Mama Cat’s Pearls of Wisdom #21

Always beware of the newbie-counsellor. I see this problem WAY TOO MUCH. Basically speaking, a person who has been studying spellcraft for less than a year (often less than six months, and even less than 2 months,) decides he or she is now capable of instructing others, having cast like…oh, 4 spells or something. 😉 Unfortunately some of these folks come of as authortative when they speak or write, and even more unfortunately, while their intentions are good, what they may be doing is actually MISINFORMING others, or MISINSTRUCTING others due to being relatively ignorant about spellcraft. 😛 So, if you have reason to question the length of time someone has been practicing or studying even though that person is trying to instruct you, you should probably get a second opinion (before you hurt yourself or others by mistake.) 😉

As for “Newbies” who give their advice. While what you are doing is well-meant, keep in mind that you are still a beginner. While your input could be very helpful, when you speak authoritatively, others who are just as newbish as yourself will find themselves thinking you are far more experienced than you are – which could be problematic if you misinstruct them or leave something important out, therefore possibly creating a larger mess. Instead of offering help like you’re an authority on a topic you just got introduced to, you might say “Hey, I’m just starting out, but a little more experienced than you are, and…” then adding your advice.

Why do I ask you to do this? I’m tired of cleaning up messes made by well-intentioned newbs who, not even yet practicing spellcraft for six months, have mislead others (without meaning to,) and when these others were sent to me when problems arose (there is actually more than one of you, but a particular one person in this case,) these persons were quite vexed to realize the person who had initially instructed them started learning spellcraft this fall. :S

Personally, I’d say give yourself a year of practice at least before you think yourself ready to advise anyone. Its fine to be a newb (ie a newbie,) but its wholly different to be a NOOB which no one likes (a “noob” being the people who think they mastered spellcraft because they read a book once and cast a spell before.)

So, if someone on a message board is giving you advice, do try to keep in mind that this person could be just as green with spellcraft as you are. I’ve been practicing spellcraft for over 2 decades, and as memory serves, when I first started out, I was better than some of the newbies out there now, (and probably not as good as some newbs of today,) and still, I’d not have told myself to advise anyone (of course being a child at the time I started probably would have thankfully made others not listen to a freaking word come out of my mouth on the topic, hahahaha.)

****UPDATED TO ADD: A few of you wanted to know what specifically was the cause of this post. 😉 Apart from the fact that I really think it makes an ass out of someone who has practically no experience with spellcasting (sorry, casting a few spells doesn’t make you uber experienced) to give out advice like an old pro… What happened was that someone got the brilliant idea to start giving out advice on how to raise spirits (of an infernal type,) when they had never raised a spirit (they claimed a singular Intranquil Spirit spell as “experience,”) and commenced to give the WORST advice on raising (very infernal) spirits I have ever had the misfortune to read. More or less, they wholly forgot to mention the dismissal of the spirit…so, the advised someone to open a portal, and let all sorts of bad things in, and never ever mentioned closing that door or asking the spirit(s) which entered to go back from whence they came. Soooo…someone came to your old friend Cat and was like “This person claims to know you and says you’d have an idea of how to make this spirit stop attacking me and growling at me,” and I was like “Who said this to you? Oh dear, that person cast their first spell in November – I know this because I helped them with it.” So…yep, that’s the background there.

Pearl of Wisdom Summarized: Beware of random people giving advice because they may not know enough to advise you…and if you’re a newbie, think twice before you give your advice.