[at-l] Boredom (was Bryson's book)

[spiriteagle99@hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

Rafe wrote:
At 10:03 AM 9/14/2002 -0400, Weary wrote:
>>Trails  are  infinitely  variable  and  for  those who can see this
>>variability, boredom is less likely.
>
>You and Felix and Ginny are fortunate and blessed.  More
>power to you.
>
>A few of the rest of us may be lacking something essential, it
>would appear.

In part, Weary is right - if you're capable of seeing the infinite variety
of the Trail then boredom will rarely, if ever, find a foothold in your life
or your mind.  But that's only a partial answer because very few people are
actually observant enough to see that variety - and most of them are
observant enough to find the same kind of variety in their off-Trail lives
as well.  For example, we walked through Baxter and summited Katahdin with a
friend who was on his second thruhike and had never seen a moose.  As we
passed one of the ponds in Baxter, I was amazed to see him walk within 20
yards of a huge bull moose - without noticing the animal.  I had to call it
to his attention or he'd have finished a second thruhike without ever seeing
a moose.  It's amazing how common this "lack of attention" can be.

But even more common is the person who isn't comfortable with themselves,
with what's inside their own head and heart.  The inability to be alone with
one's own thoughts and emotions is something that's been not only fostered
but forced on us by the society in which we live.  Parents use the TV as a
babysitter; teenagers are in constant contact with each other, constantly
being "entertained" by music, TV or computers (or each other); even adults
are being taught to work as "teams" rather than take individual initiative
or be individually creative.  Twenty years ago I worked a job where I wrote
the specifications for the Control Center, designed and tested the mission
planning, command and data processing systems, installed the computers,
integrated 36 separate data bases, and was responsible for the planning,
operation and engineering evaluation of the scientific instruments, data
processing and RF transmission systems.   Seven years ago, I worked the same
kind of job - except that every decision, every action had to be the product
of a "team" and it took 30 people to do what I had done some years earlier.
>From cradle to grave, we're being transformed from a culture which prizes
individual thought and effort to a "socialized" culture in which we're never
out of contact with the rest of the world and we're never even remotely
responsible for our own thoughts, emotions or actions.  It's a rare activity
that (like hiking) demands the ability to delve into your own heart and mind
- and be happy with what's there.  Is it any wonder that most of those who
start the AT don't finish?  And of those who do finish, how many do so
carrying a radio or MP3 player?  And how many finish only because they
became part of a Trail "family"?  Even on the CDT this year (and I believe
this is a first) there were several Trail "families" that were formed.  Even
the CDT is becoming "socialized".  And we have all lost something of
ourselves in the process.

For some of us, the "socialized" culture that's developing is anathema.  The
Trail family that we once thought so wonderful has become a crutch and a
barrier to individuality and personal accomplishment.  The cell phone that
friends and relatives (and some hikers) insist is essential to safety and
communication has become a chain.  The "teams" that we're forced to work
with have become barriers to real creativity, to real accomplishment that we
can take pride in.  For some of us, at least, the Trail is freedom.  Freedom
from the regimentation of a society where we no longer fit (if we ever did).
  For some of us it's the only real freedom left.  Why would we not enjoy
every minute of it?

And then, some of us have no problem living inside our own heads and hearts.
  The Trail may be a Trial, but with all the pain and, as Weary puts it,
agony - it's bearable and indeed preferable to what we live with in the
other world.  Why would we not enjoy every minute of it?

In fact, on this subject Weary wrote -
>I  was  surprised  in '93 about the great number of hikers who hated their
>daily regime  --  who  just  wanted  to get to Katahdin -- or Springer --
>so the agony would end.

I have a different take on this - given the way most of todays youth are
raised, I think they deserve a great deal of credit for setting the goal and
then having or developing the commitment to finish the Trail regardless of
the "agony".  The amazing thing sometimes is that so many of them finish.

Back to "boredom" --- Kahley wrote:
>Somehow, this doesn't surprise me <VVVBG>.
>Serious question...since you refer to never in your life,
>is it possible that this could be a physical thing?  I mean
>a bio-chemical brain function thing?
>
>If some people are never bored and some people are always bored
>could there not be some bio medical, brain chemical observable
>quantifiable difference?  There are receptors in the brain just
>awaiting to be stimulated.  Maybe some people's receptors are
>more easily tickled?

I don't believe that - everything I've seen and experienced says that
boredom has little or nothing to do with the Trail.  It's entirely a head
and heart problem.  Not, as Rafe said, that those who get bored are "lacking
something", but rather that they have yet to learn what they need to
understand how interesting even the smallest parts of the world they live in
can be.  Or maybe they have yet to learn the lesson that Felix has to teach
- in his own words:
>It was about being where I was...and, taking that to Springer Mt.

That was Ginny's message, too.  And mine.  If you can't "BE" where you are -
how can you "BE" anyplace else.  "Living in the moment" is a wonderful
concept - but how many people actually do it?  How many are willing to even
learn to do it?  How many have learned to let go of both the future and the
past and live RIGHT NOW?  How many understand that RIGHT NOW is the only
time each of us has - or can - live in?  There is no past, there is no
future.  The past is dead and useful only with respect to what can be
learned from it.  The future is unknowable, and beyond the control of any
human being I've ever known or heard about.  How many understand that?  And
the answer to all those questions is - damn few.

To put that in simper terms - how many people are "guaranteed" that their
next breath won't be their last?  Answer - NONE of us.  Enjoy what you've
got - it's not permanent.

The lesson is there for those who would learn it.  The lesson is wasted on
those who would complicate it, question it or reject it.  And each
individual must necessarily make the decision to learn (or not) for
themselves.  In this - as with so many other things unrecognized by the
society we live in - the "team" approach, the constant communication that we
strive for, is nothing but a hindrance and a confusion - a noise to be
stilled if we're to learn and grow and become better persons.

Weary may see "that most do the trail for the purpose  of conquering the
trail -- of achieving a challenge."  I see that most are out there to
experience life, to learn about themselves and the Trail and the world they
live in, to grow, to become better persons -- to strive to become "fully
human."

As long as I'm rambling here -

For Clark - The AT is only 2168 miles long.  It requires less than a 12 mile
per day average to complete in 6 months. I see no contradiction in doing a
thruhike as well as maximizing your time on the Trail and, to paraphrase
your words - "experiencing dramatically greater plant, animal and scenery
diversity and richness of experience" - if that's your desire.

And finally, for Panzer - the greatest number of people who thruhike the AT
(some 70% of them) are introverts.  If you want a detailed breakdown come to
the Gathering - I think Red Owl will be there.  He's been studying this
precise question for at least the last 14 years and has detailed numbers and
analyses.

Enuff - most of you already knew I'm insane, now the rest of you know it.
Comes with the territory - all thruhikers are insane.  Multiple offenders
are even worse.

Walk softly,
Jim


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