The Importance of Human Connection to the Development of Self

Throughout human history, mankind has always understood the role of community. Even the early Samarians, understood the importance of group dynamics, although, they may not have identified it as such. In most early cultures, men and women knew their role within their society. These roles were and are developmental in the construction of each individual’s self image. The individual’s role within the community defined who or what a person would become. And, through this communal connection a person finds “self.” This concept, in modern times, is known as the development of the self. When most Americans hear the word self it tends to conjure images of singularity and individuality. But, this American or western mindset is not the only mindset. Many other cultures throughout our world believe that the self can only develop through a solid connection with the community one lives in. The latter viewpoint is much older and time honored. Even the modern day idea of individual rights and freedoms is built on a connection to community. The self and its subsequent development is inexplicably connected to others. Self is best thought of as connected. The self is inescapable connected to other people through continuity, human interaction, and inequality.
In today’s modern world, the individual is seen as separate from his/her peers, an entity onto his or herself. Control over a person’s life lies completely with the individual. This mindset is relatively new to our global culture. The concept of disconnected individualism did not start to flourish until the industrial revolution. And, it has come to be synonymous with modern Western thought. Of course, in the past, there have been exceptions. Kings, clergy men and tyrants have always held some degree of disconnected self and therefore, it could be said never developed a true sense of self. Throughout time, the most successful rulers were the ones most connected to the people and society over which he or she ruled. A clear example of how even a person who appears disconnected to his/her community is, in reality, part of that community, and as a result of this connection, will be influenced by it.
It is clear, at least in my mind, that modern Western thought does not lend itself to the speculation of self. The erosion of our dependence on community, as a means for survival, has muted people’s connections to each other and consequently themselves. As a result, self has become secondary to individuality. Yet, because Western thought does not places importance on communal connection, the concept of self is being at best muted, at worst disregarded. Clearly, a feeling of mutual communal connection is foundational to the development of self. Even in an age of unprecedented human connection, the lack of the communal connection felt in modern societies has translated into a lack of a true understanding of self.
The self is depended on continuity. Without a connection to past generations, people loss site of who they are. Identifying self is very difficult when one has no point of reference. The effects of losing continuity with the past are most prevalent in societies that have been subjugated and/or oppressed. W.E.B. Dubois illustrates this in “The Souls of Black Men” when he laments, “The negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-site in this American world,--a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world.” Dubois understood that the Negro’s lack of connection to their past was hindering their ability to develop a sense of self. Even freedom did not immediately help the American slave to find or develop a sense of self. The loss of their past was too great. For too many years slaves attempted to connect with the past through their white owners. And, although a form of self did develop within the slave population, it was a distorted or false sense of self. Once the American Slave attained freedom, he/she did not know his/her place in the new order. On one hand, the freed slaves were seeking self from the white oppressors and on the other hand, seeking self from a past they did not know. Dubois expressed this when he wrote, “Here in America in the few days since Emancipation, the black man’s turning hither and thither in hesitant and doubtful striving has often made his very strength lose effectiveness, to seem like absence of power like weakness.” The confusion was not a sign of weakness it was a result or consequence of the systematic loss of some sense of continuity. Whenever an individual or a group of individuals loss their connection to the past, the self will either be distorted or non existent.
True development of the self requires direct interaction with others. Proof of this can be found in my college text book entitled, Society the Basics, by John Macionis. It tells the story of Ann a young girl found in 1938. Her arms, legs, and head were bound so she could not move and seven years of her life were spent this way in a windowless storage room. Ann’s mother gave the child only enough food to keep her alive and never engaged in meaningful interaction with the child. Thankfully Ann was rescued, but the damage was already done. Ann had no sense of self, and even after years of therapy, Ann never attained any semblance of who she was or could become. Of course, this is an extreme example, but it clearly underscores the importance of human interaction to the development of self. Without direct human interaction the self has nothing to model itself after. Ifeanyi A. Menkiti expresses this in his essay “Person and Community in African Traditional Thought.” when he wrote, “We must also conceive of this organism as going through a long process of social and ritual transformation until it attains the full complement of excellencies seen as truly definitive man. And during this long process of attainment, the community plays a vital role as catalyst and as prescribes of norms.” In my mind, this quote is a sort of map to selfhood. It clearly expresses the direct link between full development of self and the need for human interaction. Developing the self without human interaction is like a painter, locked in a completely dark room, and asked to paint something he has never seen.
The affects of inequality, in regards to the development of self, should not be taken lightly. There can be no inequality without two opposing groups connecting in some way. Even if the connection is damaging- it is a connection none the less. It does not matter if you are being oppressed by inequality or the oppressor of inequality, the result is the same, a distorted view of self. I have mentioned the plight of the African American in western society earlier in this essay. And of course, inequality played a role in the lack of self the Negro felt and even feels today. But, the African American is not the only group to suffer a lack of self from inequality. Women have been so subjected to the affects of inequality that even today they still have difficulty determining who they are and where they fit in society. In the late 1800’s the Emancipation Proclamation gave civil and legal rights to the Negro man. Yet women, regardless of color, were still not given either of these rights. It could be argued that, as a group, women have felt the damaging effects of inequality more than the black race. It was one hundred years after the freeing of the black man before woman gained any type of equal freedom. Women understood this inequality long before they were able to gain equal rights.
Before the Civil War, a group of women led by Elizabeth Cady Staton organized a convention to discuss women’s rights. It was held in Seneca Falls, New York during the summer of 1848. During the convention, a speech called the “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions” was given. In the speech, it is clear that these women, one hundred and thirty years before they were to win equality, knew the effect it was having on their development of self. We find proof of this understanding in several quotes from the speech. For example, “He has endeavored, in every way that he could, to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life.” and “In the covenant of marriage, she is compelled to promise obedience to her husband, he becoming, to all intents and purposes, her master.” Clearly, women’s fight to gain equality had a direct effect on their ability to find self attainment. When a person or a group of people are treated unequally, a connection with the oppressor is made, and as a result of this damaging connection, “the self” can not form.
Of course, it could be argued that the development of self is not affected by human connections, because even individuals such as hermits have some sense of self. And, that the self is innate to human kind and present at birth. On the contrary, Even hermits are connected to the community they ostracize. A hermit may have a sense of self, but it is an under developed or warped sense of self. Take for example the Unabomber. Although he lived secluded from almost all forms of civilized life, he still was affected by society. His connection with people led to his disregard for human life and ultimately to a warped sense of self, but a type of self none the less. The fact that he was willing to kill people for the perceived wrongs they had done, illustrates the connection he had with others. And that connection, although dangerous created the Unabomber’s sense of self. The self is not something that is present at birth. I would agree that the potential for self is present at birth but not the fully developed self. The development of self can be compared to the development of walking, reasoning, and respect. At birth, an infant can do none of these things, but over time and interaction with others and their outside world these skills/traits are honed. The development of self functions the same way. At birth a child has no semblance of “the self.” He/she is at the mercy of the people around him/her, not just for sustenance, but also, for the development of his/her self-image. This example furthers my opinion that “the self” is best thought of as connected. It takes interaction and connection to begin the process of developing a true sense of self. Without the direct support of the people around an infant, and a feeling of continuity between the infant- the adults- and the past, the child will not be treated equally, and as a result, have either an under developed sense of self, a warped since of self or no sense of self at all.
And so, here we are painful dense yet woefully disconnected. Why is that? Have we lost a connection with the past? Has the advent of synthesized entertainment left us unable or unwilling to truly connect interactively? Did the atmosphere of inequality permeate so deeply we no longer know the difference? No, we have not lost our connection with the past. Even those who have lost their past have continuity. It is of little consequence whether it is found in searching for the lost past or reinventing a new past, as long as it is found. No, the Information Age has not left us less interactive. We are interacting and thereby developing self, but a warped sense of self. Because the interaction is artificial, none of the human responses during face to face interaction are taking place. As a result, “the self” is void of these basic human connections and ultimately left lacking. There is no answer to the question of inequality. I personally have none. Is it a throw back from our animal heritage? Is inequality an expression of instinct in humans? Is social evolution strong enough to overcome inequality? To these inquires I give a resounding, I do not know. But, we are connected, all of us. It does not matter how or in what we believe. We are connected---through the collective continuity that binds us to the Earth---The inescapable force of interaction ---and the unequal treatment of others.

The two Histories of Liberals and Conservatives

Evolution of Liberals

Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadichunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer andwould go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter.The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beerand the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to thebeer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were thecatalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:1. Liberals2. Conservatives.Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented,they just stayed close to the brewery. That's how villages were formed.Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to B-B-Q at nightwhile they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement.Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly B-B-Q's and doing thesewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the Liberalmovement.Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. The rest becameknown as girliemen .Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, theinvention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of Democratic votingto decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided.Over the years, conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, mostpowerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by thejackass.Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer whitewine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef welldone. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare.Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of their women have highertestosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injuryattorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists areliberals.Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn't fair to makethe pitcher also bat.Conservatives drink domestic beer. They eat red meat and still provide for their women.Conservatives are big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, constructionworkers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, corporate executives,athletes, Marines, and generally anyone who works productively.Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to workfor a living.Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers anddecide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are moreenlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America They crept in after theWild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.Here ends today's lesson in world history: It should be noted that a Liberalmay have a momentary urge to angrily respond to the above before forwardingit. A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolutetruth of this history that it will be forwarded immediately to other truebelievers and to more liberals just for the hell of it.

The two Histories of Liberals and Conservatives

Evolution of Conservatives

Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadichunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer andwould go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter.The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beerand the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to thebeer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were thecatalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:1. Liberals2. Conservatives.Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented,they just stayed close to the brewery. That's how villages were formed.

Some men spent their days monitoring and controlling thickheaded men who were perfectly designed to serve the more educated and refined men. This was the beginning of what is known as the Liberal movement.

Other men of a more intellectual nature and being more skilled in managerial duties learned to manage their bulkier yet dimwitted counter parts. Using them to attain and distribute meat and raw materials. One such intelligent Liberal leader invented BBQ sauce and with it found that if given to the conservative hunters it would shut them up while they gorge themselves on this newfound taste. Of course, the wives of the bullheaded hunters did all the sewing, fetching, fishing, and hairdressing. This was the beginning of the Conservative movement. Some of these conservative men eventually evolved into snakes and rats. The rest becameknown as assholes.

Some noteworthy conservative achievements include the domestication of minorities, theinvention of slavery, group killing, and the concept of smash and grabto decide how to divide the meat and beer that liberals had control over.

Over the years, conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, fattest land animal on earth, the elephant. A symbol of excess and indulgence if not meat headed strength. (also elephant groups are controlled and maintained by the female) Liberals are symbolized by the jackass aka the donkey. A reliable and resilient beast that helped forge the construction of the civilized world.

Modern liberals like imported beer because they understand that Europeans have been making it longer and or better at it. Some prefer white wine or bottled water as a way to stay fit and avoid the massive distended bellies that most of their conservative lessers have. Their tuff enough to eat raw fish, have learned to turn soybean into a protein rich food and like their beef, anyway it comes. Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of conservative women have higheradrenaline levels than other women making them loud, high strung, and pushy.

Most Lawyers, Sales men, accountants, IRS workers, insurance adjusters and thieving CEOs are conservatives.

Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because conservatives do not know how to play nice with other people and only consider what they want.

Conservatives drink domestic beer because they do not know any better. They eat red meat as a way to be tuff to compensate for their lacking intellect. And still provide for their women because their women can’t do it themselves.

Conservatives are big-game hunters because guns and killing are simple.
Conservatives are rodeo cowboys because they like having big bulls strapped between their legs and it is good method to kill off and maintain an acceptable conservative population.
Conservatives are Lumberjacks because a large group of men in the woods is appealing to the conservative.
Conservatives are Construction workers because the liberals are paying them to do it. Conservatives are Police officers because they are power hungry and pitifully want to prove themselves.
Conservatives are corporate executives because they can steal from the workers.
Conservatives are Marines because they need guidance and must be told what to do.
Generally, Conservatives are anyone who works to further their own image or line their own pockets.

Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives because a liberal might expose them for the fakes they are.

Liberals produce cohesiveness and continuity. They govern the conservatives anddecide how best and fairly to distribute production. Liberals believe Europeans are our ancestors and deserve respect just as every other worthy person does. That is why most conservatives left Europe and came to America as criminals and outcasts. They stormed in and destroyed cultures, land and ecosystems and began to create a Wild West-everyman for himself culture. Finally, the Liberal showed up and could once again take control of the dim witted yet valuable conservatives.

Here ends today's lesson in world history: It should be noted that a Liberalmay have a momentary urge to delete this e-mail because all Liberals already know this stuff and conservatives are too intellectually lacking to understand it.
A Conservative will be so convinced of the absolutetruth of this history that it will be forwarded immediately to other conservatives thinking that it’s real instead of a joke.

Don't Be A Poser

It has become clear (to me) after much listening, observing, inferring, and research that generally people who are loudest about changing, healing, helping and/or saving the world are the individuals who do the least to further this cause. And, the individuals who do not make bold pronouncements or arbitrarily give the masses advice are the ones who do and are changing, healing, helping and/or saving the world. It is a classic example of the adage actions speak louder than words.I was once on the band wagon of the written word. It is after all a very powerful tool. But, without being backed by clear action the writers of these words become, for lack of a better word, posers. (Poser-one who pretends or displays) As I stated earlier I was once a poser. At this point, it is important to clarify that I am not speaking of novelist or story tellers, unless of course the novel or story is/was intended to teach a lesson or give advice. I was neither a story teller nor a novelist. I was a writer of poetry and rhetoric. I would proudly type my thoughts and beliefs, send them out into cyberspace, and walk away feeling pretty damn good about myself. Until, a college class forced me to begin volunteering my time and energy to those who actually needed it. They certainly did not need my writings. They needed my listening skills, my money, my time, my friendship, my hope, hell they needed a ride to the doctor, not a poem, not pretty words. Overtime, I began to notice that the true helpers were quite, non-obtrusive, and had a smoldering anger about them. I began to learn that I never really helped further the words I so emphatically wrote. And, I chastised myself for this.I want to be clear that I am not writing about recycling or cutting the lights off when leaving a room. Sure, our environment is important, but not as important as the immediate needs of the masses. Since this first experience, I have volunteered in several different capacities. (Elementary schools, a children’s home for neglected and abandoned children, AIDS walks and auctions, nursing homes, etc.) Slowly, I began to feel the smoldering anger that many devoted volunteers and social workers carry around with them. However, nothing in me smolders, in me fires rage. In me the anger manifested itself into contempt and indifference for those who only write and speak of helping and do nothing but attend a church, spoil their children, or give excuses that they have no time. At this point one could and should ask the questions why the anger? Where does it come from? In answer to the later, I do not know. But as far as “why” I may be able to give some what of an explanation. Helping others is not profitable and it is thankless. Other occupations that help no one in need are far more profitable. This lack of recognition is the root of the anger. In me there is another contributor to my contempt, the need to expose not only myself but others for being the posers that they are.I have no problem with those who do not claim to or even want to help others. That is their decision. My contempt is directed to those who claim to want to change the world but does nothing concrete to attain their goal. It is to them I present this challenge. Do what you say and say what you mean, volunteer your time, give money even if it means your own child will go without, donate what you do not need, and most important do not expect anything in return.

On the Educational Value of Conflict

The quest for knowledge is ingrained into our human mind. This ongoing process distinctly separates us from all other biotic creatures on earth. The methods we humans use to acquire this knowledge is varied and diverse, and throughout time, many men and women have asserted that their particular method of acquire knowledge was best. But, what is knowledge? Of course, knowledge is many things to many people. For the medical doctor, knowledge represents understanding the human body and its systems. For the auto mechanic, knowledge represents understanding vehicles and their inner workings. For the elementary teacher, knowledge represents understanding pedagogy and the development of children. Although every interpretation of knowledge is different, all have something in common; to gain this knowledge an individual must first be educated. And, although there are many methods used to educate people, one concept will, directly or indirectly, inexplicably find its way into all forms of education. To be truly educated people must explore, study, and understand viewpoints and idea contradictory to their own. Humans tend to be very one sided in their understanding of the world. We believe and covet our truths, believing our particular truths to be best. But, this mind set is flawed. There is a very real danger in such a closed minded approach to the world. For example, the United State's invasion of Iraqi may have been less disastrous if the Bush administration had explored, studied, and understood the customs of the Iraqi people. Iraqi and the United States have very different cultures. If the Bush administration would have taken time to gain insight into the Iraqi people's culture, it may have affected how, when, and even if the invasion of Iraqi would have taken place. Clearly, the Bush administration made an uneducated decision, because they were unwilling to explore a different value system than their own, in this case, the Iraqi way of life. Of course, this is an extreme example, and in most situations, the consequences of not exploring, studying, and understanding conflicting ideas tend to be less obvious. A true education requires conflict. Without conflict, humans are not forced to validate their knowledge, a term that is interchangeable with education. John Stuart Mill says, "However unwilling a person who has a strong opinion may admit the possibility that his opinion may be false, he ought to be moved by the consideration that however true it may be, if it is not fully, frequently, and fearlessly discussed, it will be held as a dead dogma, not a living truth." (34) Education is the engine that drives our lives, and conflict is the fuel needed to start this engine. To fully understand another's conflicting view we must follow a particular process. First and foremost, a complete exploration of the conflicting idea must be made. Everything in life, as far as humans go, starts with exploration. The infant explores his/her world through touch and taste; the toddler explores his/her world through experimentation and assertiveness; the adolescent explores his/her world through defiance and independence; and the adult explores his/her world through contemplation and resolution. A human's education begins with exploration, and the exploration starts with exploring conflicting ideas. The exploration stage is the time for data collection. During this initial stage, the conflicting concept must be looked at one dimensionally. For example, a conflicting belief must first be broken down into its basic components. What is the belief? Why and how did this belief become valuable? Who spreads and maintains this belief? What are the consequences of adhering to or not adhering to this belief? Questions like this give valuable insight into what the foreign belief is built around. This is the first basic step in becoming truly educated. Exploration is intricately tied to conflict; it is an ancient rhythm that has echoed throughout human existence, and it is now and always will be the first step in becoming well educated. After a full exploration of a conflicting idea, we now move into the studying stage. At this point, one may ask, how is studying different from exploration? Exploration is limited to basic facts. Exploration focuses on who, what, where, and why. While, conversely, the studying stage focuses on the consequences or the affect of a conflicting belief or idea. This may be the hardest stage in becoming truly educated. For it is within this stage that we begin to draw conclusions. In layman's terms, the conflicting idea is now pitted against the individual's own accepted idea. The studying stage is more philosophical and asks questions such as, does the belief in question help, hinder or do both? What would happen if the conflicting belief were applied to another way of life? Is one group of people more or less affected by the different idea? As you can see these questions are vaguer and require deeper thought to answer. Clearly, by its very nature, the studying stage, if nothing else, forces people to think beyond their own limited view and instills knowledge, a concept synonymous with becoming truly educated. Finally, after exploring and studying, the ultimate goal should be an understanding of the conflicting idea or belief. It is at this stage that people come to a final conclusion. It is here that a person can now look at the conflicting idea three dimensionally. This three dimensional view allows an individual to make a truly educated decision or come to a truly educated conclusion about a particular conflicting belief. Although achieving an understanding of a different mindset may or may not persuade an individual to change his/her course of action or even their mindset, it does, by default, validate not only the individual's ideas but the conflicting ideas as well. Understanding another person's different ideas is foundational to becoming truly educated. Not understanding conflicting concepts, allows people to feel justified without justification. Also, understanding another's viewpoint leads to acceptance, and interestingly through acceptance we gain understanding. Of course, some may argue that unwavering adherence to a particular truth is more productive to becoming educated than contemplation of conflicting ideas, because the individual who does not explore alternative ideas is less distracted. Also, the argument could be made that a person's particular truth, and thereby their education, could become polluted through the exploration, study, and understanding of conflicting ideas. On the contrary, unwavering adherence is not conducive to becoming truly educated. Unwavering adherence limits a person's abilities and options. These limitations are in direct conflict with what it means to be truly educated. The ultimate goal of gaining an education is to expand an individual's ability and options not limit them. Of course, by exploring conflicting mantras, an individual's accepted mantras might change or mutate. But, by no means will they become polluted. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines pollute as, "to contaminate (an environment) through manmade waste." A true education does not aspire to pollute or contaminate. Conversely, a true education aspires to cleanse and purify. Yes, gaining an education may change or mutate a person's accepted beliefs, but the concept of change is wholly different than the concept of polluting. Life is filled with conflict. From our struggle through the birthing canal to the acceptance of death in our old age, life is riddled with conflicting ideas. Without it in our lives, we would not grow or evolve. The motivation found within contention inspires man and animal to over come adversity. We learn how to make our lives better each time we overcome or understand a particular conflict. A true education is inescapably connected to the exploration, study, and understanding of conflicting ideas, concepts, and mantras. Through conflict we gain a useable education. As the famous American ambassador, Bruce Laingen once said, "Human beings are like tea bags. You don't know your own strength until you get into hot water."

Thoughts From An Angry Park Ranger

This post was sent to me by Don Oneppo, my friend and park ranger. I love the anger in this and the undercurrent of sarcasm. It's about time someone got outraged. The outside world is not for everyone, and the people who have dedicated their lives to protecting it seem to agree. City folk, remember, you're not spectators of natural world your participants. And your creature comforts of your city life need to be kept there. One more thing, quiet down that's why there are signs stating "Quiet time after 10 pm" If you want to make noise late at night, go to a bar or go into the deep woods and if we're lucky a wild animal will eat you.

Folks yesterday ended the regular summer season. I am in the West roughly between the Wasatch and the Tetons. I went home and drank a martini. I made it a double. Yes, there will still be more happy campers. But for the most part, Labor Day signals an end to the onslaught of humanity. Yes, we'll still have to put up with rude French Canadians for a little while but for the most part, we've made it through the storm.It used to be that camping meant pitching a tent and hiking. Or maybe bringing the horses and doing some trail riding. But lately it seems like people are bringing their homes with them. The generators I can live with so long as they are quiet and used within reason. It’s the late night music and drinking that kept us running this summer. I saw more domestics, more of what we classify as "disorderly conduct" offenses, and generally more people being rude and obnoxious to neighboring campers than in years past. And what's with the big screen TV's out in the forest? Can't you cut the umbilical cord with your TV for just three or four days? I went through one campground last night and felt like I was at the freaking drive in. Listen folks, most people go camping to get away from it all. Who wants to here you screaming at your kids or berating your wife? No one wants to hear your stereo with the Bass cranked up to where my windows are vibrating before I even arrive. No one wants to here your drunken tirades and fights.Saturday I handled 4 public urination (for the record, I don't care if your taking a leak behind a bush but what's up with you idiots that don't even try to conceal yourself?) 6 disorderly conduct, 2 domestics, 7 loud music complaints, and one possession (meth) arrest. Holy shit people! This is supposed to be camping, not the hood. Your Lincoln Navigator might have a premium sound system with a CD changer but does that mean we all have to enjoy your music? The answer is no. And to you people that cannot understand why the posted speed limit is 15 MPH,,,,it's because a lot of people bring little kids camping with them and these kids tend to run around. To the chick in the Dodge Neon with the Raiders Sticker, yes, you do get a ticket for going 50 in a 15 and no, I don't care that you called my supervisor (neither does my supervisor, she said you talk like a 12 year old that didn't get the prize you wanted from the dentist)Being a park ranger used to mean a lot of PR, giving directions, occasional search and rescue, first aid, and a periodic encounter with some idiot who drank too much. But now it means responding to the same calls any department handles in an urban area. Instead of smiling at people and letting kids turn our overhead lights on, or petting our horse or sitting on our ATV and handing out junior ranger badges, we have to be on guard all the time looking for tweekers and gun totting survivalists who hate the government or want to use the wilderness as a place to stash shit for the Armageddon. And since when did it become popular to use the great outdoors to kill yourself? What happened to committing suicide in town? Now we have people coming out looking for the "natural way" to commit suicide and frankly, some of the places you are choosing make body recovery an all day ordeal. To the moron from Salt Lake that just had to take the 500 foot high dive, do you have any idea what it t akes to stage a deep canyon body recovery when our only access is the river? I had plans that weekend!Here are some of my summer favorites from this yearTo the peckerhead from Denver standing out the side of the road skinning out a dead Coyote. I understand that it was road kill and that you didn't shoot it. My problem is your lack of common sense. Everyone driving by sees you standing there with your buck knife gutting this damn thing. Do you think they know it was road kill? Every widow from Cheyenne to San Francisco that drove by and saw you standing there with your prize had there cell phones in hand faster than Wyatt Earp could pull a six iron. And to the Californian who stopped to help the deer that had been hit. You’re mad at me because I wouldn't call a vet? Are you nuts lady? This is the wilderness not The Bon Macy's. We do not call veterinarians for road kill.To the kid that pointed the air soft M-16 out of your car window at me as we passed on the highway,,, I’m sorry I made your dad wet his pants when I pulled you all from the car at gunpoint but hey, your the one who took the orange top off of your toy and don't you think that you being 16 means your old enough to know better? Hell, I damn near had my own private heart attack because of you. What am I supposed to think when I see a Cadillac with California plates and a big black gun barrel pointed at me? To the Hispanic guy who tossed the empty Bush Lite beer case out the window, how is me pulling you over racial profiling? I would have pulled you over no matter what color you are. You ought to get an ass kicking just for being a lazy pig. You paid how much for those rims and yet you drink the cheapest beer on the shelf and you can't afford a littering ticket? I don't think so. I hate writing tickets but you’re the kind that makes it fun.To the guy taking a crap on the side of the road, do you think that just because your on the passengers side of your RV doesn't mean we can't see you squatting there on the asphalt? There's a whole forest ten feet away! When I came around the corner and saw that I almost crashed into a friggin tree!To the guy doing the horizontal rumba with your girlfriend on top of the picnic table, yes, I'm sure it was cool and yes, she is hot but can't you at least wait until its dark???? Not everyone is a voyeur. Someone must not have enjoyed seeing your naked ass pile driving some tart from town or they wouldn't have bothered to call it in.To the guy who stole one of our ATV's. Don't you think you should have painted it a different color or did something to change its appearance before you start riding it around the same area you stole it from?To the rest of you real outdoorsmen and women who respect the land, pack out what you pack in, and enjoy the outdoors for what it is, more power to you. But I'll never contact you unless we are passing on the trail and then it's only a mutual hello or maybe answering your questions about weather or terrain. To the weekend warriors who bring your hate and discontent with you, stay home.Realistically, 90% of the people who visit the outdoors are great. You make the job fun. It’s the 10% who seek to work overtime to put everyone else out that makes it bad. The summer is over! Now I can concentrate on a little work around the house and maybe some fishing. Winter will be here soon and life will be good.