Need help with some questions

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#1

What the differance between a anarcho-primitivist and a Bush Hippie? I see bush hippies refered to as ferals in some circles. I know they frequent gatherings like Rabbitstick, Echos in Time, and Winter Count. Alot wear their hair in dreads, some don’t. Some are adorned with a myarid tribal tats and some hardcore pirecings, other aren’t. I find them an intresting and fascinating group, yet there is something about them that doesn’t jive right to me. There seems a differance between them and alot of anarcho-primitves that I can’t define. Alot of these bush hippie types seem to have rewilded as far as it is practical.

I don’t know what to think? Maybe I’m too dense headed, I’m use to spotting patterns within groups of people and I’m seeing a rift. I’m not sure if it’s because of a lack of data or if there is a fundamential differance in philsophies.

#2

Can you tell me more about the rift, outside of simple appearances and personal decoration? Or does it end there?

#3

Willem, perhaps I’m looking at things wrong. I’ve observed the primitive skills community for awhile and have only in the last few days started to study this community. After thinking about what I posted and trying to find an answer to your reply, words seem to have failed me. All I get is a mental picture of me holding a butterfly in one hand and a catepillar in the other.

I guess this could be interperted in several ways. I think perhaps I’m missing a step in the process of rewilding. Then again I could just be suffering from the confusion of trying to understand new ideas. We’ll see.

#4

So you’re thinking that the anarcho-primitivists haven’t put in their dirt-time? They are the hungry caterpillar?
And the bush hippies are already feral, they are the pretty butterfly?
Yet something about the bush hippies turn you off?

(edited for spelling, as usual)

#5

Damn that sounds harsh, but pretty much hits the nail on the head. Might be that compared to bush hippies, info on anarcho-primitivists is easy to find online. Probably becasue alot are new and are posting their thoughts and experiences.

I don’t think bush hippies turn me off, as long as they ain’t the dirty, smelly, ganja smoking, idealist types. ;D I’ve actually have gotten a fixation on bush hippie chicks in buckskins.

#6

I’v never been to a primitive rendezvous. I’m going to make it a point to go to those you mentioned.
I would like to meet some bush hippies.

#7

Luddite, I’m not sure what part of the country you’re in but I’ll post a couple links that have info and lots of pics. It should give you some idea what is offer and what to expect. Lots of cute bush hippie chicks. :wink:

Jeff Damm’s site: http://www.neoanderthal.com/

Dave Wescott’s: http://www.backtracks.net/

#8

Thanks SuburbanCowboy. Those gatherings look really fun and educational. Geez, I wish we had something like that up here in Western Canada.

To answer your original question, I don’t see a whole lot of difference between A/Ps and bush hippies (we call them shrubbies) at least on the level of lifestyle goals. From the photos, I see a lot of mixed technologies from different eras (stone age to turn of the century). Were you thinking more along the lines of physical appearances?

#9

Paleo Boy, glad you liked the links. I’ve done a little more research on Ferals/bush hippies types. While it seems anarchist don’t like hippies of any color, but alot of BHs are closer to living the neo-primitive lifestyle than most anarcho-primitivists I’ve met so far online. I managed to get some useful info from two of the editors of Wilderness Way, who happen to be on another forum I frequent.

Most of the back to Earth crowd failed, but many of BHs/Ferals seen today are actually the ones that succeded in their own way. Still have alot more research to do. I already consider BHs differant critters than than the dirty, ganga smokin’ street Hippie.

Most conservative folks consider anyone who bucks the status quo and chooses an alteritive lifestyle a hippie, including anacho-primitivists(I’m sure that will make Urban Scout squirm). ;D

#10

Sounds like ya’ll are just too hung up on trying to fit a nice neat label on everybody so you can sort em all into categories. This guy looks like a hippie but he’s got a 4x4 with two guns in the rifle rack and a Husqvarna 2100 in the back. Holy shit dreadlocks and calked boots?

Leave your Dogma behind or it will get run over by your Kharma.

I get the idea that a whole lot of the people who are living anything close to the life that ya’ll are philosophizing about don’t have computers.

#11

Yeah see when I started thinking about it, really thinking about it, I already had a computer.