[at-l] spreading fear etc

[adufresne@carnegiehall.org (Dufresne, Aimee)]

the Ten Essentials?
aimee (revealing her ignorance)

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim and/or Ginny Owen [mailto:spiriteagle99@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2001 7:58 AM
To: at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: [at-l] spreading fear etc


David, one thing to remember.  A lot of people are on these lists who have 
VERY little experience.  They look to the experienced hikers to teach them 
what they need to know to backpack. Sometimes a hiker gets flamed, not for 
what they actually did, but for seeming to promote practices that can be 
dangerous for others.  The long ago umbrella wars had nothing to do with the

usefullness of carrying an umbrella, and everything to do with a perception 
that newbie hikers were being told, "Go ahead, leave your rain gear at home,

even in winter.  An umbrella is all you need."  For the speaker, that may 
have been true, for the newbie out in the Georgia mountains in March, that 
could get them killed.  So, while everyone does things that are 
stupid/dangerous/iffy - because they seem to be the best thing to do at the 
time, and we usually get away with it - we may get flamed if we seem to be 
telling others "Go ahead, be stupid, dangerous and iffy too.  If I survived 
it, so will you."  It's like teaching people to carry the Ten Essentials.  
It's a good idea, and with experience hikers can figure out whether they 
really need all the items or not.  As an unwilling veteran of many flamewars

I can tell you, and Brawnie, this too will pass.  Eventually, all will be 
forgiven if not forgotten.

Ginny
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