Originally posted by starzero
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More people are getting into "the outdoor experience" for reasons other then love of the outdoors or for solitude. It's becoming the "in" thing. In fact it's currently very "new-agey".
Subsequently it's attracting people who want the experience but not the work and time involved in obtaining it. It's like when i was involved with Martial Arts (Kempo). We had many people sign up who wanted to learn how to fight, but didn't want to put any time into the meditation and discipline part of it. In other words they want the reward without the effort.
We also have the case now where people are getting into it because it's "cheaper".
So, in my opinion, the QUALITY of the average backpacker, hiker, camper, etc has deteriorated and not as many people share the love and protectiveness for the wilderness that all of us feel.
Look at this forum, a great deal of people from different walks of life, who disagree on many things, yet respect each other for passion we share, Love of the Outdoors. This forum also becomes an educational tool for those people who are just starting out and who WANT to learn the proper way to do things. Now, how many people are there out there who are starting out that never do any research at all? I would guess that the disparity in number is high and that the people who don't seek knowledge outnumber those who do by a substantial margin.
Finally, I'll repeat myself. If someone is old enough to hike and doesn't know that it's improper and inconsiderate to defecate by the trail or lean-to, and to litter whether it's TP, candy wrappers or empty water bottles, I don't believe that any education is going to have an impact.
Hawk
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