[at-l] Knowing that it's there.. and atml

[jestbill at yahoo.com (william fitzpatrick)]

You can't teach people anything at all until they are ready to learn.
The "general population" absolutely does not care about any "wilderness values"
and will not protect any land near them from development unless the development
affects them directly.  Sorry, you can make all the speeches you want, but
saving the AT from development has to be done either in a general way at the
national level or in a very "you really don't want this" way at the local
level.

This cell phone talk has taken a comic turn.  As I understand it, some are
actually saying that they rue the day CFs were invented.  

I remember stories about people who claimed that the invention of radio messed
up the weather.  I've heard that when Ben Franklin started putting up lightning
rods, some people claimed he was fighting the will of God--if God wanted to
smash someone's house with lightning that was up to Him and no one should
interfere.

The invention of the internal combustion engine has changed the family farm to
the factory farm.  It's a tradgedy!

Too bad.  There is no educational technique in the world that will stop the
spread of inventions with perceived benefit.  After they have spread, people
may start to see a need to restrict them, but only then, and only slowly.

How long did it take to start getting air pollution legislation affecting the
manufacture of automobiles?  I'll have a long gray beard before there will be
any real action to restrict the use of cell phones in the wilderness.

Talk to the Amish about how their advocacy of pre-industrial technology has
changed the course of Western history.


--- Raphael Bustin <rafeb@speakeasy.net> wrote:

> At 11:47 AM 8/7/2005 -0400, Jim Owen wrote:
> 
> >6. We haven't educated the general population about wind farms and condos.
> >If we had, we wouldn't be having the occasional battle - as in PA, with 
> >the race track (among others).  The general public no more understands the 
> >argument that the AT shouldn't be abutted by condos than the advocates for 
> >cell phone usage on the Trail understand the implications of what they 
> >advocate.  That doesn't make them terrible people - just ignorant of the 
> >consequences of what they do.  And that's a common human condition.
> 
> 
> I think you conflate a number of issues here.
> 
> First, I don't see myself as a cell phone advocate.
> I just don't go along with creating spurious and
> destructive "class divisions" between AT hikers
> over such matters. Us vs. them, strong vs weak,
> pure vs. impure, wise vs. naive, etc.
> 
> Second, I think it's unfair to suggest that all cell
> phone users or carriers are unaware of their
> impact, consequences, and implications.
> 
> You know, I wish there were far fewer automobiles
> on the roads today.  The consequences of auto
> (and fossil-fuel) use are enormous, possibly
> catastrophic on a global scale.  But since the
> alternatives are few in the USA, I own a car and
> drive to most places.
> 
> I think it's fair and proper to analyze technologies
> based on their cost-benefit.  If we were as honest
> about cars, SUVs, snowmobiles, personal
> watercraft (etc) as we are about cell phones,
> that would be a good start.  We should start
> thinking seriously about anything that uses
> fossil fuels, for example.
> 
> Third.  If we want "the general public" to become
> more aware of these issues, we need to get them
> on the trail, and have confidence that the trail
> itself will impart some enlightenment. We can't
> bludgeon the unwashed onto paths of righteousness.
> 
> There will always be tension between these goals:
> keeping the trail wild and keeping it accessible.
> It needs to be both, somehow.
> 
> 
> 
> rafe b
> aka terrapin 
> 
> 
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JestBill  Ga--->Me '03


		
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