Instant answers/gratification

[Sojourner47]

Here we are, in the 21st century, and all wishing to walk a camino.
To look through the questions asked, it beggars believe at times that some on here can be so naive.
We have those who wish to find their way by GPS, regardless of the abundant route marking, we have those who can't even discover if an adapter is needed for their phone charger. Despite practically every question about size of rucsac, whether to take a liner or a sleeping bag,whether to wear boots or shoes
etc, etc, someone will ask it again, without bothering to trawl the previously asked questions.
Doesn't anyone ever learn anything???
There are umpteen answers to every question ever asked on this forum but still many don't bother to check.
OK, guys, controversial again, that's me :mrgreen:

 

[p3nny]

"Doesn't anyone ever learn anything?
I hope you "trawled the previously asked questions" before posting this one.
Loved your post.
~Penny

 

[Anniesantiago]

Where is that thumbs-up button when I need it? lol :lol:

 

[JohnMcM]

Here we are, in the 21st century, and all wishing to walk a camino.
To look through the questions asked, it beggars believe at times that some on here can be so naive.
We have those who wish to find their way by GPS, regardless of the abundant route marking, we have those who can't even discover if an adapter is needed for their phone charger. Despite practically every question about size of rucsac, whether to take a liner or a sleeping bag,whether to wear boots or shoes
etc, etc, someone will ask it again, without bothering to trawl the previously asked questions.
Doesn't anyone ever learn anything???
There are umpteen answers to every question ever asked on this forum but still many don't bother to check.
OK, guys, controversial again, that's me :mrgreen:

Exactly! What's wrong with people huh!?! Anyone would think they were trying to learn from people like yourself who have the knowledge and experience to share, huh?
Maybe, they're like you and I were at one time; new to the forum and finding their way around, who knows eh?
By the way do you think I should take a sleeping bag if I'm sleeping in hotels all along my Camino and will my teeth need to be cleaned after 35 days? :wink:

 

[Tia Valeria]

"History teaches us that history teaches us nothing"

:lol:

Sorry I cannot asign the quote.

I know some folk, who are new to forums, (as we were when we first registered here) find it hard to find their way around, search etc. For those 'newbies' I have every sympathy. Others at times appear to just want people to do the work for them. It can be so hard to distinguish between the two at first.

These days I tend to answer some of these questions by linking to the answer in another part of the forum. This helps those genuinely unsure of where to look and gives the others some work to do for themselves.

 

[Brigitte Klaib]

Seriously? What does it matter to you. If you don't like the question just pass by it. Where is the spirit of the Camino? If I bump into you on the walk and you need help is it OK to walk by letting you know that I already helped someone and look for them?

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Camino de Santiago Forum mobile app

 

[Tia Valeria]

IMHO the spirit of the Camino is alive and well and helping those in real need

 

[CaminoGen]

Ever consider that for most people this trip is a once in a lifetime thing, that' they've never done something remotely similar and don't have the benefit of having a camino group in their town to dicuss such things and that they need comforting? If you are tired of answering the same questions, don't answer. (Sorry, this post made me mad.)

 

[TerryB]

"History teaches us that history teaches us nothing"

:lol:

Sorry I cannot asign the quote.

It would appear to be from Hegel:-

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel What experience and history teaches us is that people and governments have never learned anything from history, or acted on principles ...

Usually, if I can answer a question, I do. If I think the questioner is just being lazy I ask them to search . . . . . thread :roll:

Blessings anyway!
Tio Tel

 

[Deleted member 3000]

x.x

 

[Tortuga9]

" Where is the spirit of the Camino? If I bump into you on the walk and you need help is it OK to walk by letting you know that I already helped someone and look for them?"

I like this response!

 

[SabsP]

I understand the OP's thoughts about this issue. The search engine on this forum is here for a reason. Also the lay-out on this forum makes it very easy to navigate and find your way around.

I sincerely believe that in these highly high technical times ( internet, search engines , " the world is your oyster " ) people ( me too sometimes ) seem less able to find " easy " solutions and use their common sense.
Everything gets tested, quoted, reviewed and we tend to loose our gut feeling and common sense to think and decide for ourselves.

 

[Chefaj]

So I was wondering what size rucksack I should get? I'm also concerned about If I should bring my GPS... I'm also really concerned if I should by boots or shoes, should i break them in and what about bedbugs? I also watched this movie called "The Way" does the Camino really only take two hours to walk?

 

[Rebekah Scott]

This is nothing. I get emails from people asking me for the opening hours of every albergue in Castilla y Leon, which ones are "free," schedulues for bus companies in Basque Country, mileage between Burgos and San Bol, and "requests" for me to book their nightly accommodations for them in the "best places." I am asked to find donkeys, Compeed, taxis, backpack repair shops, fresh veg, and rubber tips for walking sticks. In Hornillos. Today.

Evidently there are many people used to having everything they want, right now, for free. And when I say No, I am told I am not properly reflecting the mythic "camino spirit."

Figuring things out for yourself and meeting your own needs is not only one of the fun things you learn out on the trail, it is part of being an adult. Asking someone to answer all your questions right now, in one new thread, is a bit like walking into a library and asking the librarian to tell you what all these books are about.

Some things you just got to do yourself. And once you start poking around, it´s a lot of fun!

 

[StuartM]

This is nothing. I get emails from people asking me for the opening hours of every albergue in Castilla y Leon, which ones are "free," schedulues for bus companies in Basque Country, mileage between Burgos and San Bol, and "requests" for me to book their nightly accommodations for them in the "best places." I am asked to find donkeys, Compeed, taxis, backpack repair shops, fresh veg, and rubber tips for walking sticks. In Hornillos. Today.

Evidently there are many people used to having everything they want, right now, for free. And when I say No, I am told I am not properly reflecting the mythic "camino spirit."

Figuring things out for yourself and meeting your own needs is not only one of the fun things you learn out on the trail, it is part of being an adult. Asking someone to answer all your questions right now, in one new thread, is a bit like walking into a library and asking the librarian to tell you what all these books are about.

Some things you just got to do yourself. And once you start poking around, it´s a lot of fun!

A very practical answer.

To me travel has always been a big part of my life and (for me) that appeal has always been journeying into the unknown. People (my wife included) have always bemoaned what they see as my lack of preparation. But that's just me, I'm an adventurer at heart. When I walked the Camino I decided to go on Monday and was in Spain on Wednesday, my preparation/research was nil and I had the clothes I stood up in. On the other hand I've spent a lot of time roughing it, I know how to get by in both mountains and cities and I've happily been down and out by choice (which is a hell of a long way from doing it by necessity). What I'm trying to say is that I have enough knowledge, experience and confidence to survive in miserable conditions with fairly limited resources. That's something acquired the hard way.

On the other hand, a lot of people (particularly people walking the Camino) are not life's adventurers. They are walking for reasons other than the journey itself. A lot of them have never walked anywhere out of sight of civilisation and I can understand their fears and concerns. A lot of people want to know everything in advance, they want to know exactky what they are going to find, feel, experience, have go wrong, have go right, etc. And so it's probably been for centuries, I doubt the pilgrims of times past were troubadours and picaros but more than likely merchants and tailors and clerks and millers.

And particularly for "New Worlders" the Old World, and Spain in Particular, must seem like an alien land. Even as a European (despite what the morons in government want us to believe) Spain is a pretty different place to where I live. Western, especially English speaking lands, are a hell of a lot more regulated and restrained than Spain, it really must seem like a world beyond the horizon.

But as much as I sympathise I totally agree with your sentiments. Go out, take the leap, go into the place with no maps, be prepared and just enjoy it. The more you let go then the more you get.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

x.x

 

[Maggie97520]

Oki doki - I'm a newbie (Leaving on my first camino (CF) on the 19- September). I've been reading about it and other pilgrimages and trekking advice for over 20 years, waiting for the time when I could go myself. In defense of those asking for advice, Google search and the forum search button are good to a point - information might be dated, incomplete, or not quite what one was looking for. Or, in the case of Google, too many hits that are near misses. There is nothing like talking to someone who's just returned. Not only is the information fresh, but the enthusiasm is contagious. One of the reasons why I keep reading the forum, even though I have my kit, boots and training already together, is to simply witness the joy and experience of those who've gone before me. (This is especially needed when I begin to doubt myself and my decision to take off for two months). Setting boundaries for demanding people is a good thing, but so is being vulnerable enough to ask questions. In the end, I guess it's all about balance.

 

[peregrina2000]

I am surprised at how snarky some of the comments are. Of course, Sojourner and others know that we don't have to answer questions that have been answered a million times before. I think that this post was intended to be a gentle reminder that there is already a wealth of information here and that one of the main points of a forum is to establish a body of searchable data. When there are 200 posts on how to get to Atocha from Barajas it in fact becomes harder and more confusing to figure things out. So the proliferation of repeated identical questions just makes the forum more unwieldy, not more friendly.

If you look at my posts, for instance, you will see that I have probably given my opinion on whether you should take hiking poles on an airplane at least 50 times. So those of us who recommend searching before asking are not unwilling to give new and updated information -- it would just be easier if the person in August who wants to know about hiking poles would see the post from July and bring it up to the top with a new question so we would have one thread rather than a million. I'm not suggesting that a thread be kept open in perpetuity, only that people check to see whats been going on recently in their area of interest and then bring up that thread to see if there is more info.

Don't mean to belabor this, just want to stand up for some of the forum's most helpful and loyal members who I think were unfairly labeled as not having "the spirit" of the Camino. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[grayland]

Thank you Laurie.
A very thoughtful and straight forward post.

 

[tyrrek]

We can sometimes be a bit lazy when responding to posts as well - I know I've been guilty of this sometimes. Someone will ask about the availability of accommodation in Sarria or something, so we give a stock response. Their real concern is finding a place that will accommodate their three-legged pygmy goat with a gluten intolerance.

Buen Camino!

 

[obinjatoo]

In the age of information and technology, I think it's easy to research ourselves right into a state of paralysis. The late, great writer and vagabond Jack Karouac was succinct. When going out "On the Road", he said, 'pack only your barest, necessities and then cut it in half".
It's hard to get lost anymore. Really, even in the woods (what's left of them), water leads to civilization eventually.
At some point, it is time to simply go.
You are going to have a great time!
Robin

 

[WayWalker63]

I've been on this forum for a while now and do know how to research the forum. That said I don't think the "check to see if your questions been asked before" is all that visible. Even I who know its there just had to search a bit to find it. Maybe a dialogue box near by might help with that. :idea:
Also as others have said the search often returns older posts and I might be looking for something newer. For example, yes, there are plenty of threads on boots and hiking shoes but the specific style of shoes named in a thread several years ago or even last season may no longer be available or they are not available in my country.
Be patient not every one is familiar with forums. Rather than snarky answers or whole threads just don't answer. There are plenty of others on this forum and others that will step up and help even if they've answered that particular question a 100X before, God bless them.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Even us 'forum-oldies' don't always find what we need on searches. Hopefully when we post thread links they are to relevent posts, or can lead to further questions re what is available now. Personally I try to link to recent posts, or ones I have actually answered before, especially if the question is asking for opinions. Questions re bus/train etc I try to link to timetables as things can change and some answers can be found in the various guide books.

Just occasionally there are folk who expect all the answers, on evrything, handed to them when there are perfectly good websites, posts, guides which already have the info and typing them out again would be a waste of time, which could be better spent answering another question.

My problem is trying to see who is genuinely in need of help/ answers and who is being lazy at the expense of others. :roll:

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Even the saints got pretty snarky sometimes.
I stand by my snark. At least this time.

Reb

 

[Sojourner47]

Even the saints got pretty snarky sometimes.
I stand by my snark. At least this time.

Reb

So do I. One thing strikes me - the majority of those who agree with my post are all experienced pilgrims, long time forum members, who have contributed greatly to various discussions here. Whereas, the majority of those in disagreement appear to be relative newcomers,who have perhaps yet to set foot on the camino. Which knda proves my point, if yer catch me drift.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Congratulations on your self-congratulations.

Where past pilgrims share and future pilgrims learn

 

[SabsP]

Re: Re: Instant answers/gratification

Sent from my GT-I8160 using Camino de Santiago Forum mobile app


. . .

 

[Tumbleweed]

Even the saints got pretty snarky sometimes.
I stand by my snark. At least this time.

Reb

So do I. One thing strikes me - the majority of those who agree with my post are all experienced pilgrims, long time forum members, who have contributed greatly to various discussions here. Whereas, the majority of those in disagreement appear to be relative newcomers,who have perhaps yet to set foot on the camino. Which knda proves my point, if yer catch me drift.

I have yet to set foot on the Camino but will do so this September. I kind of agree with you Sojourner47 and Reb and all the veteran posters that share your opinion. I agree because I am a common sense kind of person, not lazy and love a challenge. However, I'm sure I've been guilty, especially when I first started using this forum that I had asked a question or two that had been asked before. And I so appreciate all who patiently typed down their answer again. I have taken everything this forum has to offer and have learned, yes, we can still learn something if we choose to. I hope you all continue with the Camino Spirit and I hope I continue to learn so that I may pass on the knowledge and patience to anyone who askes and then askes again.

And Reb, I admire you for giving so much of yourself to others. I'm sure there are days you feel exhausted, days you are inundated with requests and some not so pleasant people. I hope to run into you while on my way (where can I find you?). I'd like to bring you something that will brighten your day, even if it is just a smile and a hug. Take some time out and refill your Spirit, the Camino needs you.

God Bless our veteran posters and Buen Camino to all newbies :arrow:
Hallelujah, only 28 more sleeps to go!
Angela

 

[Camino Yogini]

Having gone on Camino only once so far, I am neither a virgin nor a veteran. And being a good librarian who is open and likes to just "go for it" but wanting to be prepared as well, I do (usually) search for an answer first.
But like the quote by Neil Gaiman, “Google can bring you back 100,000 answers, a librarian can bring you back the right one”. Lots of posts, not necessarily applicable to MY little concern. So I will continue to ask questions (like I will after this post) and will be grateful for the answers that will help me. I will also post (hopefully!) helpful advice if it might be useful.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Maybe I am not the only one having a series of tough days?

Seriously, let's all step away from our computers for a while and take a walk outdoors. You can be snarky and impatient without name-calling.

The camino will still be here when we get back.

Reb.

 

[ivar]

I am closing this thread for now.....