Dave Key / Privilege, wildness and middle-class navel-gazing

There’s been some talk recently, on Louise’s blog and coincidentally in various corridors of power, about the potential for the Natural Change project to be privileged middle-class navel-gazing.

Is going to wild places a privilege? Yes, definitely. Is this privilege a problem? Well maybe the point is being missed.

The work I do outdoors is exclusive. Less physically able people can’t do it, elderly people find it too challenging, those who can’t afford to equip themselves with all the right clothing meet an economic barrier to taking part. So, on this basis, should we say it’s unfair for anyone to go out there?

Being in wild places has the power to transform the way we think, feel and act towards the natural environment, each other and, indeed, towards ourselves. John Muir famously took someone who was extremely privileged out into the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada mountains - President Roosevelt. The result was the US national park system and the American Wilderness Act. Both of which are now global phenomena.

I think, on balance, the world is better off thanks to that particular camping trip.

I have numerous other examples of this type of process: Wilderness experience leading to radical personal and often social change. I wrote my masters thesis on the topic.

I think it’s important not to throw the baby out with the bath water, or to fall into the trap of mutual exclusivity. Just because wilderness approaches to personal and social change aren’t accessible to all, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be used by some, or that they don’t ultimately effect many.

And then there’s the simple fact that outdoor access has always been a staunchly working class issue. In the 1930’s the largest mass trespass in British history took place on Bleaklow in the Peak District. The leader of the group was confronted by the Duke of Devonshire and his hunting party out on the moors. “Get off my land”, shouts the Duke. “Why?”, responds the trespasser. “Because my forefathers fought for this land.” The trespass leader casually took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and calmly said, “Right then, I’ll fight you for it now!”. Working class rhetoric at is Mancunian best. Access to wild land is not a middle-class privilege. It’s a privilege full stop.

To achieve social change for sustainability we all need to be working wherever we are most effective. We all have a place along a broad frontier of change. As long as we each move our bit of the frontier in the ‘right’ direction, we are helping the cause.

I work with people who have influence and I work outdoors. It’s where I find it easiest to create change. I think the “wilderness is a middle-class privilege” mantra is completely true. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a hugely powerful and effective way of achieving social change.

After all, what are we trying to do here?