Hey Dude

[Eamonn]

Have just visited the 2013 Jambo site and read the postings in the other thread.

I like most of what is planned for 2013.

At this time I don't think that I'll be attending, even though the site is only just down the road.

 

A long time back I came to the conclusion that I'm not cool.

I can poke fun at myself by trying to act cool but it's an act that I use for campfires and for just playing around.

I am what I am and the youth members I meet and deal with don't expect me to play at being anything other than what I am.

As I clicked around the Jambo web site, I couldn't help but think "Hey these guys are trying to be cool." The deeper I got the more cool it seemed they tried to be.

One big problem with "Cool" is that what's cool today has a very good chance of being old hat tomorrow.

I'm now at an age where I no longer care about looking, acting or trying in any way to be cool.

Talking with some of the older Sea Scouts I came away very confused, for them it's kinda cool to look down on the people who are trying to be cool. The word "Stupid" Was used a lot.

 

Not being a Grand Master of Cool, I'm not sure if what the BSA is doing is cool or not?

I'm not sure if a "J-Phone' is going to be looked at as being a piece of junk? Or some sort of a toy which could be replaced by an App that the Scouts could down load to their own super smart, super cool phone or pad?

While I do think that the input from the youth members is truly a wonderful idea. I just wonder if the BSA is trying a little too hard to be cool? And if what they are doing is seen as being cool?

Cool seems to change a lot depending at which age group you are aiming at. What looks cool to a 13 year old is seen as being silly to a 15 year old.

I can't imagine any of the Sea Scouts I know ever in a million years admitting they listen to Justin Bieber, that would be seen as not being cool, yet Justin seems to be doing OK.

So dude are we trying a little to hard?

Ea.

[skeptic]

"E", don't feel bad. I just discovered this past weekend while participating in my grand-nephew's fund raiser for his Eagle project that the "loser sign" is only valid when done with the left hand. Who knew? And even the word "cool" seems to be cyclical. Being older, I never quite catch up with what is currently in, often embarrassing myself with already out of date comments. What is good about the youth, for the most part, they seem quite willing to accept me that way, and even occasionally try to improve my "coolness". But, I still have no idea how to knock knuckles, or whatever it is they do; they just smile and shake hands instead. Of course that even goes for OA handshakes, as I have yet to master the intricacies of the various levels; I just let the Brother arrange the fingers as needed.

 

What is beginning to surprise me a bit, as I sub in the upper levels of elementary school is how often the kids actually want to hear stories about your past. I am as old or older than most of their grandparents, and they seem fascinated with how things were when I was their age, or younger. One of my most successful get control things is to occasionally slip a story in about growing up, if time allows. Even the attention mongers generally listen, often having the most serious questions. It is funny to see the looks on kids faces when you mention going to a Saturday matinee with a quarter, and not only getting in, but being able to buy popcorn, a drink, and candy; and there was always a serial, 10 or so cartoons, a drawing for free tickets and candy, and a main feature, usually a B western or early sci-fi.

 

The longer I am involved with kids, the more I am encouraged by their resilience and good natures. Get past the shells on some, and you find such wonderful personalities. Get the clown to be serious and find a depth unseen normally. My biggest struggle, whether with scouts or the kids in the schools is to try to not overly react to the "difficult" ones, and to remember that the large majority are wonderful little buds of humanity just starting to bloom; and that pruning them too aggressively will not be good for them, but not pruning at all will ultimately be disastrous.

 

(This message has been edited by skeptic)

[desertrat77]

Eamonn, I agree.

 

Went I went thru basic training many years ago, one of our flight members was 28 years old--the old man of the bunch. He said something that has stayed with me since: "Cool is cool...if you have to a necklace, or nickname, or anything else that says you are cool, you ain't."

 

Also, I'm very cautious of when senior ranking folks want to hold a morale boosting event under the premise of "The Airmen love this!" Research has show more often than not, the Airmen don't care, or are annoyed by the whole thing and are just being polite. It boils down to a senior-ranking person thinking what the Airmen want/need, when they may be way off track.

 

When it comes to scouting, here is what has historically been cool: backpacking, rock climbing, shooting, boating, building fires, using axes, knives and saws, cooking your first dutch oven cobbler, sleeping under the stars, an afternoon of free time at camp, swimming in a lake, etc.

 

(This message has been edited by desertrat77)

[Scoutfish]

But not trying to be cool and not giving a damn while realizing you are not cool...is cool!

 

Being cool..from what I understand..and if you happen to be cool..starts when you are around 13 0r 14 - stays with you until you are around 25 or married ( wichever comes first) then leaves you until you are older and get to the point that you could care less if you are cool orv what other people think..at which point, you become cool for not caring if you are cool.

 

But...as soon as you start to realize you are cool again, and you like it...you become uncool for knowing you were cool!

 

I had my son say I was cool, to him, I had a Tiger Cub tell me I was his hero, my dog is psychotically obsessed with me, and my wife still laughts at my jokes ( sometimes).

 

After that, anything else doesn't matter!

[Tampa Turtle]

As I push 50 I like what I like. Embrace the uncoolness. I like Dockers, processed food, and trashy TV. Scout is so dorky it is cool.

 

I have many interests so I call myself a "Multi-disciplinary geek".

 

I used to be a "cool" arty architect type. I cannot say I was any happier that way.

 

 

[neil_b]

There is a big stigma of non-coolness to the term "boy scout". The BSA could easily get rid of that by renaming itself something like the US Scout Association or Scout Association of America.

 

I can think of four reasons for a name change.

 

1. The BSA is already partially co-ed (Venturing) so the name doesn't really make much sense for them.

 

2. Even the dictionary gives one definition of "boy scout" as "An honest, friendly, and typically naive man." (as defined by Google) Typically naive? Really? Pretty insulting, but so many people use the term that way that it made it into a dictionary!

 

3. African Americans don't like the term "boy" as one definition is "a Black or native male servant of any age." (Collins English Dictionary) - Not saying we always have to be politically correct for fear of offending somebody, but this can create confusion.

 

4. High school aged "boys" don't want to be called "boys" anymore. They think of themselves as young men. HS sports teams are referred to as Men's and Women's (or Ladies). Many of our so-called "boys" are old enough to be a father, old enough to have a job, old enough to be tried as an adult, and even some old enough to serve in the military.

 

5. A rename wouldn't necessarily mean going fully co-ed and competing against the GSA. It's just a simple shift of terminology.

[Old_OX_Eagle83]

We are who and what we are, and as such were valuable to the program. I dont try to be anyone other than who I am, a semi-reformed hippie, who likes riding his Harley, and hanging out with mother nature. The underlying thing is, I care about my children, as well as youth in general, and do give a crap where things are going. Sure, the scouts laugh about my lack of fashion sense, and my love of the dead musicians club, as they say I dont listen to music from any living artist. Heres the thing, these kids adopt my retro crap, retro sounds better than Vintage. They will sing Old Rocky Top at the top of their lungs, having fun doing it; yell left turn clyde, when I use a hand signal; and knarley dude upon entering a latrine. Are they making fun of me, maybe, but this is how they treat each other Im in! My point is they are paying attention, and learning from me, the old dude.

 

Along with "Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son, they picked up a few good things. At a recent camporee the Webelo scouts in my care, bolting to turn in their competition materials, stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Old Glory being raised, letting all the other scouts pass them. The salutes were at a right degree angle, the stances erect. Our DE was raising a 2nd flag, one just brought to him. This was a flag that came home draped across the casket of a fallen Marine. The flag had become worn from the years his widow flew it in his memory, and was brought to us for retirement. The widow, damp eyed, made a point of thanking the Webelo scouts for their show of respect.

 

Not too long ago I had a talk with two scouts, who were in a fierce argument, nearing the point of physical altercation. The issue was a difference of religious belief. I explained the 12th point of The Scout Law, and how that involves being respectful of the beliefs of others, no matter how greatly that differ from your own beliefs. The scouts are back to being friends, and sometimes ask each other about the others beliefs, so that they can show proper respect. How different would the world be if every young man was taught this lesson?

 

Are we relevant, do we make a difference, you bet. Are we cool, no way, and who cares.

(This message has been edited by Old_OX_Eagle83)