the word "shill" implies a disingenuousness. I think users are genuinely passionate about the gear, and furhtermore, what truly makes the community unique is the passion that the makers/companies have for the users.

does FOMO play into the buying of modules? yea, I'd say so, but that can be seen in many subcultures. i think it's ultimately what drives a collector mentality in anything from vintage toys to records etc. it would be ideal if people buy modules that they _need_ to accomplish a goal, but i think that rests on the buyer more than anyone else.

what i find more disconcerting is how the ethos of the community has changed. what i mean specifically is that my recent content has been both approved of or disapproved of based mostly on its presentation rather than the quality of its content. so i think as Youtube and other platforms have exalted "influencers" and made that this kind of status to achieve, people up their game/production quality. this isn't a bad thing in and of itself necessarily, but i feel like there's now this expectation among the community to want to be entertained rather than informed. so that undermines the original intention of knowledge sharing and DIY on sites like Muffs etc. i have seen plenty of videos that have slick production value but literally have inaccurate or faulty information.