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"Alone"
Mar 27, 2017 16:20:55 GMT -8
Post by stealthytomato on Mar 27, 2017 16:20:55 GMT -8
I'm reminded of a backpacking podcast I listened to last week. It was a bunch of people chatting about hiking and what being on the trail (specifically through-hiking) meant to them. It just felt a little off to me (I wasn't relating) and finally understood that they were Millennials. There was just something different, like the slightest hint of an accent in someone's speech, searching for hints to tip you off as to it's origin. I can't quite pinpoint it but I still think about it and why I felt that way.
How do younger hikers deal with that digital isolation? Is it harder, more foreign? Or do you think it's the same for every generation, just with different technologies? It never occurred to me that different generations might view the wilderness differently. Naive I suppose....
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geosp
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"Alone"
Mar 27, 2017 21:09:55 GMT -8
Post by geosp on Mar 27, 2017 21:09:55 GMT -8
Stealthytomato, I'd think those always used to constant connection would find it strange to be out of contact for any length of time. I doubt whether that would bother them all though. Different folks, different strokes. I suspect there is an overall generational shift in what is expected though. Article here illustrates the apparent different attitude with many as regards 'lack of social communication'... Rejection of maritime careersMaybe that same thinking would affect the decisions of some as to whether to venture into a 'signal-less' wilderness for any period of time. Though I guess many probably backpack just to get away from cellphones!
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Post by mtngrl on Mar 28, 2017 9:22:34 GMT -8
Geosp, that is what I experienced after spending time at our cabin in AK, and then returning to our house in Anchorage. Wow, the amazement of just flipping a switch and the lights go on. Easy heat, water with just the touch of the faucet, easy bath, easy cooking. Really brings an appreciation to mind.
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Post by Lamebeaver on Mar 28, 2017 10:01:35 GMT -8
I don't really think Millennials are that much different. Yes, they may take more things for granted, but 20 - 30 years ago, you could go to a party and mention that you're heading into the wilderness for a week. I'm sure you've seen the blank stares and answered the questions...
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Mar 28, 2017 10:18:54 GMT -8
I've gone on a few 10+ day solo backpacks. I'd occasionally run into another person. I carried a cell phone that got service every couple days... but that was for my wife's peace of mind. Otherwise, I could have left it at the trailhead without hesitation.
I feel more "connected" in the woods than I do in a big city.
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tomas
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"Alone"
Mar 28, 2017 16:35:43 GMT -8
Post by tomas on Mar 28, 2017 16:35:43 GMT -8
I feel more "connected" in the woods than I do in a big city. Ayup.
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BigLoad
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"Alone"
Mar 28, 2017 17:57:26 GMT -8
Post by BigLoad on Mar 28, 2017 17:57:26 GMT -8
I don't really think Millennials are that much different. There's one key difference: they have less accumulated damage on average. Some of them are in pretty good shape, too. It looks like my next trip will be 7 days solo, since my partner just had to bail. He's a great guy, but I'll enjoy the solitude.
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Hungry Jack
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Living and dying in 3/4 time...
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Post by Hungry Jack on Mar 29, 2017 20:00:38 GMT -8
it might be easy to confuse loneliness and being alone. The former is about an absence of human bonds. The latter is about an absence of humans. You'll never be alone in midtiwn Manhattan, but it can be a lonely place.
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walkswithblackflies
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"Alone"
Mar 30, 2017 4:53:28 GMT -8
Post by walkswithblackflies on Mar 30, 2017 4:53:28 GMT -8
Expanding on Hungry Jack 's thoughts, an interesting dynamic of the show... If you were stuck in a deserted place by accident, your want to see your friends/family again might be the reason you persevere and continue to survive In the show, knowing you can push a button and see your friends/family again, those bonds work against you
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"Alone"
Mar 30, 2017 7:10:56 GMT -8
Post by autumnmist on Mar 30, 2017 7:10:56 GMT -8
I think Millennials are also more environmentally conscious. I remember that we still used burn barrels when I was a child. So we adapted to it gradually, community by community until now it's automatic with garbage service (at least in my area). Millennials grew up with the concept that recycling is a part of daily life. But youth of today are also growing up with the concept that tech devices are just as much a part of life as doing dishes by hand used to be for us. And e-waste is still a major problem that hasn't been resolved.
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Post by ashepabst on Mar 30, 2017 7:58:22 GMT -8
finally understood that they were Millennials. There was just something different, like the slightest hint of an accent in someone's speech, searching for hints to tip you off as to it's origin. I can't quite pinpoint it but I still think about it and why I felt that way. How do younger hikers deal with that digital isolation? Is it harder, more foreign? I think that there must be a difference --even if subtle-- in how Millenials experience social interactions because of technology. Gen Xers spent their formative years in much the same ways that the Baby Boomers did. but Millennials grew up in a world where a lot of their social interactions could be experienced through technology. is it the same experience? surely not. Back to your question: Is it harder for this age group to go without technology or to be content in solitude? I wonder if it's actually easier for them to be alone.
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desert dweller
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Post by desert dweller on Mar 30, 2017 8:36:58 GMT -8
I remember that we still used burn barrels when I was a child. So we adapted to it gradually, community by community until now it's automatic with garbage service (at least in my area). A lot of actions and attitudes in the past was due to cultural acceptance and knowledge. The rural side of my family burned all their trash in 55 gallon barrels and through their cigarette butts out the car window. It's just the way it was. Fortunately, there have been changes in how our society works. That change was due to education about our influence on the environment.
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Hungry Jack
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"Alone"
Mar 30, 2017 9:44:38 GMT -8
Post by Hungry Jack on Mar 30, 2017 9:44:38 GMT -8
My experience with Millennials here in Chicago is a bit different. The 20-somethings that live in the apartment complex adjacent to my property make occasional use of my blue bin. I often find soiled food containers and non-recyclable grades of plastic in the bin. I applaud the effort, but it is not hard to get educated about what exactly can be recycled.
Then there is the plethora of cigarette butts on the sidewalks. A choice I will never understand--both to smoke, and then flip the butts onto the sidewalk when the gutter will see them either swept up by the street cleaner or swept into the filtration system.
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