Nature

Infamous Montanans: Ted Kaczynski

By Joe Prebich, 9-27-05

Montana has a long-standing tradition with its wilderness. People pride themselves on the minimalist inside each of us. Be it biking, walking, or hiking; Montanans love the outdoors. Primitivism. Well, maybe not that, but there is a movement, I know especially among college students, hiking and fighting for nature. Living with nature. Montana and the University of Montana, prides itself on the wilderness education and outdoorsy academics.

Like Thoreau, I guess we all want to just leave it all and read, or philosophize or simply listen to the world around us. And so in my pursuit of nature-junk I came across this website called, Primitivism. Their slogan, "Primitivism is the pursuit of ways of life running counter to the development of technology, its alienating antecedents, and the ensemble of changes wrought by both. This site is an exploration into primitivist theory, as well as various works that contribute to an understanding of the tendency."

Does this strike anyone else as odd? The thesis of the group is destroying technology and living primitively, yet they have a website? Kinda hypocritical. I wonder if they have internet in their shacks on the sides of mountains?

Anyway, what they did have though is an interview with a famous or rather infamous Montanan, Ted Kaczynski, who is more commonly known as the "Unabomber". The interview is an interesting look into a man, whose life went from building bows and arrows in the woods outside of Lincoln, Mont., to building bombs and terrorizing the country. Just how that change occurred and other interesting anecdotes about the pre-terrorist Kaczynski are also wrapped up in the article.

Now, I am in no way condoning what Kaczynski did, but at one point he was a person, living in touch with nature, living simply. It is a unique article and worth a read. [End of article]

Comment By maria margherita, 10-04-05

This is a seriously interesting article. It seems like things just got away from the man. Intentions were not all bad....Really....craziness can creep up on a person....I guess getting a read from the people around us and how we are "fitting in" may be helpful in staving off the craziness..... Thanks for the info....ciao

Comment By Brenda Jackson, 10-05-05

Thanks for the link on the Kaczynski story. I never would have even thought about looking up an interview with him. While I do not share his views technolical, I can see in my daily life how
technology,while purporting to make our lives easier, often times doubles or triples the work we have to do. I think it is not so unusual in the human mind to want to go back to a simpler time, but in reality...I like my running water, my indoor plumbing, my electricity AND the natural beauty that surrounds my home and town. From my home I can see mountains in all directions. I can hear cougars crying, elk bugling, watch golden (and sometimes Bald) eagles go about their daily search for food. I get to watch the wild turkey raise their young in my backyard while my kitten plays lion. I see the deer on a daily basis and watch them grow from fawn to adult. I am 7 miles from town on the slope of our big little Mt Emily.
I grow food, flowers, trees...it is easy to get away from it all just by walking up the mt in my backyard. Technology is not the problem. One needs to use it wisely, not let it consume them. It allows me to stay in touch with my two children who are on two opposite sides of the planet, both by email and cell phone. It makes one realise that we are indeed one race of humanity occupying this beautiful blue and green
planet. It also is a poignant reminder that we must take care of our home, our planet earth. But never, never is blowing people up the way to accomplish that. That just makes you a murderer now, doesn't it.

In my opinion, Ted just lost touch, it's ok to live in the wild and love it, but one cannot let their love of nature turn them into ruthless murderers. He needed psychiatric help and in my opinion is currently where he should be. Here's hoping he is getting some pscyh help. No doubt he misses his cabin in the woods but after all, he decided to remove himself from it. He could have chosen so many other paths. Peace and love-
they are profound in any language and in any location.

This article was printed from www.newwest.net at the following URL: http://www.newwest.net/main/article/infamous_montana_ted_kaczynski1/