Author Topic: 3 Becs  (Read 1999 times)

BlueTrain

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Re: 3 Becs
« Reply #15 on: July 02, 2019, 11:48:21 AM »
It's difficult to come up with any statistics about labels. One thing is, the labels stuck on you by someone else may be something you never thought you were. In other words, the perception of you by others might surprise you. Sure, that's all my opinion, sloppy or not. Never heard an opinion called sloppy before but my posts aren't going to be especially academic, either. It doesn't follow that the labels are bad, however. It's just that sometimes others see you or identify you in a way that hadn't occurred to you before. You may do things that subcultures you never heard of commonly do and so you get another label. But don't get hung up on the idea of labels. I think they can be used in a bad way, especially at election time, but to most people, I suspect they're just handy words and they don't let them get in the way of anything. I'm sure you wouldn't be like that.

Although the opinion others have of you is important (my opinion again but ask your wife), it isn't as though other's opinion control your life. After all, their opinion (or label) could be wrong. If it is, how did that happen? It could be that what is important to you is different than what is important to them--at any given time. Values and priorities change.

I wasn't suggesting that one conform to one's friends, although that happens to some extent if you're going to maintain your friendship. It is likely you form friendships based on commonality, though that is hardly always true. But generally speaking, people don't start out alone unless perhaps they have relocated, which happens a lot in this country.

Interesting that you mention entrenchment. I think I understand what you mean. We believe in something and resist changing and the more others move away from those beliefs, the stronger we hold onto those beliefs (the one true faith). We dig in.
« Last Edit: July 02, 2019, 11:54:07 AM by BlueTrain »

jbeegoode

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Re: 3 Becs
« Reply #16 on: July 02, 2019, 08:18:51 PM »
Yes BlueTrain, not forgetting the labels, identities, stories, or beliefs that we adopt, or put on, or entrench in ourselves.

I suppose that I should make this official as this is much about Thoreau and Emerson. Somebody gotta say it:

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
Henry David Thoreau


Jbee
« Last Edit: July 02, 2019, 08:23:05 PM by jbeegoode »
Barefoot all over, all over.

BlueTrain

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Re: 3 Becs
« Reply #17 on: July 02, 2019, 08:32:52 PM »
Maybe we just can't keep up.

Please note that I have not thought of labels to assign to anyone here beyond nudist, which is implied from the nature of the forum. I don't know any of you nor do I necessarily think of people in terms of labels. In my real life, which sometimes happens to me, the sorts of labels I might come up with include very ordinary ones like "like," "dislike," "boring," interesting," and so on. And I expect people here have applied some of them to me, however unconsciously. Some people go out of their way to have labels on themselves, mainly in the form of multiple bumper stickers on their car. When I see that, I usually just conclude that they like bumper stickers and let it go at that. The only bumper sticker I would have on my car is "Bitte ein Bit." But I haven't found one yet. Even the German Gourmet store doesn't have any.

jbeegoode

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Re: 3 Becs
« Reply #18 on: July 02, 2019, 08:54:45 PM »
Ralph Waldo Emerson reiterates this precept of individualism in his line:

    "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

On the other hand, bushwhacking while naked does present some drawbacks, not encountered on the beaten path.
Jbee
Barefoot all over, all over.

BlueTrain

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Re: 3 Becs
« Reply #19 on: July 03, 2019, 12:28:27 AM »
That sounds more like Thoreau than it does Emerson in that as far as I know, Thoreau was the walker. He even claimed to have kept open the public pathways without remuneration from the town. These days, of course, the supposed backwoods ethic is to leave no trace. 'Real' backwoodsmen interpret that as to be stealthy when they practice their escape & evasion techniques.

On a more serious note, I have rarely gone off the trail, there usually being no reason to. In fact, the only time I remember doing that for any significant distance was to take a shortcut. I think I did that because of a change in the weather. Although I've mentioned, probably, that I like going out in all seasons, I don't really like going out in all kinds of weather. But when I was still employed, changing plans on short notice was not an option and I've been out when it was raining all day. On the other hand, being out when it's snowing is delightful to me.

Also on a more serious note, I keep the pathways open where I go regularly and a large number of trees and large branches seem to fall quite often, if not regularly. A few days ago, there was a news item of a woman being killed by a falling tree branch in Rock Creek Park, which is in the middle of D.C. Bad luck.

eyesup

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Re: 3 Becs
« Reply #20 on: July 12, 2019, 07:17:34 PM »
Clothes do not make the man. They make the image.
And for some, their image is more important than reality.

Duane