Technology in the Wild

[woodsorrel]

Hi Everyone!

In America, this picture has gone viral. It has spurred some interesting debate. You may have already seen this picture…

It was taken by CBS employee Eric Smith during a day out on the water. Here is an interview he gave to CBS:


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/man-on-cell-phone-misses-huge-whale-in-front-of-his-face/


While I chuckle at the photo, it means a bit more to me than just a laugh. I have the good fortune to take urban youth into the outdoors so I see how technology affects the way we relate to nature. It has the power to both enhance and destroy that relationship.

Here’s what I think it looks like when it works!

My long-winded observations are online (my notes) if you are interested. What does the whale picture mean to you? Have you seen changes in the way people relate to nature because of mobile technology?

Regards!

- Woodsorrel

 

[mousey]

I browsed through your notes link and found it quite interesting when folks were using technology to record their activities through photos and making notes I etc - would never think to use my phone / tablet as a 'note pad' but that's just me. Even though I'm relatively young and have grown up around and use technology extensively I still find I want to distance myself from screens, t.v.s, computers etc. - for my chill out time I'd rather read a book carve something or just sit still and enjoy a bit of quite [something or a rarity at my stage of life]

 

[Kerne]

Interesting, your second picture. I once took a group of a dozen or so disaffected teenagers for a night walk up Rhossili Down (On the end of the Gower peninsula, South Wales) They complained all the way. On top, I asked them to sit and be quiet for as long as possible and just look at the view (it was a bright, calm night with clear views over Carmarthen Bay and down the Bristol Channel. Pic here if you don't know the area - but not at night.) I couldn't believe the effect it had. There was silence for at least twenty minutes until one of them whispered:"Sir, isn't it getting a bit cold?" Very different atmosphere in the group on the walk back down to the campsite.

 

[woodsorrel]

Interesting, your second picture. I once took a group of a dozen or so disaffected teenagers for a night walk up Rhossili Down (On the end of the Gower peninsula, South Wales) They complained all the way. On top, I asked them to sit and be quiet for as long as possible and just look at the view (it was a bright, calm night with clear views over Carmarthen Bay and down the Bristol Channel. Pic here if you don't know the area - but not at night.) I couldn't believe the effect it had. There was silence for at least twenty minutes until one of them whispered:"Sir, isn't it getting a bit cold?" Very different atmosphere in the group on the walk back down to the campsite.

Great story and great picture!

- Woodsorrel

 

[woodsorrel]

I browsed through your notes link and found it quite interesting when folks were using technology to record their activities through photos and making notes I etc - would never think to use my phone / tablet as a 'note pad' but that's just me. Even though I'm relatively young and have grown up around and use technology extensively I still find I want to distance myself from screens, t.v.s, computers etc. - for my chill out time I'd rather read a book carve something or just sit still and enjoy a bit of quite [something or a rarity at my stage of life]

mousey, do you think your friends would elect to put down technology to enjoy nature for a while, if exposed to it?

- Woodsorrel

 

[Tengu]

Perhaps hes so used to the things he didnt notice it.

Me, it would have been "Hey, get that huge brute away from my precious yacht!" followed by blows from a boathook.

 

[WULF]

That's a great picture how close was that whale....

 

[woodsorrel]

Perhaps hes so used to the things he didnt notice it...

Tengu, I gave this some thought, too.

I link to my notes about the picture in the OP. I quote the chairman of the Amah Mutsun and talk about mindfulness. I think this applies directly to the picture. Even if you have seen whales before, ignoring one surfacing just feet away shows a lack of mindfulness. To me, this is the peril of technology in the wilderness.

He might as well have been in a shopping mall...

That's a great picture how close was that whale....

WULF, I don't know how close the whale was. But I have been within 5 meters of a California Gray Whale while sea kayaking. I was further north from where this picture was taken. The funny thing was that a man gave me a mysterious warning, "babies like to play with boats," before I set out in my kayak. When the whale swam past, I furiously back-paddled to get out of its way. In truth, I don't think it even cared that I was there.

- Woodsorrel

 

[demographic]

Could have just as easy had his head in a book, been looking the other way or whatever.
I don't have a problem with peoples freedom of choice really, as long as it doesn't harm me they can miss out on seeing as many whales as they want. <shrug>

 

[Tengu]

Yes, thats an interesting idea.

What if his head `had` been in a book? what would our attitudes have been `then`??

 

[feralpig]

I can see the angle some people are coming from. On the face of it, he's so busy playing with his electronics he fails to notice one of natures great wonders.
However, the guy don't exactly look like he's totally detached from nature. He's on a boat, with a surfboard attached. It might not be his, it might be the first time he's been out of his apartment in months. On the other hand, it might be his boat and surfboard. He might be completely knackered after surfing all day, and he's checking the weather forecast, or texting his mother for their weekly check in.
It's the sort of thing that happens, you float around the sea all week, do a bit of surfing, and a bit of fishing, nothing to tell stories about, and the moment you take your eyes off the job, a freaking great whale pops up to say hello, and you completely miss it.


After reading the article, it just looks to me like a man who is so used to seeing whales, that he is unfazed by it. I've seen city folk go loopy about horses in a field, and can't understand why I don't even notice them.

 

[woodsorrel]

Yes, thats an interesting idea.

What if his head `had` been in a book? what would our attitudes have been `then`??

Imagine if the title of the book was, How to spot whales!


demographic, you make a very good point! But his head wasn't buried in a book.

I agree that people have the freedom to do as they wish.

But mobile technology does affect you. It affects all of us.

Negatively, it affects us through the loss of wilderness. The loss can be because technology permeates the woods and we lose the "wildness." Or, because people become so disconnected from nature they see no need to respect/protect it. Our wilderness disappears either way. As bushcrafters, it is something to think about.

Mobile technology also has many beneficial aspects that can enhance our experience. Whether it is the digital camera that records our trip, the GPS that helps us navigate, the electronic field guide, or the PLB that gets us rescued.

Supporting freedom of choice is different from thinking that the choices do not affect all of us.


- Woodsorrel

 

[woodsorrel]

I can see the angle some people are coming from. On the face of it, he's so busy playing with his electronics he fails to notice one of natures great wonders.
However, the guy don't exactly look like he's totally detached from nature. He's on a boat, with a surfboard attached. It might not be his, it might be the first time he's been out of his apartment in months. On the other hand, it might be his boat and surfboard. He might be completely knackered after surfing all day, and he's checking the weather forecast, or texting his mother for their weekly check in.
It's the sort of thing that happens, you float around the sea all week, do a bit of surfing, and a bit of fishing, nothing to tell stories about, and the moment you take your eyes off the job, a freaking great whale pops up to say hello, and you completely miss it.

This might very well be true. Ask me about the lions I didn't see while in the bathroom...

- Woodsorrel

 

[WULF]

WULF, I don't know how close the whale was. But I have been within 5 meters of a California Gray Whale while sea kayaking. I was further north from where this picture was taken. The funny thing was that a man gave me a mysterious warning, "babies like to play with boats," before I set out in my kayak. When the whale swam past, I furiously back-paddled to get out of its way. In truth, I don't think it even cared that I was there.

- Woodsorrel

Now that would worry me
No doubts a great experience getting so close but awareness must be important.
Thanks for that mate

 

[Harvestman]

The thing is, it is entirely possible to get accustomed to the remarkable. I once had the good fortune to find myself less than 5 feet from a wild barn owl, which just sat and looked at me. Fantastic experience, and I took lots of pictures and couldn't believe my luck. 10 or 15 minutes later I'm thinking "Ok, its an owl. I'll never get this close to a wild one ever again, but I've seen all there is to see here" and I walked away.

 

[WULF]

The thing is, it is entirely possible to get accustomed to the remarkable. I once had the good fortune to find myself less than 5 feet from a wild barn owl, which just sat and looked at me. Fantastic experience, and I took lots of pictures and couldn't believe my luck. 10 or 15 minutes later I'm thinking "Ok, its an owl. I'll never get this close to a wild one ever again, but I've seen all there is to see here" and I walked away.

Ive never had that opportunity yet

 

[Tengu]

In that second pic, do I spy a mobile mast?

 

[demographic]

Yes, thats an interesting idea.

What if his head `had` been in a book? what would our attitudes have been `then`??

Hundreds of years ago I have no doubt that there will have been people having the same conversation about people reading when interesting things happened around them.
People reading new fangled books when they could be... etc... ad infinitum.

People reading newspapers on the train when they could be talking, now some people don't buy a paper, they get the news on their pad/phone/laptop. Is that much different?
And at the end of the day we are typing this all out on a computer when we could be out in the wilds, blah blah blah.

I really don't see the problem, its their choice.

 

[Paul_B]

Perhaps he's looking at all the photos he'd just taken of the whale tracking his boat. That photo could be the boat and whale keeping pace or a pod of whales and he'd taken plenty of photos already.

I've seen some interesting nature. I once saw a hen barrier hunting in the forest of Bowland. A rare enough sight but after 10 minutes watching it I walked off a bit bored. They're rare enough birds to just catching a glimpse is memorable but you can have too much better a good thing sometimes.

I doubt that's the case, he's a prat missing something special texting a mate probably. That's not technology's fault. My phone is camera, video, music player, road atlas for the whole world, GPS, emergency communication device (telephone) and a library. It's also a field guide, bird spotters log, got an app that lets you see local spotted birds so you don't miss those rare visitors inn your patch. Plus other uses with real value for an outdoors lover. It's a positive and a negative at times. Condemning tech is an easy mistake to make but it's a tool just like your favorite knife, axe or binoculars.