Re: [at-l] Re: purity

[bullard@northnet.org]

At 03:50 PM 2/13/00 -0800, KC wrote:
>> The world has a lot of liars and cheats. Making rules about what is/isn't
>a
>> thru-hike won't get rid of them.
>
>This has got me thinking,,,,I know bad idea. But why do people feel like
>they have to lie? My sister's husband is the same way. He says he was in nam
>and saved a helicopter from crashing (first off,,,he can't fly a
>helicopter),,,anyway,,,he lies about everything. I guess it is hard for
>someone that works as a janitor to admit to being a janitor,,and why? cause
>society looks down on janitors and up to heroes! Just a thought.
>    Same on the AT,,,if you don't thru hike (even if injury got you off the
>trail), if you aren't a purist, if you didn't do etc,,,,people think less of
>you,,,example the purists think they have hiked the right way and you didn't
>(not all purists) but I had a few that said I was missing the AT experience
>cause I wasn't a purist! anyway,,point being,,,maybe if we didn't judge one
>another so harshly,,,they wouldn't have to lie to live up to what is
>considered the "best."

I once ran a marathon. I was in a strange city and had brought no one with
me. As the race started folks along the route cheered as I went by. I
assumed they were cheering for someone near me since at the start of a race
you're in a group and I knew none of the observers. As the race went on the
group spread out and people continued to cheer as I went by, even if I was
running alone, no one else in sight before or behind. The winner that day
finished in under 2.5 hours. I finished in 4:59. People at the finish line,
whom I had never seen before, cheered me and yelled "good job".

The philosophy of the organizers was that everyone who finished was a
winner (I even got a medal to prove it) and that those for whom the race
was harder deserved as much recognition as those for who it was easier and
got to the finish line first. Anyone who watches the "Special Olympics"
will see a similar attitude. Perhaps we need to learn to celebrate each
person achieving their "personal best" rather than a winners over losers
attitude. If doing your very best were the only standard for status we
would all have "winning" within our grasp and there would be no motive to lie.


Saunterer
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