I carry a lighter with me as a backup for emergencies and I would agree that cheap bic lighters are almost as dependable as ferro rods. That said, the reason I carry a ferro rod with me out into the bushand to light almost all of my fires in generalis because it makes me think of fire lighting differently. It forces me to think more fundamentally about the materials and the most efficient use of them. Using sparks or friction to light fires requires one to develop a decent level of firecraft skill, which is why I think so many people that practice bushcraft favor such methods. Using a lighter or match is fine for most people, but it's not preferable for Bushcrafters who enjoy the ritual of creating fire and being more involved in the individual steps.
If I have just a lighter or matches, I don't think of identifying or gathering the best tinder because it's not really necessary when you have an instant flame. In fact, before I learned how to light fires more primitively, it would take me ten times longer with an instant flame method than it does now using sparks. I would light my dry materials and get a decent flame going, only to have it go out a minute or two later. I would go through a small box of matches before I got a good fire started.
As far as being mass produced and unnatural; if you think about it, most things we take out into the bush is mass produced and/or unnatural. The steel in your blade, the clothes you wear, the vehicle you drive, the shoes you have on, your backpack, your compass, etc. were all likely mass produced or made of unnatural materials. The point, I think, is to reduce our dependance on unnatural things and instead look for alternatives in nature.
If I have just a lighter or matches, I don't think of identifying or gathering the best tinder because it's not really necessary when you have an instant flame. In fact, before I learned how to light fires more primitively, it would take me ten times longer with an instant flame method than it does now using sparks. I would light my dry materials and get a decent flame going, only to have it go out a minute or two later. I would go through a small box of matches before I got a good fire started.
As far as being mass produced and unnatural; if you think about it, most things we take out into the bush is mass produced and/or unnatural. The steel in your blade, the clothes you wear, the vehicle you drive, the shoes you have on, your backpack, your compass, etc. were all likely mass produced or made of unnatural materials. The point, I think, is to reduce our dependance on unnatural things and instead look for alternatives in nature.
