Being of the younger generation, there are a lot of points that you make, Mike, that I agree on, but the reasons therefore I do not. >They are also a relatively poorer generation - larger student loans to pay off, fewer opportunities for jobs and advances etc. It's disturbing that they are so lazy (I refrain from using the term sedentary).< Our generation was brought up with gizmos and gadgets that allowed us to get things done faster. During my life the VCR, microwave, computers and email, fax machine, answering machine, pager, mobile phone, and online shopping (from outdoor gear to groceries) have all been invented. We can have just about everything delivered, and have it now -- because we have Federal Express next day air. And a good job is one where you sit in an office or cubicle with a computer for over 60 hours a week -- anything less, you're a slacker. We've been flashed pictures - whiz, bang, zoom from the TV and movies... give me an example of a 30 second ad, marketing our generation, that has less than 15 camera angle changes. We've learned that if you can't have it now, then go somewhere else where you can. Rush-hour is not okay, it needs to be Rush-quarterhour. We need to be there NOW. Time is precious, wake-up, go to work (skip breakfast, or microwave a cup of instant coffee), work all day (10 to 12 hours - lunch at your desk), brave rush-hour, microwave dinner, check email, voicemail (oh yeah, and that pesky snailmail), pop-in a video, fall asleep... do it all again tomorrow. Weekends - do laundry, pay bills, figure out which one you'll be late on, paddle a little, have dinner with a friend, and discuss how you're going to fit in a vacation to Baja next winter. Make sure you write everything down in your day planner, or you'll miss an appointment. It's not laziness... it's impatience. We don't have time to be lazy. Relax, what's that? Have you seen "Office Space"? That's me, except the criminal part, and the job I have at the end is kayak instructor/guide. >>the younger generation would rather an easier to learn and less physically demanding winter sport (read snowboarding).<< hmm... snowboarding. I'm primarily a skier, but I've snowboarded a little. I think what you might have been looking for here is *faster*. Snowboards are faster, and were invented for expression. The ME generation taught us to be individuals, to express ourselves. This is a sport that you can do just that, and don't have to be on a team to do it. It's about being extreme, doing something your parents don't, and being able to do it yourself without help from others. >>These kinds of things conspire against kayaking as an activity for the majority of the younger generation. The entry cost is quite high as others have noted and there is a reasonable level of fitness and aerobic capacity required to do much more than putter around a lake.<< Although, I'm an avid sea kayaker, you'll find the younger generation on the river... where's it much easier and faster to achieve the adrenaline rush. It's the younger generation (even younger than I am) that still believes that they're invincible. Some will learn that there are risks, some won't -- those that won't will be our next Olympians. River boats are much cheaper and even more so when used. You can easily get all your gear for under $600 used. >the younger generation's desire to have it all right away (it takes too long and is too hard to build).< Some believe that, some don't. It's all about having what you want, when you want it. It's been engraved by technologies not created by us, but marketed to us. It's learned impatience. >There are certainly many, many examples of good kids, but there seem to be too many that do nothing but hang around smoking and complaining. We made the environment in which they live and should do something to change it if possible.< As youngsters we were taught to do things on our own. Our high school sports teams were taken away from us, our group music classes were taken away from us, our parents were divorced -- or both working. After school team sports were available as kids but not as readily available for our teen years. It's no wonder we go out and venture on our own, struggling to find a place to fit in. We become independent-dependents. Like generations before, we all learn as we get older. We teach ourselves what kind of people we want to be, and what we want to do to reach that goal. Sometimes it's teaching ourselves to be a functioning part of a team or group. Sometimes it's knowing that we like being alone, and taking up activities that allow us to do so. That's the good thing about paddling, you can do either depending on your mood. My generation has struggled to "unlearn, what we have learned". To become better people and to teach our children that patience is a virtue and something to be respected. That's was more than two cents, but I'm done now. :) Thanks, Shoni Blue The only thief of dreams is Fear. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
> During my life the VCR, microwave, computers and email, > fax machine, answering machine, pager, mobile phone, and online shopping > (from outdoor gear to groceries) have all been invented. The Fax was invented before the telephone, over 150 years ago. Computers, 200 years (Babbage)? Micorwaves, Queen Victoria could have talked across London if she'd wanted to, the technology was there (Maxwell et al). Photography is well over 150 years old, TV was regularly broadcast before the Second World War. But then again, some of our paddlers are old......... Alex -- ---------------------------------------------------- Alex Ferguson a.ferguson_at_chem.canterbury.ac.nz Electronics Workshop, Chem Dept, Univ of Canterbury Christchurch, New Zealand *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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