Nowadays, folks hit the ground with all their guns a blazing behind a anonymous screen name, and then play the martyr card at a drop of a hat once they get blow-back for whatever they posted (normally negative). They can then slap the 'fan boi' label on everyone without hesitation and laugh about it on their own home forum (usually on a counter board) with out even blinking. Trolling, baiting, all sorts of nuances to the formula; but it's common. Go check any fitness, sports, camera, car enthusiast, gamer, etc.. forum and watch it. Any popular general interest forum will exhibit this in an almost constant, churning cycle.
Sadly, decorum and respect seem less common these days, or maybe it's just that use of the Internet is more widespread. I have noticed that forums for higher priced items tend to be better in that regard, but that's not always the case. The Fractal Forum is very different these days from what it was in the beginning. It was a niche product then, and those who plugged in were pursuing something and they were passionate about that pursuit. Today we have more of what you describe above going on. It is the way these things evolve, and I've seen the same happen in other forums. It means there is a lot more "noise" to wade through to get to the meaty stuff than before.
The 'flavor of the month' club is another way to oversimplify and categorize folks you don't agree with in a condescending manner. For an on topic review of it, go back to my "It's a Monster..." thread on TGP from 2007. Read the comments starting about the 3rd page and follow the negative responses in particular. You'll see a tremendous volume of such 'ahh, it's just the flavor of the month' as the primary 'knock' I took on that thread (which spawned 3 1000+ sequel threads) throughout. Yet four full years later, it's the same flavor of ice cream for me and many of the naysayers are now pro-Axe-FX owners. FWIW, I have the same boutique PAF pickups in my Melancon since 2006 so... that's 5 years of kool-aid there.
I went on stage at church a few weeks ago after service and started talking with a younger player who was noodling with his gear. I asked about the floor processor he was fiddling with and he told me it wasn't his. He said he used an amp because modelers don't sound like the real thing. I thought about asking him which products he had tried, and what he based his opinion on, but I didn't. I will probably bring it up again when I build some relationship with him. He was likely parroting what someone else has told him, with little research on his own. I doubt he's even heard about the AxeFX. However, his statement was definitive, and at some point it may mislead another player.
I spend time on Internet forums to learn. I'm an information hound, and I like to know as much as I can about a product before making a buying decision. That extends to how to use it. I also like to contribute and give back where I can, but I'll admit that many of my posts are questions.
With that context naysayers, such as those in your example and my young friend, are barriers and can do considerable damage. That's not a reflection on them as people, just a statement in the context of the pursuit of knowledge. The issue is magnified when one is trying to understand and assess leading edge product.
In the same manner, but at the other end of the spectrum, are those who bubble over with excitement and overstate things. Their views also contains inaccuracies, but the exchange is more positive and pleasant.
I think there are two flavours. There are those who get excited about a product without making proper comparisons or working with it enough. Because they are flamboyant and vocal they influence others, who then "jump on the bandwagon". I have joined a bandwagon or two, and have pickups that are OK, but no where near what I expected. When the next thing comes along they, and the herd, begin the next pursuit, and the cycle continues. Proper evaluation techniques are key, or you will continue to jump from bandwagon to bandwagon.
The second flavour are those who get excited about a product, who express that excitement with flamboyance, but who actually do their homework. They may be overstating things, but there is truth at the core. The question then is about degrees; about how close to the stated opinion does it really come.
It is difficult to find honest and accurate information & advice on the Internet. We have access to so much more now then we ever used to, yet finding the nuggets is arguably harder. The truth is in the midst of all of the above, and of course you'll never really know until you try it out for yourself. In the end we have to assess what we get with our "ears", not our "eyes".
Thanks.
Terry.
