I should have been more clear. The paragraphs after the first were my own commentary, rather than a restatement of what you were saying.
I understand what you’re saying, and I think you’re right to some degree, but it’s still a condescending, elitist load of bullshit. You’re trying to justify a more “genuine” pleasure out of riding that you either do, or hope to grasp. Regardless of the truth of your statements, your self-proclaimed enlightenment about “higher” pleasure of the “human psyche” comes off as pompous and condescending…especially when you solicit our comments, and then berate us for not “getting it” when we disagree with you.
I’ve heard this same line over and over in bike forums, hammocking forums, backpacking forums, etc. It comes from people who need to feel that their enjoyment is somehow better than that of others. Your thoughts may be novel to you, but they aren’t to the rest of us.
Really interesting thread. Let’s not let it derail itself and descend into childish name calling!
So here’s my take on the original question:
There aren’t any other unicyclists in my town. I could join a club (more than likely “circus skills” rather than unicycling specifically) in the nearest big city and go and hang around with unicyclists once per week, but it’s a lot of travelling, expense, time, etc. that my antisocial self can’t really be doing with.
The videos and write-ups on these forums have been a big inspiration to me, and I’m very grateful that people take the time to put them together. I appreciate that the creators of all of this self-centred content can come across as narcissistic, but I don’t see how it’s any different to a traditional club where people will go away and learn new tricks to try to outdo each other every week between meetings.
Just like those members of “real” clubs, I find that seeing other people do this stuff is a great form of motivation to really push my own boundaries.
When it comes down to it I do ride to better myself and for my own enjoyment, and I’m sure that most of the other people posting on these forums are the same as me. But I really don’t see an issue with putting together a quick video to show off my achievements, especially if it will inspire other people as other people’s videos have done for me in the past.
If anyone sees interest or pleasure in knowing that people are seeing, and enjoying something that you did not anything beyond what is normal today!
You just said (creator of the thread) Unfortunately some people just do things for social acceptance or to have the pleasure to have done for others, that I fully agree with you, I’m young I’m 15 years since I Born I’ve always had small interest in alternative skills is that if you understand me haha, I walked into the ropes, climbed coconut trees, trees of all species, stirred the fire, fire, juggling with fire and no haha, so I decided and went into the circus, and I loved it 'm there today, the final was there I met the unicycle, and suddenly I fell, it was challenging, interesting and I was literally floating on top of him, but where I’m getting at is, I see peoplewith my age and they don´t do things for themselves just to be “popular” or better with the others., I am often questioned about what I do not know, I always say The only thing i don´t know , is stop learning! this is my passion to learn skills that interest me and make me happy when I’m running them selves and i like it feels good to be applauded, recognized for something you did, but I know I don´t do this just for the pleasure of being recognized .Without the self-recognition, happiness itself is far from being something good and lasting for the person.!
a phrase that exemplifies my way of life is this!
Do it, Learn it, but not if your body, with your heart! “Erik Moda” haha I feel good sharing one of my thousands of sentences, and if someone like I’ll be happy, but I was happy when I did, for the love my own achievements, such self-recognition haha, cheers for everybody !
Erik Moda
The issue seems to be about authenticity versus bluffing. Hm, oftentimes, it’s very difficult to distinguish the two. If you fake it consistently enough, does that not sometimes turn into authenticity? If you try to be so ridiculously “authentic”, does that not sometimes turn into bluffing?
The unicycle is a means to an end, the end being some type of enjoyment. I personally picked up unicycling becasue I enjoy the whole Fool archetype, advancing personally, entertaining others (I’m for anything that makes people do double takes), and that floating in the air type of feeling.
Like what others have said here, I’m gald there are show-offs out there so that I could learn new tricks.
I was going to respond to Catboob’s thread, but then I saw that this load of crap was leaking out of a 21 year old mind. No offense to the younger people on here - most are intelligent, thoughtful and optimistic young adults. However, every once-in-a-while, you get a squirrel who thinks that because he pulled and “A” in psychology last semester, he has a license to talk down to the rest of us morons. Good luck buddy - life begins when you have to get a real job.
(I’m sure Catburp will correct the spelling mistakes in red pen and return it to me with an “unsatisfactory” grade.)
There are those of us who have had the pleasure to have met Catboy in person and those of us who have corresponded with him on the forum since he was a teenager. Some of us have done both. Look before you leap.
This thread is awesome. Christmas came early… tstennessey, SqueakyOnion, DSchmitt and unireed got me exactly what I wanted. Billy, Greg and Jason, however, just gave me the same ol’ lump of coal I’ve gotten since Xmas of '01.
I think squeaky onion nailed you catboy with his assessment on the last page. If you truly rode only for self pleasure then there would not have been a motivation to create a thread in which you attack the self promoters/filmers/ popular riders- because they OBVIOUSLY don’t get the same enjoyment from unicycling that you do. And now since that point your ignoring the criticism and just playing the fool.
It is an interesting topic you bought up though. In recent times i have bought a Hd camera and got my computer sorted to edit video with the intention of creating a nice set of muni videos. However, in the 30mins it takes me to get ready for a ride I always convince myself that i’ll get out and film next time and for this ride i’ll go smash out a few hours in the saddle un-interupted instead. What grouping, and thus legitimacy of riding pleasure, does that put me in catboy?
