got a private message

[Pax]

<butting in a week late as usual, what can I say, I think slow>

This exact argument has gone on more times than I can count on my (rock) climber forum. Someone offhandedly throws a comment about "newbies who climb grade x", and everybody who has never been above grade x in the course of 15 years of climbing get all huffy about being called newbies.

What it basically boils down to is that if you do something you're proud of, and mentally have given yourself some kind of "title", you don't take kindly to someone else saying you're not worthy of that title. Especially not if they at the same time imply that they are more worthy of said title.

Sure it's a valid personal opinion, but it's not surprising if people don't like it.

And for the record - I could care less about what other people think of my cycling, but I HATE it when people call 5.10 climbers newbies... Obviously my pride lies in climbing, not cycling.

Excellent post! I imagine there are folks here who identify deeply as "cyclists"...by the same token I imagine there are folks riding in the TDF who would scoff at those who identify that way.

I like Tucks post so I think I'll stick with that:

I reserve the right to define myself by any label that furthers my aims.

Conversely, I reserve the right to refuse a label that prevents me from being fully equal or makes me less than.

In other words, I reserve the right to self-determination.

Karen