Craigslist beef? Bike Nerd v. Bored Asshole

Generally I think Craigslist is amazing. Not only can you find wonderful new and used things at a great price, but it also serves as an outlet to sell unwanted things locally, giving new life to one person's trash.

What transpired yesterday in the bicycle section of Columbus' Craigslist absolutely infuriated me, on several levels. All I wanted to do was to try an sell some jeans that fit me poorly. One anonymous person decided it was his mission to derail my efforts by posting a scathing critique.

I'll enter the two original posts and part of my rebuttal, which was never published, and rightfully so.

My original post - SWRVE cycling jeans $70
I bought a pair of SWRVE cycling jeans (http://www.swrvecycling.com/jeanscotton.html) and they fit a little bit too big on me. The size is 30x31. I'm probably more like a 29 or 28. Either way, I've worn them a handful of times and washed them once--they look unused. Let me know if you are interested. They sell for $100 + shipping. I'll sell them for $70 -price negotiable
[here is where I included some details about the quality of the jeans]. Here are better pics on a UK site: http://swrve.co.uk/jeans.html
The company, out of LA, is really awesome and I'm bummed these didn't work out

Within a matter of a couple hours, our anonymous antagonist posted this:
really?? I typically keep my thoughts to myself, but 100 for a pair of "bike riding" jeans. Never had a problem riding my bike in my regular ole jeans (11 dollar walmart rustlers and damn I look pretty good) didn't realize there was such a high demand for a better pair of jeans to ride bike in. Or is it hey look at me I ride bike and I have those sweet swrve jeans. Whatever, to each his own I have just never heard of such a thing in my life. Good luck I'm sure there's another total bike nerd out there that would love them I'm a 36 so I can't help. Keep on ridin whatever you decide to put on the bottom and take care

Now, I expect that this guy is not alone in thinking he would never spend $100 on a pair of "jeans". That's fine and I don't care--which is fine too! I didn't post this item for sale to hear from anyone the reasons why they don't want to buy the jeans. Craigslist is not a forum for debate.

Beyond the fact that this guy had no business to post his demeaning response, his assumptions and criticisms are flawed. I wouldn't venture to argue with anyone that their pants are inferior to anything I wear--like I said before, I don't care! But let us, for a moment, compare $11 "Walmart" Rustlers to $100 SWRVE jeans. One internet source described that their Rustlers (owned by $7 bill/yr VF Corporation), purchased from Walmart, were made in Mexico. Also, I'll mention there's an organization called Wal-Mart Watch which is "a nationwide campaign to reveal the harmful impact of walmart on american families and demand reform of their business practices." SWRVE jeans (owned by Muriel and Matt, two cyclists that started a company of clothing designed specificially for cyclists) are handmade in the U.S.A. Highlights of Walmart Rustlers include: "men's jeans," "belt loops," and "fabric: cotton." SWRVE cycling jeans boast: "made of 98% cotton with 2% Lycra for ease of movement[;]...seamless gusseted crotch, articulated knees, lower front and a slight rise in the back, back pockets that fit a mini-U lock...[and a] reflective strip on inside right leg that is exposed when you roll up your cuff." Which one is better? Neither. To each his own, for sure. I would probably rather wear one than the other, but I wouldn't dare make someone feel ashamed for choosing differently.

This guy chose to open his offense by saying "I typically keep my thoughts to myself" then says things like "to each his own" and "Keep on ridin whatever you decide to put on the bottom and take care"--as if this somehow amends his dastardly comments or repositions himself as a person free of judgment of others. WHAT THE FUCK! In the response I had crafted and tried to publish on Craigslist I wrote this: "Me trying to sell some jeans has nothing to do with the fact that you are 36, or ugly, or that your idea of a good time, unfortunately, is to haunt Craigslist and make fun of peoples posts. I don't know what's more lame? Saddle up on your Magna or your Next, in your Walmart Rustlers, and try a little harder to keep your thoughts to yourself." I had hoped to expose him to hurtful assumptions to show him how hateful and unnecessary his post was. I don't need to justify my purchase of those jeans to this guy or any other stranger. I'm confident that the quality justified the expense and that, in light of how else I spend and save money, I could afford them. Fortunately I don't think what I had written as a response was published--and it shouldn't have been, just as his post should have never stained the pages of Craigslist. I suspect that the only outcome is that anyone who read his response was put off enough to stop considering buying the pants I am selling.

Anyways, to turn a negative into a positive, I learned a good lesson here: don't judge or make assumptions about what people do with their money. Case and point: Religious conservatives turn out to be more charitable than secular liberals. Be gracious and charitable and don't go out of your way to make someone feel shitty for no reason.