and I'll show you how I grew this bed of greens."  You comment said phrase and their automation sends you something they could've just put in the damn caption to save.  Oh but where's the fun in that when they can make you think you're getting a free guide and go to the link provided where they tell you "I shall share my magical knowledge with ye for this salad wizardry for a mere $40."  Scusa?  Look, I get most people are on social media to make money and that's fine.  But don't tell me you'll tell me how to do something without disclosing in the caption there is a fee involved.  Because then I waste my time jumping through your flaming hoops hopping up and down on one foot while chanting Sweet Caroline (ba ba baaaaaah) and FedExing a blood sample only for you to tell me that'll be a $300 course please.  Or the "freebie" course offered is basically two good nuggets of information in five minutes and then dangling carrots of "I'll teach you more about that in my boot camp."  You sit through the rest of it waiting for more free nuggets which you get enough of but with a crucial piece missing to execute because that is only revealed in the aforementioned boot camp.  You get to the end and finally "you can do this boot camp and soak in all of my knowledge for the low low price of $300."  

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I've wasted an hour of my time and now you make me want to figuratively fly to your house and throat punch you.  I unsubscribe as I yell expletives and try to move on but nooo.  Despite unsubscribing, the algorithm will throw them in your face from time to time to taunt you to follow again.  Depending on the day, you either click 'not interested' to try to get them out of your algorithm or you explode.

I'm all about making money (well, not here but you know what I mean 🤣) but be upfront about what I'm signing up for or put a price in your caption so I can say yay or nay.  If you see there is a book involved, either just buy it or move on because you can bet your sweet ass 80% of people will not drop anymore free knowledge on you and it will be "I show you how in my book."  That being said, I have found some good resources out there to actually help me make sense of stuff that give a plethora of information.  

Epic Gardening has some really great videos and in depth explanations on how, when, why, etc for free.  I'm learning a ton from them.

The Gardening Channel With James Prigioni is another really good one.  The intro's are over the top and eye roll worthy which seems to be a common complaint from others but once you get past that, the knowledge is really awesome, free and is the reason I'm growing some stuff in 5 gallon food grade buckets this year.

Homesteading YouTube channels are always helpful too.  I would look for channels with more than 5 years experience just because more experience of trial and error to pass on than someone developing methods.  

So there's my soapbox rant for the week and I hope you check out these other channels if you're looking to get your hands dirty this year.  If you're an influencer, for the love of all that is holy, put the info for free in your caption or tell people you've got a course to hock.  Enough with the spammy tactics.  I would be more likely to support someone's' products by showing me something for free than having them waste my time and have bad feelings about it.  You can have integrity and still make money.  We need to see more of that please.

What do you think?  Does it feel a little bait and switchy to you or am I just a fist shaking curmudgeon?  (I already know I am)

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