When Mors Kochanski used to come to the BushMoots to spend time with us 'bushcrafters' and share his vast knowledge of Bushcraft, he mentioned a couple of times at his frustration with the focus of some people on old skills = bushcraft, he taught us that the people from all those years and centuries ago would have used and taken advantage of any technological developments they could and so we should be happy to do the same.
He wasn't advocating that we abandon older materials and ways of doing things, it's good and sometimes essential that we have a solid foundation and a reliable skill set, but he was pointing out that we should not be blinkered or become too proud to progress and push the boundaries of what is possible now that often wasn't before.
People have the area of skills that they're happy with, want to dwell in and orientate their experiences around and that's cool, but that's not bushcraft, that's a single or just a few aspects of a many faceted lifestyle or hobby that comes under a large umbrella.
I think that was one of the key things I learned from Mors, it wasn't the carving stuff, or the survival shelters, crafts and skills, many of which are essential for general enjoyment and even survival if it hits the fan, it was the open mindedness of what it is to be a bushcrafter and the reminder that back in those old days they used the best of what they could get to survive and flourish.
Those that choose to only practice traditional skills from before the year 1800 or 1900 or 1500, good for them, I think they're amazing, those that combine skills from a hundred years ago with modern materials, good for them, I think they're amazing.
They're amazing because they're doing stuff that gets them out, they're learning about something they're interested in, they have at minimum a base level of skills that they can apply successfully in a tight spot and they've had to work for that. They enjoy the outdoors, respect it and want to share it's good influence with others. If your a traditionalist, I can learn from you, if you're modernist I can learn from you and I personally can become more than I am now. If I view things as there's only one way, my growth is stunted, those that only see bushcraft within fixed parameters are doing themselves a disservice and in my opinion are stunting their own growth and development.
Obviously this is just my opinion, but it's one of the reasons that conversations like this can happen on the forums, alongside conversations about homesteading, camper vans, knives, photography, friction firelighting, cordage, wooden cabins, foraging, gardening tools, soldering, mental health, fitness, conservation, hammocks, books, courses, leatherwork and much much more...