[pct-l] Imposing values

[Eric Lee]

Gourmet wrote:
>
I have a real problem with individuals external to the hike itself
attempting to impose their values on the hikers.  Yes, I know that some (The
mature?, The sane?) views this as an inherently unsafe activity, but who
makes them the Trail Police? Most people view even hiking the trail as an
unsafe activity.  I think this attempt oversteps the role of trail angel.
>

I know discussions along these lines are a perennial topic on PCT-L and
we'll never resolve it to everyone's satisfaction.  Still, I think there's
value in continuing to think through it.

On one hand, I'm a big believer in personal responsibility.  Make your own
choices, HYOH, and live with the consequences.  Yes, I'll loudly share my
opinion about what I think are wise or dumb choices but at the end of the
day my goal is to inform, not to force.  Thru-hiking is an intensely
personal, individualistic thing for many people and it should stay that way.
We don't need a PCT police force.

On the other hand, I believe that everyone who hikes the trail takes on a
responsibility to the trail community; those who live along the trail, those
who are hiking around them, and those who will hike after them in subsequent
years.  Certain choices don't affect just the chooser but impact everyone
around them.  When people trash hotel rooms, or deface property, or start
forest fires, or require expensive and *entirely avoidable* rescues; that's
unacceptable.  It doesn't impact just the offender.  The impact on others
reverberates long after the offender is gone; maybe for years, possibly
forever.  I think we as a community have the right and responsibility to
stand up and say that certain behaviors should not be tolerated.

I guess the old saying applies here: "Your right to swing your fist ends at
the tip of my nose."

Of course the trick is to figure out which is which, isn't it?  :-)

Eric