One of the common problems with forums like this is that the longer-term users can get a bit snobby
And the common problem I found is that people calling other people snobby are usually rather full of theirselves.
about people only showing an interest in a hobby
"I planted bonsai seed of I do not know what species in the wrong season and I am keeping them indoors as they are my lovely little puppies that need love and care and pampering. They are calle Daisy and Bonnie (Bonnie... from bonsai. Am I not hilarious?). I have given them lots of food as they did not seem to do well but it is getting worse so I have repotted them three times and I have added lava rocks on top of the soil as I read bonsai need lava but they are still not looking good. When can I start pruning them?"
is not exactly showing an interest in the art of bonsai.
> Rather than just assuming they aren't genuinely interested just because they are new?
I know they are not genuinely interested if they do not have the foggiest idea about what a bonsai is, never have seen one, have not done ANY research on how to grow them and even 'never have grown anything', 'do not have a green thumb', 'cannot keep a plant alive' (I am NOT making this up, this was really on this forum).
> aren't you possibly running off people who truly
> would love to learn to grow a proper bonsai?
People who truly want to learn how to grow a proper bonsai will try and understand why their seedling is not a bonsai.