Sorry i will have to beg that this hobby is actually VERY CHEAP. sure you can drop half a million on a telescope set up dome and everything but how many people will do that?
Take for instance cars.. how many people are into them? when have you seen somebody who is a enthusiest just buy a 4000k car? only to spend 30k on it, and then... THE HIDDEN COSTS CREEP OUT. mechanics are experts at finding "broken bits" or bits that need replacing. how many times have you gone to the mechanic for a service that costs 230 dollars only to walk out 1000 dollars worse off?
If somebody in the forum has walked into a astro shop and come out with 20k's worth of astro gear ide say to you they have not done it as a impulse buy (maby for some seasoned vets), quite the opposite they have gone in there and weighed up the pros, cons and otherwise. and also got clearance from the minister of war and finance!
yet somebody wouldn't blink at spending 20k on a car? and the ongoing costs, rego, insurance, fuel, matainance... which could be in excess of 4k per year. where as astro, the up front purchase is said and done you now have a piece of equipment if treated with care could last a lifetime.
As for your comment about beginners don't have knowledge, well... thats just them being stupid sorry for saying. There is so much information out there if you cannot act as a smart buyer then you deserve to be ripped off. you cannot blame others for your own incompetence and short comings as so much of the world is today, blame everybody else for you stuffing up!!
Thats my 10 cents worth, it took me close to 6 months and many conversations and with many different people before also taking 2 semesters worth of astronomy classes at university before i took the plunge and brought a 10" Skywatcher Dobsonian and I am very pleased with my choice as it will eventually be used for a decent size astrophotography field scope.
Brendan