UKC

Following on from the thread suggesting most people on UKC are left-leaning, I wondered what other assumptions we might take regarding the 'average climber profile', based on UKC's daily banter. Then the masses can tear the assumption to bits.

So, agree or disagree, I would suggest that climbing (or climbing forums perhaps?) attracts profile's that are:
Libertarian
Atheist/agnostic/skeptical
Independently minded
Politically centric (or maybe just left of centre)
Above-average intelligence
Argumentative
Resourceful
Creative
Technical

In reply to FrankBooth:
Quite possibly accurate but the lack of non-verbal communication on internet (forums/fora?) means it is difficult to guage actual views. You tend to find debates are rapidly polarised and a group of middle of the road types appear to an outsider to be vastly divergent.

In reply to FrankBooth:

Sorry, I'd have to take issue with you on that score.

In reply to FrankBooth:
climbs ?

In reply to michaelc:

pfft, dont be absurd

In reply to FrankBooth:

Climbing (and this forum) definitely seems to attract the quirky/eccentric (I'm being kind here) types.

Female posters are real bolshie types

In reply to Ava Adore:
>

<Folds arms, glares at Ava>

In reply to FrankBooth:

I rest my case ^^^^

In reply to FrankBooth:

I'm not sure the whole list applies but I would definitely agree most of ukc are a bunch of

Technical
Wise
Argumentative
Teachers (or at least encourage others to learn)
Subversive

In reply to Kemics:

Procrastinating
Illogical
Leftist
Loonies
On
Computer
Keyboards?

In reply to Reach>Talent:

like!

In reply to FrankBooth:

The problem with UKCer's that leads to so many arguments is that they think they are:


When they actually are:


A bit more perspective would be wonderful...

In reply to FrankBooth:

Nothing like a bit of hubris to start the day eh? Particularly the above average intelligence bit

Climbing attracts all sorts of people, like most activities. Not all climbers go on climbing forums and, dare I say it, not all of those that post on this forum are particularly active climbers. That doesn't make the forum environment any less valid or enjoyable.

The same people post on the same sort of threads. With the same sort of views. Why over analyse?

In reply to Fickalli: Think it was just a bit of fun?

In reply to Fickalli: You are the kind of person that pops children's balloons aren't you!

In reply to Timmd:

Yeah I got that and my reply was light hearted too. However, I don't know why we have so many of these analysis threads on UKC. Are climbers more green? Are we cleverer than everyone else? Do we have better jobs? Are we more creative? Are we more inward looking? It's pretty self indulgent!

In reply to grumpybearpantsclimbinggoat:

Only if the child is ginger. They don't deserve to have fun. Stink of foxes.

In reply to Fickalli:

I want to now start a thread that asks which UKC-ers would pop a child's balloon.


<raises hand>

In reply to FrankBooth:
Fun, understanding, considerate, knowledgeable, technical, authoritative, resourceful, determined, scientific.

In reply to Fickalli:


Maybe part of the human condition (climbers AND everybody else) is to:

a) feel superior to most others and
b) believe you are pretty much in the 'best place' with you life?


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Good point. I'm sure similar occurs on other forums for different activities.

In reply to Fickalli:

Here's a bit of analysis to explain why we have so much analysis on UKC

People posting on here lie in the overlap of the venn diagram: 'likes rock climbing'; 'likes posting on internet forums'. I think rock climbing dos attract a fairly wide range of people, but trad climbing in particular I think is skewed towards introverts (just from experience of the people I know who are passionate trad climbers...and I'm not talking hugely introverted, just a bit that way; after all they like spending hours completely cut off from the rest of reality looking just at the holds and gear, questioning whether they are capable of overcoming the obstacle knowing that no one else can help them other than by shouting "hurry up, you've been up there hours" from the belay ledge below). Introverts are more likely to think a lot about their lot in life, are they satisfied with their work/climbing/relationships/life, and posting on the internet is a way to express that without having to be overly social.

People who post on internet forums are obviously nerdy. That goes without saying, but to add a bit more colour, of the Myers-Briggs types, it's the analytical/judgemental/introverted ones (e.g. INTJ) that you'll find getting into arguments on the internet. You see, they're helping all the stupid people who for some reason bother to express their worthless, pointless, misguided opinions on matters such as religion and politics, to understand the world properly. Discussion of ideas, particularly, why good ideas are right, and why crap ideas are wrong, is a favourite hobby of this type of person and internet forums provide a perfect way to pursue it.

I don't think that people who post in The Pub and Off Belay are representative of climbers, but they're very representative of people who post on internet forums, which is a far more personality-correlated activity. People that post about gear and stuff are just nerdy, without the judgemental/argumentative characteristics you get in the non-climbing stuff.

And if you don't agree with my analysis, then you're probably one of the stupid people (maybe you're a Tory and Christian too?) in which case, I've tried to help, but there's only so much you can do.

NB. If you take this post seriously, please don't post anything in response. If you do, I will bang my head against the keyboard repeatedly until my skull caves in. That won't be nice for the next user of this computer.

In reply to Jon Stewart:
I hope you've got a robust keyboard

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Quality. I was tempted to post a serious reply just to bait you into self harm but don't have much time as I'm currently doing some research into how to shout down christians and tories more effectively. Bizarrely, it is coming up with similar answers to the learning french thread. Apparently saying the same thing repeatedly, with greater volume and more slowly wins the argument. Who'd have known eh?

In reply to Fickalli: To be fair, when talking to Tories and Christians, it's usually best to say things repeatedly, loudly and slowly anyway, even if you're just asking them to make you a cup of tea.

In reply to Jon Stewart: I completely agree with this.

I no longer climb..... simply because I am shite at it because I am missing a few muscles after an operation which meant that I just couldn't prgress to any meaningful level.

But I am indeed a bit nerdy, LOVED trad climbing and would often go out for days to try various ways of rigging and generally trying to perfect ropework. I like the slower, more considered pace of it.
As a younger bloke I probably would have been more into sport climbing it has to be said.

And the I in Intj is the clue.
Yep, introverted. I like people, don't get me wrong, like them a lot in fact. But can find being sociable a bit draining sometimes.

this is the only forum I am a member of (apart from one I never post on and I am only a member because I was dating the owner)....... because the standard of debate you get here is generally better than most places, with more varied and interesting topics.

Some I know bit about, others are informative.

I DO think that climbing, along with some other activities where you 'control your own destiny' tend to attract perhaps the more thoughtful person.
I think.

In reply to Jon Stewart:


Why do you say that?


Hooray! ()

In reply to Jon Stewart:


love it!

In reply to Timmd:

'Cause nerdy people would choose to spend their time communicating with people they've never met from the comfort of behind their computer, rather than interacting with people they do know, going to parties, having fun, getting laid, you know all those things that everyone else does while I'm sat by myself posting on UKC about why god is such a tory b@stard.

k,jnh kjighhhh frdsy iufjhghi u98tiuy98t tyrui7f ;#>;kio09

Happy now?

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Yes, very. ()

You might have a point, UKC is a habit i'm trying to break, I post to stave off boredom, but I like going out to parties and clubs as well.

At the moment i'm bored out of my head with being poorly, have a viral thing I think. Work friend has just suggested I get checked out for vials disease, since my virus(I hope) has lasted for approx 7 weeks now.

Otherwise i'd be cycling outside in the glorious sunshine right now or volunteering, and seeing what people are upton.

Think you do have a point, hope the head heals...

In reply to Jon Stewart:
I'm not sure God is a Tory, he gave us Ten commandments which are definitely anti-competitive. Stealing and coveting your neighbours arse are practically in the Conservative party handbook

In reply to FrankBooth:

Narcissist
Fantasist
Onanist

In reply to FrankBooth:

Was the spelling of your title a Freudian slip or deliberate?

Either way I wouldn't argue with some of your conclusions....

In reply to FrankBooth:

Has tendency to write self serving "profiles".

In reply to Trangia:

Entirely Freud!

In reply to FrankBooth:



I would say the demographic of the average UKCer pretty much reflects the demographic of the rest of the 'online' population.

The only common points being (possibly) climbing and access to a computer.

In reply to FrankBooth:

Where do you get the idea that most people on UKC are left leaning? I've read plenty of what i consider to right wing rhetoric on this site.

In reply to Skip:The climbing press can often be left leaning, but yes, you're right, there's a bit of a mixture on here.

In reply to FrankBooth: Can you do a shite and have a wank at the same time.

In reply to FrankBooth:

I think its only fair that people who come on here have a rudimentary understanding of latin at the very least.
The great works of Confuscious, Socrates and Morecambe should have been read, digested and understood in thier native tongue and last but not least must understand why the Souffle at the Ivy can not be served upstairs.

In reply to FrankBooth: I live abroad, on foreign shores, so does that make me a FUKCER I wonder?

In reply to Dirk Didler:

CAN you? Is there any other way?

In reply to FrankBooth:

For what it's worth :-

I've often climbed with partners I found on the 'net ( and a few from UKC).

There's been good and bad; sadly, I found most of the people rather lacking in the social-skills department:- self-centrered and in many cases totally bereft of any other interests outside climbing. This will explain why the majority of such people have been a one-off affair ! Agreed, you can't get to know someone in 48 hours, but it's still long enough to find mutual interets and subjects that we have a passion for.

I'd like to be able to compare with your list, but unfortunately, on most occasions, I never had the chance !

In reply to Pyreneenemec:

That sounds rather peculiar, with a few exceptions most of the people I have climbed with from UKC have been both reliable climbers and interesting and reasonable people, with quite a broad range of interests.

(One might not think this from some of the more frequent posters though, particularly those on the non-climbing bits!)

In reply to Simon4:

Ditto to all that (except that I'm a rubbish climber) - I've made some great friends by meeting people from the forums. Most of them talk considerably less shit than me, which is a relief for all.

In reply to FrankBooth:

Most people I meet at a crag/mountain tend to be a pleasure to bump into - none so far have tried to argue with me, criticised the colour of my sling draws, launched into a 2 hour monologue as to why it was so much more better back in the day, told me I need to carry less screwgates, assumed because I don't have a high post count on the internet I can't be trusted to tie my own shoelaces etc.

So I'm not sure if I've actually met a UKCer in real life yet

In reply to Simon4:

Pretty much all the folks I've climbed with off here have been great, many have become regular partners and good friends. But I do tend to be pretty specific im my posts and only respond to people who are clearly experienced, passionate trad climbers who won't freak out if we get stuck in some horrible sea cave with the tide coming in - that's my job.

In reply to krikoman:

Post Juxto:

AND
... sadly, I found most of the people rather lacking in the social-skills department

In reply to professionalwreckhead:


Ha.

Or launched into a debate about whether, because I've had to queue for the route, I can claim the onsight, redpoint, etc etc etc. Because that is the most important thing about enjoying the outdoors.

Similarly, because I haven't created my climbing equipment out or recycled shit roll I'm a disgrace to the human race!

In reply to Simon4:

Perhaps I should clarify things : I'm not talking about an afternoon 'down at the local crag'. My experiences are usually 2 day alpine climbs, where often there is very little time to evaluate whether the perspective partner has the required experience or is a bull-shitter !

A classic example of this is the guy I did the Rochefort-Jorasses traverse with a number of years ago. From all he told me, he had more than enough experience to take the risk without a prior training session. The weather was too good to miss and so we set off ! I knew I could lead the whole route if necessary and I ended up doing so ! The poor sod followed, was dragged, co-erced, threatened and almost mutilated along the way ! Did I learn my lesson ? Hell no ! I've had quite a few more dramatic encounters !

In reply to FrankBooth:

Male
English
Slightly lacking in self-confidence
Very uncomfortable with change unless implemented by a body they look up to
Conservative but calls themselves liberal
Visits places infrequently for climbing trips and feels they are very well informed on those places as a result of these occasional visits
Very uncomfortable with views that challenge their vision of themselves
Uses internet links as definitive evidence of anything at all
Becomes outraged at any challenge and reacts to this by saying "Do you believe X to be the case?" as a rhetorical question in an attempt to avoid their own argument being examined

In reply to Saor Alba:

You forgot "sexually depraved".

In reply to Saor Alba:
That's just about the most bitter and twisted thing I've ever read on these forums! Chill out!

In reply to Only a hill:

You are just giving more evidence of what I am talking about. Stop being to defensive!

In reply to Only a hill:

Alex - I find that hard to believe, considering some of the withered fury that's emitted on here from time to time.

In reply to Only a hill:

It does focus on the negatives, but I wouldn't go that far.

In reply to FrankBooth: Based on the number of posts between my breaks....... workshy!

In reply to FrankBooth:

Seems to me that the majority of UKCers, to a greater or lesser extent, are:

Witty
Anti-authority
Not stupid
Kind hearted
English
Radical
Self-centered

And many seem to enjoy a mass debate..........

In reply to Saor Alba:

Kind of reminds me of the nutcase british muslims who go on about our depraved, immoral way of life. You know, women wearing normal clothes instead of trick-or-treat outfits, not burning gays, that kind of thing. I always think, if you hate us all so much, then why don't you f^ck off somewhere else? I mean that in the nicest possible way of course, but I don't have a link to prove it.

In reply to Jon Stewart: Because he is an ukcer and deeply conservative.

In reply to Pyreneenemec:


It must be something about that route. Even before starting it, I attacked my partners feet with a Swiss army knife, in a dazzling display of amateur surgery, so it was actual rather than almost mutilation, but still persuaded him he was fit to go on it, after suitable quantities of padding. Amazingly his feet actually got better on the 2 (no, make that 3) days we spent doing it.


Always a pleasure to meet another staff member for "Epics-R-Us".

In reply to Tall Clare:


Bet I'm a more rubbish climber than you are!

I didn't really mean that they were better climbers than me (though most of them are, not that that is setting the bar particularly high), just that they were steady when situations got serious.

In reply to Simon4:

All this talk of horrible sea caves with the tide coming in isn't helping me get inspired for the winter of bouldering. Send it dude.

That's better.