[at-l] Purism

[AThiker@smithville.net (Felix)]

Jason Ball wrote:

> Dear Felix, the moral fibre you speak of is alive and well for 80% of the
> people. The other 20% unfortunately lie. If you were told by good ole Joe
> Blow that he did a thru and only he knew that he didn't (that means you
> couldn't tell he didn't:-)), are you affected.

If  20% of the factories in White Plains, NY dump toxic waste into the river,
I'm affected. Even if I never see it, I'm affected. Probably less than 5% of the
Joe Blows out there litter...but, I am affected by it.


>  Do other people have that much control over your life.
> You of all people, from what I have seen and heard, are no puppet.
> I would hate to think that everyone on this list needs to rely on others to
> finish a hike of any kind to feel whole.

Well, no one controls me (IRS notwithstanding). That doesn't mean they don't
affect me. Big difference between controlling and affecting.



> As long as you do what you say you
> do so that you know, that's what counts.

This kinda sounds like what I've been saying all along: Be honest.


> Does a patch make you better than
> someone else?

I've never, ever said that my hike was better than anyone else's. I think Bill
Irwin's hike was one of the greatest hikes ever. I don't even know if he hiked
the whole trail or not. That's how little it matters. Earl's hike in '98 was an
incredible hike because of his age and his gear. I don't know if he hiked it
all, or not. Patch's hike in '98 was incredible....I've never judged anyone
based on their hike.


> I don't expect to change your passion for truth telling hikers but I hope
> that you won't continue to suggest that Joes lie is unwinding the moral
> fibre of society.

But, it is. This isn't about truth-telling hikers. It's about truth-telling
people.


> My friend, we have to look no further than our own
> neighbourhoods to see people lying all the time. The guy who steals cable,
> runs the water for his/her grass when the summer ban is on, cheats on the
> taxes, the speeders, then we could move to the people in jail who steal,
> kill, rape. I wonder if they all started out by going on a hike, not
> finishing and lying about it.

Is that what anyone was saying? Is that what I implied? No. All I've said is to
be honest. That's been twisted into people thinking that I think my hike is
better than someone else's. It wasn't. It was a pretty damned good hike, though.



> Perhaps. But in the grand scheme, see how
> little a part it plays?

A few insurance frauds here and there don't either...I suppose.


--
Felix J. McGillicuddy
ME-->GA '98
"Your Move"
http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/