Material Innovations

Interestingly, the majority of the bicycle section in the Whole Earth Catalog documented variations and technological advances of the bicycle, few of which have made it into the mainstream. The bikes they depict (mostly folders and recumbents) certainly still exist and are still produced with commercial success, but their popularity is still minimal. It really goes to show that the basic fundamentals of the bicycle are already so well established that there will be no toppling of the traditional bike form as transportation anytime soon.

However, those same simple principals and fundamentals of the bicycle and the fact that the bicycle is one of mankind’s most profound and simple machines for increasing the efficiency of human power, lay the foundation for expansion and development of the bike as a more specific tool. Instead of just transportation of the rider, the bike becomes a tool for more developed transport and larger working capacities of our human power. Most notably, in developing countries we see the bike as the blank canvas for work, in which simple mechanical additions and transformations make the bike and its pedal power into a different tool necessary for that locale that would otherwise be unaffordable.

Even though the folding bikes we’ve looked at from the Whole Earth Catalog are based around streamlining the bicycle into its role with our daily lives by being able to hide it more efficiently, by looking at the trends of global bicycle use and transportation we see the path that the bike has taken is much more utilitarian. Instead of designing the bike to be hidden or transported more easily, we’ve begun to integrate the bicycle much more into daily use. Although the two photos above demonstrate the bicycle as a tool of necessity and in these cases poverty, we see these trends happening all throughout the social and economic levels, as the bicycle’s potential benefits for everyone are beginning to shine through the cracks of the ever disintegrating trend of the combustion engine. It seems to me that the next Whole Earth Catalog will be encouraging the utility of the bicycle, as the trend begins to grow. It’s certainly an exciting time for your feet.

I see kids like this all the time in Portland OR.  Crusty Punks.  Gutter Punks.  Freegans.  Walking around in a monotone pack, usually with a scruffy dog who doesn’t know any better.  (Dogs are wonderful companions in that way.)

I’m always interested in their story.  Not that I ask.  The layered gray clothes, half shredded and overly worn, always intrigue me.  I start thinking about the amount of time and what circumstances got those clothes to look like that.  And then this leads to the people themselves.(warning some graphic images here – add related)  Many scenarios play through my head.  Random evening news teen statistics and my mother’s childhood warnings discussed in our awkward but important talks ranging from drugs too sex start to influence the story in my head.  I look into their faces and realize that they are close to my age.  I wonder if was their choice or another unfortunate predicament.

For some reason I want to believe it’s their choice to live that way.  And I’m like “Good for you, F the system!”, and all.  There seems to be reactive anger in this choice though.  Even a defeatist point of view.  By their physical appearance alone, they are making a major statement about the state of our culture and society.  Time and experience are values regarded higher than money.  Visually the monotone appearance is that of unity through the choice of what the norm would call struggle.  It’s a return to our roots in a way.  This perspective is all hopeful and positive though; something I see beyond their worn appearance when I look into their youthful faces.

Ed Buryn’s book and guide Vagabonding in the USA written in 1983, as found in the Whole Earth Catalog under the Nomadic section, is a resource for people who are also interested in choosing the value of time over money through the transient lifestyle.  The Catalog seems to make this point through out it’s pages.  But the Vagabonding motive, unlike these contemporary crusty kids, seems to be more about exploring self through travel, not denying self by rolling over and getting fucked up all the time.

Concurrently there’s Pat who has changed his whole life based directly one Buryn’s book.  He says he’s a Digital Vagabond.

“The Internet enables me to make my living – any time and place – and share my life and ideas online like an open book.”

Now, this guy has his roots in hitting the road in a beat up VW like so many stereotypical sole searchers, but the fact that he’s making cash from wandering around as a lifestyle seems a little insincere if not a joke. Maybe, he believes he deserves it, having lived the life for so long. He also rides around in a Winnebago which he calls “My Destiny”. (Similar to this.)

Jessica Degroot’s message is a positive example that seems to be more fitting with the values learned from time spent in wanderlust.  Here the values of community, people, and time over money, extend beyond self indulgence for the benefit for others.  She says ”We really shouldn’t have to choose between career aspirations and family aspirations,  but  before more of us can do this, we need to continue to push for more flexible organizations, supportive public policy, and progressive conversations at home.”

I’m not advocating to be a stay at home family member, nor am I saying we should all hit the road and live the transient lifestyle.  But there can be values learned from travel exploration that we can start to incorporate into our understanding of values and ways of life if done in a positive manner.