Psychology and temperature
#51
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The willful act of failing to dress up to avoid extra energy expenditure is machismo. I won't go further into what i know about the biology behind it, but deliberately living a "tough" life outdoors when you have options reeks of ignorance and because of that is only for young men.
Ok, I will do that. I am not advising never stepping outside of comfort zones, but there is a line to be crossed when that becomes poisonous to you. There is nothing romantic to me about somebody losing a nose because they're cold tolerant and refused a balaclava. That is not pushing the comfort zone only the intelligence zone. I recognize you still want to prove yourself to the elements perhaps, but once you do that what then?
Personally, I'm very aware of my tolerances regarding cold exposure. I do my best to keep myself just shy of the injurious side of that line, so that I remain unharmed and still remain acclimatized to conditions that I frequently find myself in. I don't do this to "prove myself to the elements", for what does that even mean? The elements are atmospheric conditions, not intelligences that will be impressed by my stoicism in the face of adversity. No, I do this so that I will be less distracted by the cold, to greater enjoy the experience of being outdoors. I'm not living a "tough outdoor life", I just like to ski and bike and play outside, which means hanging out in some colder temps around these parts. The fact that I enjoy my warm apartment all the more for spending time outside and letting myself get cold is just a happy side effect.
There is a time and place for all of this, obviously. If you're sick, your body is already taxed, so it'd be wise not to push its limits. I'll push my cold tolerances in town, where I'm never more than 10 minutes from a warm building, but the backcountry is another matter. And just because you don't feel the need to wear a balaclava or extra shirt when you leave the house, having extra clothing in the pannier or backpack is always a good idea for when you change your mind mid-ride. Know thyself and be prepared, so that when you know you need to dress up, you have the ability to do so.
Sounds like you guys were cold or caught a chill, maybe a poet would do a better job...
At bus stop, frozen,
For knowledge do I suffer.
Say I, let it be.
No misunderstanding there. Maybe you should eat more bacon and gain some fat if you want to run around without your mittens on so you can feel like a real man and tougher than those weak people inside(who coincidentally you couldn't survive without).
And I don't believe that I ever stated or implied that cold tolerance is what makes a "real man", or that a lack of it means that someone is weak. The only thing that makes a real man is, to quote The Dude, a pair of testicles.
Last edited by GriddleCakes; 12-28-10 at 12:31 AM. Reason: miscounted my syllables :p
#52
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You still describe machismo, but the audience is simply yourself and me perhaps... no difference there.
Yes, it is sometimes necessary to push boundaries, so long as they are not false boundaries. That is a runaway train... but what do i mean false boundaries? Of course all boundaries are in a way imaginary, but when i say false boundaries, i mean those which we know full well have already been explored. The dishonesty comes from continually pushing that boundary and the pretending it was a new discovery. Why do this? Because there are other aspects to pushing the boundary other than exploration that people become addicted to, adrenaline in the physiological sense and pride in the psychological sense. You can see this everywhere, perhaps because people have gone stir-crazy.
Pushing boundaries, good on occasion when there is a real need to. Say you've lost your mittens on an ascent - not deliberately left them at home.
Many boundaries are there to protect us, some hold us back. Balaclavas don't hold me back personally.
Boundaries don't disappear after you push them, the physical world rules your body.
Continually pushing a boundary that you've explored, like mountain climbing without mittens, is unhealthy by many standards and may mean you've become addicted to the other effects. Masochism, adrenaline, ego even "exploration".
Sorry, i had written better examples but would have spent too much time to edit it. Nice Haiku... i've spent much time freezing by bus-stops also, but always wearing my mittens!
Yes, it is sometimes necessary to push boundaries, so long as they are not false boundaries. That is a runaway train... but what do i mean false boundaries? Of course all boundaries are in a way imaginary, but when i say false boundaries, i mean those which we know full well have already been explored. The dishonesty comes from continually pushing that boundary and the pretending it was a new discovery. Why do this? Because there are other aspects to pushing the boundary other than exploration that people become addicted to, adrenaline in the physiological sense and pride in the psychological sense. You can see this everywhere, perhaps because people have gone stir-crazy.
Pushing boundaries, good on occasion when there is a real need to. Say you've lost your mittens on an ascent - not deliberately left them at home.
Many boundaries are there to protect us, some hold us back. Balaclavas don't hold me back personally.
Boundaries don't disappear after you push them, the physical world rules your body.
Continually pushing a boundary that you've explored, like mountain climbing without mittens, is unhealthy by many standards and may mean you've become addicted to the other effects. Masochism, adrenaline, ego even "exploration".
Sorry, i had written better examples but would have spent too much time to edit it. Nice Haiku... i've spent much time freezing by bus-stops also, but always wearing my mittens!
#53
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I just had a recent blog post about this topic!
https://alternativecommutepueblo.blog...erception.html
https://alternativecommutepueblo.blog...erception.html
#54
Senior Member
I just had a recent blog post about this topic!
https://alternativecommutepueblo.blog...erception.html
https://alternativecommutepueblo.blog...erception.html
https://simplecycle-marc.blogspot.com...-can-make.html
I think it's all in our heads.
Marc
#56
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Griddlecakes brings up an interesting consideration. In the cultures of Native people, certain working groups, and other social groups, there may be more than peer pressure as a source of tolerance or intolerance for things like the cold. Reading stories by Tom Brown Jr. since I was in high school, I believe that there are psychological skills passed along if you have contact with the right people. Tom describes a test given to him and his friend by their teacher, an elder Apache and the grandfather to the other boy. Stalking Wolf was raised as a scout and shaman before his tribe was placed on reservation. Stalking Wolf told the two 10 year old boys to remove all of their clothing except undershorts, socks, and tennis shoes. He collected their belongings and left them to find their way home in the middle of a howling winter storm much like the one we have in Wisconsin this evening. After growing cold initially, they traveled for miles on trails they were familiar with, and broke into a sweat long before they made it home that evening. The key for them was to remember the lesson of the Chickadee, the only creature commonly seen out playing during a winter storm. In a later test when they were 13, Stalking Wolf had them remove their clothes and wade into a stream from snow covered banks. They weren't allowed to leave the water until they broke a sweat. I myself haven't gone to those lengths, but by force of will, I've allowed the cold wind to "flow through me." Without blocking it's heat stealing energy, I found that I could relax the tension in my shoulder and neck muscles that come with shivering, and felt myself grow warm to the point of comfort in cold winds and with minimal clothing. I've often wondered if it is much different from walking barefoot on hot coals and many other acts that require a certain state of mind. I have found that when I share the idea with others, that it takes faith in the idea before it can work for the other person. All I had to do is look at the clothing that native people wore in traditional dress during the Winter in Northern climes, and I have to believe that there must be something besides shear toughness to make living in these areas tolerable Winter after Winter.
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nick the swede
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