Off-Trail Lightweight Backpacking Philosophy

[Anonymous]

"For me, kindergarten was a hard lesson in life of how badly behaved, stupid and lazy others can be. Quite the opposite of all that lovely sounding stuff about everything I ever needed to learn was in kindergarten."

Which would tend to indicate either that parents are doing a lousy job before they send their kids off to school. Which is why they learn it in kindergarten, if at all, by that time.
If the parents don't get them off on the right foot in the critical years between birth and kindergarten, it is highly unlikely, IMO, that kindergarten will make much of a difference for more than a few who haven't already been ruined/severely disadvantaged. But I also doubt that kids are born with all the tools they need to adequately function socially. Nature predisposes and nurture finishes the job, or not?

[Lynn Tramper]

"If the parents don't get them off on the right foot in the critical years between birth and kindergarten, it is highly unlikely, IMO, that kindergarten will make much of a difference for more than a few "

Totally agree

"But I also doubt that kids are born with all the tools they need to adequately function socially. Nature predisposes and nurture finishes the job, or not?'

Again, agree, but there appears to be a narrow window of opportunity for these tools to be developed, and kindergarten is too late for most. I am reminded of the most recent puppy we have raised, where it is clear that they have a period where socialisation is easy and natural. If you keep a puppy isolated too long, without obedience training and socialisation, you end up with an incorrigible monster. Kids are no different.

[Anonymous]

"Again, agree, but there appears to be a narrow window of opportunity for these tools to be developed, and kindergarten is too late for most."

Whoever writes first on that "tabula rasa" pretty much sets the course. An awesome responsibility, sadly too often ignored these day, and it bodes ill for the future of mankind, IMO.

[Travis Leanna]

>Whoever writes first on that "tabula rasa" pretty much sets the course. An awesome responsibility, sadly too often ignored these day, and it bodes ill for the future of mankind, IMO.

The big word here is Responsibility. Too few are willing to take it, especially when needed most. That includes being responsible enough to understand if even having children is the right decision at the time. Now, I refuse to allow this thread to go into a "right to have children" discussion on *BACKPACKING*Light, but just wanted to make that point.

I do believe in a round-a-bout way that this discussion pertains to my original question. How? I asked about philosophy and values in every day life that stem from lightweight backpacking philosophies. And I believe that EVERYTHING we do, no matter the tiniest degree, influences everything else.

[Lynn Tramper]

"Now, I refuse to allow this thread to go into a "right to have children" discussion on *BACKPACKING*Light,"

Well, in the most obvious ways, having children is not a UL choice. They are heavy on your time and resources and the environment. And when they get old enough to take on a hiking trip with you, they weigh you down even more, as you have to carry the majority of their gear.

That's my off- and on-trail philosophy.

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