Topic

Is lightweight backpacking anti-capitalist?


Forum Posting

A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!

Home Forums General Forums General Lightweight Backpacking Discussion Is lightweight backpacking anti-capitalist?

  • This topic is empty.
Viewing 25 posts - 26 through 50 (of 53 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1779201
    adam spates
    Member

    @adamspates

    Locale: southeast

    Living in the South and being a blue collar worker I get included in generaliztions very often. Usually in a way that makes us appear lesser people. In my time here on earth I have found that most people making those generalizations have never been on the inside and just observe from the outside. It appears this not you. I don't like generalizations for the most part, usually because the facts are normally skewed. And I guess it is different here than it is out west. Here it is the white collar guys who buy the custom knives, $3000 gun setups, pay top dollar for ALL of the best deer hunting leases, own million dollar motorhomes dedicated to NASCAR races.

    So I am man enough to say I'm sorry if I read it wrong. My attempts towards humility got lost somewhere today.

    Stargazer: I too go to the wilderness in part to avoid people. I get cussed out at least 10 times a day, get stuff thrown at me , guns and knives pulled on me, called names of all sorts. So yeah, solitude calls my name daily!
    Also on a side note: In studies it has been proven that the ratio of wealthy fans/middle class fans who follow NASCAR is won by the wealthy.

    #1779208
    Kattt
    BPL Member

    @kattt

    A lot of us here don't fall into any prescribed category and resent it when we feel like anyone is trying to squeeze us in a box for their convenience. Sometimes we overreact; I am guilty of a few "chips on my shoulder"….; )

    #1779211
    BlackHatGuy
    Spectator

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

    "I am guilty of a few "chips on my shoulder""

    I don't know Kat, chips are rather small. Those things on your shoulder, however…….

    #1779212
    Brian UL
    Member

    @maynard76

    Locale: New England

    Another thing,
    The man many credit with coining the term "bushcraft" is most famous for his quote
    "the more you know the less you carry"
    Another reason why this is a false dichotomy. The so-called-bushcrafters that take the kitchen sink and a dozen knives must not know a whole lot according to the godfather of bushcraft.
    Neither UL or bushcrafters can call thems selves anti-materialist. Its pretty hard to hike without realizing you may live or die by your gear. Real anti-materialist can be found on the street corner begging and convincing people they are spiritual.
    Also, I have no idea why you think anti-capitalist are anti-materialist. Industrialism has been as much a part of left wing movements ( starting with futurism) as any where. Left wingers have been all about materialism traditionally. Food, work, producing for society and anti-religious anti church sentiment.

    #1779215
    Dale Wambaugh
    BPL Member

    @dwambaugh

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    No problem. Typed messages have that ability to get people all riled up because the winks and grins just don't come across.

    Here's my hillbilly family from Barry County Missouri in 1915. My grandmother is on the right front row with the pigtails. This pack is descended from two Lord Mayors of London and an Admiral of the British Navy, along with a long string of gentry, although they never knew it. My grandmother made it to the 4th grade, survived tuberculosis, raised her younger brothers and her own family through two world wars and the Great Depression. I can still hear her pounding on the piano and singing, "We Shall Gather at the River" at the top of her lungs. She had a drawl that would compete with any Georgian :)

    Garrett family

    #1779218
    Kattt
    BPL Member

    @kattt

    "I don't know Kat, chips are rather small. Those things on your shoulder, however……."

    yeah, huh? Well, it takes a strong gal to haul those logs around.

    #1779223
    Dale Wambaugh
    BPL Member

    @dwambaugh

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    Kat is still trying to get over Sigmund Freud saying that the only contribution women made to society was knitting and weaving :) His daughter, Anna Freud, was quite the knitter and weaver, BTW.

    I had a co-worker who would say, "Yeah, he's that way because he only has the second biggest chip on his shoulder." I loved that saying.

    #1779232
    David Lutz
    Member

    @davidlutz

    Locale: Bay Area

    I'm not a fan of the notion that people do not vote in their own self-interest.

    To me that implies that people are dopes duped into voting a certain way. Duped by whom, I don't know.

    I just don't think people are that dumb, regardless of their level of education.

    Besides, how can anyone else say what is in another person's self-interest? That's up to each person to determine for themselves.

    Some of the smartest people I know are the least educated, and vice versa.

    #1779241
    Dale Wambaugh
    BPL Member

    @dwambaugh

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    David, I take it you have never heard of someone being educated beyond their intelligence :)

    Winky

    "He who warned, uh, the British that they weren't gonna be takin' away our arms, uh, by ringing those bells, and um, makin' sure as he's riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be sure and we were going to be free, and we were going to be armed." –Sarah Palin, botching the history of Paul Revere's midnight ride,

    #1779250
    adam spates
    Member

    @adamspates

    Locale: southeast

    Do we really want get into quoting Vice Prez Joe?

    #1779254
    Dale Wambaugh
    BPL Member

    @dwambaugh

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    It's a free country. Sarah P is just so easy :) To quote, I mean [GRIN]

    #1779296
    David Lutz
    Member

    @davidlutz

    Locale: Bay Area

    Hey Dale – People educated beyond their intelligence fall under the "vice versa" category.

    And I wasn't referring to Sarah Palin.

    #1779382
    noneur business
    Spectator

    @that_one_dude

    The original poster is either naive or trolling.

    Or maybe he was just trying to claim a good seat in the ivory tower.

    A more productive discussion might be: do you go lightweight/minimalist outside of backpacking?

    #1779388
    Dan @ Durston Gear
    BPL Member

    @dandydan

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    While I can't claim to be anti-capitalist with a straight face, there is something charming about the notion. I would love to be anti-capitalist except I love getting cool new stuff even more :)

    One positive change that has occurred is that I'm less fixated on brands and more just on the specs and quality. Back in my early days of hiking it was cool to have those cool outdoor brands. Now my favourite is when my gear has no brand at all….it's just made by some guy and judged on it's merits rather than on it's label. On several occasions when wearing my down pants (made by Ben Smith) I've been asked what kind they are. It brings a smile to my face when I respond that 'they aren't any "kind", they were just made for me by a guy.'

    So for me UL hiking is more 'local' (ie. less Asian, although I do love Montbell) and less brand fixated, but I wouldn't say it's less capitalistic.

    #1779509
    Paul Magnanti
    BPL Member

    @paulmags

    Locale: Colorado Plateau

    My Dad is a recently retired sheet metal worker.

    He never watched sports…
    Used to read Kahil Gibran poetry…
    And loves to cook (like all Magnanti men)

    I'm so confused???? :D

    BTW..I still love the occasional ice cold Busch crafted beer when found backpacking:
    Beer

    It was in the snow and FREE!!!!

    Or is that a different type of Busch craft we are discussing>???

    #1779512
    BlackHatGuy
    Spectator

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

    "My Dad is a recently retired sheet metal worker.

    He never watched sports…
    Used to read Kahil Gibran poetry…
    And loves to cook (like all Magnanti men)

    I'm so confused???? :D"

    Let me help you clear it up.

    NASCAR is not a sport.
    Kahlil Gibran didn't write poetry, he wrote dreck.
    Cooking, now there's a sport! Full contact cooking is one of my personal favorites.

    #1779514
    Fred Thorp
    Member

    @bfthorp

    I'm beginning to wonder how many here understand the basic definition. The OP maybe should have simply polled the groups voting record and cut to the chase.

    #1779516
    Paul Magnanti
    BPL Member

    @paulmags

    Locale: Colorado Plateau

    re: Kahil Gibran being dreck

    Hey…it was the 1960s and early 70s when he was popular. People claimed to like Sitar music, then, too! :D

    re: Cooking is a sport

    Nay..it's a lifestyle. ;) nI proudly live up to that particular ethnic stereotype. Helps Grandma was a kick-ass cook (and baker!) and set a good example for her son and grandsons.

    :)

    #1779520
    Kattt
    BPL Member

    @kattt

    Pretty sure it's Kahlil. And I just got The Prophet" out again, and my daughter is reading it. Some good Dreck.

    #1779523
    Paul Magnanti
    BPL Member

    @paulmags

    Locale: Colorado Plateau

    You are probably correct.

    My blue collar upbringing means I make some typos/misspellings from time to time. Esp about poets I only know from wedding readings and/or seeing sitting on Dad's bookshelf. :D

    (Notice the smiley face folks..move along. Nothing to see here. )

    #1779528
    Kattt
    BPL Member

    @kattt

    I was actually trying to pick on Doug. It's been a while ; )

    #1779529
    Steven Paris
    BPL Member

    @saparisor

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    I'm still reeling from Dale's hurtful comments about my Subaru! : )

    Maybe if I drive down to the food carts and eat with some tattooed and pierced urban designers I'll feel better.

    #1779530
    Kattt
    BPL Member

    @kattt

    "I'm still reeling from Dale's hurtful comments about my Subaru! : )"
    Me too!!!
    Then again, hardly anyone knows I have one; I drive my Ford Ranger with 260,000 miles on it, and save the white collar vehicle for my light weight backpacking trips..

    #1779544
    Justin Baker
    BPL Member

    @justin_baker

    Locale: Santa Rosa, CA

    Ultralight backpacking would only seem anti-capitalist if you are looking at capitalism in a very negative way. New companies popping out of nowhere and rising to become successful is very capitalist. Communism would halt that kind of innovation.
    It's very anti-corporation, but the beauty of a free market is you can destroy the massive corporations we all hate with your wallet. Just choose what you buy….

    #1779550
    Justin Baker
    BPL Member

    @justin_baker

    Locale: Santa Rosa, CA

    @Brian, I mostly post on bushcraftusa and sometimes it really seems like "gearcraftusa". However, bushcraters are the mostly thrifty people out there. They love buying stuff from thrift shops or flea markets. There are tons of threads on there about modding old butchers knives into beautiful looking custom bushcraft knives or turning a rusty old axe head into a shiny, useful tool again.
    Don't mix up survival or primitive skills with bushcraft. Ray Mears said to only carry what you need, and let nature provide the rest. That usually means carrying a minimum kit. I don't really think it matters if your pack is nylon or canvas, the principle is the same. I carry a dyneema pack with a norlund mini hatchet in one of the side pockets and I often throw up an improvised shelter with a fire in front to keep warm through the night.

Viewing 25 posts - 26 through 50 (of 53 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting

A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!

Get the Newsletter

Get our free Handbook and Receive our weekly newsletter to see what's new at Backpacking Light!

Gear Research & Discovery Tools


Loading...