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Re: [AT-L] re: Electronics

Hi Ginny,

> So, I 
> think that the walkman at least, by 
> splitting you between the two 
> realities, is as unnecesary and 
> distracting as the computer and 
> telephone are.  I love the trail 
> reality - the simplicity, the serenity, 
> the fact that it is life at its most 
> basic - why screw up a good thing? 
> Ginny "Spirit Walker" Owen 

How do you feel when you see someone else wearing a walkman? Angry? Upset? 
Enough of an intrusion for you to ask that person to put it away? Or turn it 
off?

All things I have seen with phones, pagers, and computers.

What you say rings true for me as well, but my curiosity is in regard to the 
strong reaction of others to presence of these items. I socratically argued 
for the sake of learning, "What if it enhances my hike?". I haven't heard 
anyone ever make this argument. There could be a 100% agreement that the only 
time someone brings these devices into the woods, it is because they must.

Jim raised an excellent question. What were the experiences of those hikers 
who decided to try and bring a computer on a hike?

I haven't noticed any responses yet.

You raise a another excellent point. Every decision we make regarding what we 
take with us on the trail (in life?) affects our perception. It isn't limited 
to cameras or other "technology", which clothing, how much, tent no tent, 
whether your stove or filter drives you to distraction will impact on your 
hike.

For me, bringing the right stuff has made and broken my hikes. The best thing 
would probably be to bring nothing.

If gear selection wasn't complicated enough, this will defnitely push it over 
the top :)

Has your choice of taking a camera ever caused someone to ask you to put it 
away? Reagrdless of the personal impact both positive and negative.

Daniel


Daniel Berlinger                      Circumstance Technology
http://www.circumtech.com/                Virtuality Designer
    Linkwright  Data Poet  Systems Anarchist  Idiosyncrat  
Interactivist    Herder of Cats    Zero Tolerance For Silence