Bear Hating

[Satyr]

I have been out of circulation for a while and checking back on here there seems to be more anti Bear Grylls sentiment than ever before.

Really it is almost comical but also slightly worrying that because someone does things on TV for entertainment he catches a serious amount of flack from people who probably could not do half of the things he does. I pay to do things like gorge walking and climbing and he gets paid to do it - is all the flack just jealousy?

Door open for all the usual "it is not real" or "it gives the wrong idea to people", etc. In answer to that - nor is most of TV. Most "reality TV" and many documentaries are staged - even Ray Mears is staged and all things done for the camera.

 

[Toddy]

Well that came rather out of the blue.

Bear hating ? and here I thought someone had a phobia but there aren't any real bears left in the UK, so wondered what you were on about.

Honestly, if that's my reaction, I do think you're seeing a problem where there isn't one.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[sxmolloy]

Personally I envy him, he gets paid to do something he loves and is passionate about. He seems like an OK guy too, obviously a devoted family man.

 

[rg598]

I haven't seen any "Bear Hating" here lately. I can't think of any thread that has involved him in some time now other than the one about the new show.

Even, so people are free to like and dislike whoever they want. It is not at all unreasonable that on a forum where people take the subject of wilderness skills seriously, there is dislike of a person who misrepresents and sensationalizes those skills for purposes of entertainment. Just because other TV programs are just as bad, doesn't make his any better.

 

[potboiler]

As "Top Gear" is to motor maintenance, so Bear is to bushcraft. Not Bear hating, but some people might think that it diminishes something they take seriously, whereas others derive enjoyment. You pay your licence fee, you take your choice...

 

[Tiley]

I haven't seen any "Bear Hating" here lately. I can't think of any thread that has involved him in some time now other than the one about the new show.

Even, so people are free to like and dislike whoever they want. It is not at all unreasonable that on a forum where people take the subject of wilderness skills seriously, there is dislike of a person who misrepresents and sensationalizes those skills for purposes of entertainment. Just because other TV programs are just as bad, doesn't make his any better.

I couldn't have put it better!

 

[Macaroon]

I have been out of circulation for a while and checking back on here there seems to be more anti Bear Grylls sentiment than ever before.

Really it is almost comical but also slightly worrying that because someone does things on TV for entertainment he catches a serious amount of flack from people who probably could not do half of the things he does. I pay to do things like gorge walking and climbing and he gets paid to do it - is all the flack just jealousy?

Door open for all the usual "it is not real" or "it gives the wrong idea to people", etc. In answer to that - nor is most of TV. Most "reality TV" and many documentaries are staged - even Ray Mears is staged and all things done for the camera.

Why do you care so much? It's showbiz, and that's all it is; it counts for nothing whatsoever in the real world; it's meaningless!

 

[ZEbbEDY]

hate is a strong word

more like meh!

 

[Will_]

I love Bear Grylls
He's probably the worst survival instructor in the world - I think anyone in a survival situation who acted like Bear would drastically reduce their chances of coming out alive!
But he makes great exciting TV, and I like watching his shows, even though I'm often chuckling or cringing.

 

[Joonsy]

couldn't care less, it has no bearing on my life whatsoever.

 

[ged]

You pay your licence fee...

No, I don't.

But I can't agree with the suggestion that it's meaningless. When kids are watching some jerk playing tennis with live bats I have to ask does The Scout Association want a role model or a business model?

In fact I did ask, in writing, but I didn't get a reply.

 

[Wayland]

I haven't seen any "Bear Hating" here lately. I can't think of any thread that has involved him in some time now other than the one about the new show.

Even, so people are free to like and dislike whoever they want. It is not at all unreasonable that on a forum where people take the subject of wilderness skills seriously, there is dislike of a person who misrepresents and sensationalizes those skills for purposes of entertainment. Just because other TV programs are just as bad, doesn't make his any better.

No, I don't.

But I can't agree with the suggestion that it's meaningless. When kids are watching some jerk playing tennis with live bats I have to ask does The Scout Association want a role model or a business model?

In fact I did ask, in writing, but I didn't get a reply.

Says it all for me...

 

[GGTBod]

I blame him (and all other tv survivalists since Bush Tucker Man) for the deluge of idiots with bags of beer cans and a knife and fire striker who hang out in local woodlands less than a mile from where they live 'bushcrafting', or as it appears to be to me is they are getting drunk and playing with knives, axes and fires and leaving a right mess behind them.

 

[cranmere]

I don't hate BG, but I dislike the arrogant and self-aggrandizing character that he presents in the media. Like GGTBod I suspect he's encouraged an attitude towards bushcraft that isn't entirely positive. At least Mears has a respect for the natural world even if he gets a bit over-blown about it sometimes.

 

[British Red]

Me, I dislike his acts of animal cruelty, I find his stunts dangerous and encouraging bad practice to the easily led. Many will say "he is just making a living" but I hold many people who make a great deal of money in contemptible ways in scant regard. I don't hate the man - he isn't worthy of such a strong emotion - but I do find him pitiful.

 

[Tony]

OP's got us talking about him now

I'm not bothered, I've heard he's a nice guy and that's enough for me, he inspires a lot of people to get out and do more even if we do view some of his stuff as over the top or even unwise, I think that on the whole he's a guy that does more good than bad and I have no issue with him at all, if i did i'd not air it on here as it would be inappropriate.

It's easy to knock him, same as it's easy to knock Ray and others, but we've generally have no idea about their lives etc and we make judgments, I hope people don't make judgments about me based in snippets of my life.

They are nice enough guys with human foibles, pressures and all the rest of it, even if i take or leave what they produce for consumption I can't bring myself to judge them as people as some tend to do, seems very unfair considering my limited knowledge of them....

 

[GGTBod]

You could easy visualise the carnage left behind by a couple of eager youngsters trying to have a BG evade and survival weekend like their idol describes in his previous shows, damage from nature being used as a commodity whose only purpose is this single individuals survival only there to be exploited all over the place and two kids dead from salmonella poisoning because they ate a live grass snake.

Many people out there believe everything they see on TV sadly

 

[TurboGirl]

As "Top Gear" is to motor maintenance, so Bear is to bushcraft.

Whatever the right or wrong of the OPs and others veiws, I think your quote is marvellous

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

I don't hate BG, but I dislike the arrogant and self-aggrandizing character that he presents in the media. Like GGTBod I suspect he's encouraged an attitude towards bushcraft that isn't entirely positive. At least Mears has a respect for the natural world even if he gets a bit over-blown about it sometimes.

I think the point is hes not anything to bushcraft. Titles like born survivor should give the clue. Yes he will use some skills employed in bushcraft but hes trying to get out not chill out (hilton not withstanding )

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

[Toddy]

I went looking to see what he was up to now. I honestly hoped that he'd put the worst excesses of animal cruelty and faux survival behind him

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...les-ordinary-people-survival-specialists.html

He seems quite happy to fake everything

M