Originally Posted by
Randy Petersen
I am simply pointing out to others that may read these comments that Ben is an extremely generous individual (whether on FlyerTalk or with other budding bloggers, he has always volunteered to help others) who was able through his own hard work and efforts turn his passion into a livelihood which delights those who do read him.
I think you have hit the nail on the head Randy. A lot of people are resentful of Ben because he is doing what so many people wish they could had done - having the courage to take the risk and convert his passion into his livelihood.
I've followed Ben on the internet since he was a really annoying and immature kid at airliners.net (well before he even participated at FT) and despite often not sharing his views on many subjects, my respect for him has grown exponentially during the last decade. He's still (relatively) a kid, but he wields disproportionate influence in the world of travel writing. We are free to accept, reject, disregard or criticise his perspective if we so choose, but we can't take his accomplishments away from him.