A serious discussion about building intrest in bonsai for the 15-35 crowd

[chicago1980]

Documentary filmmaker and first time poster here who recently gained an interest in Bonsai. People (especially younger people) who get into hobbies/careers like photography, aquaculture and bonsai want to excel and have the possibility of being the best and/or unique. If they feel that there is the possibility that they can attain this and they have a strong curiosity, everything else becomes easy. The technical skills required will become self-evident and/or easily acquired through research and perseverance.

You see this in the photography world all the time, young people pick up the hobby and in no time are excelling at their craft and become professionals. Many of the older artists (mostly non-pro’s) will tell them that there are “rules” to follow in order to create beautiful photography, berate them for shooting without permits, laugh at their experiments, etc…However, the reality is that if they are motivated and have a unique perspective, many of these kids persevere, develop their own styles, and within a few years become some of the most talented photographers in the industry. Seeing this happen is what inspires other young people to take up the hobby.

I’m sure that there are a lot of people who are reading this who are thinking “but Bonsai requires so much time and patience” and just assume that younger people aren’t capable of it…which is ridiculous. Younger people are some of the most capable and motivated people out here. They’ve still got that spark and a lifetime to keep it going.

If increasing popularity of the art form is the goal, we should encourage new people to build on the existing foundation and push the boundaries of the art form rather than pigeonholing them into workshop culture which tends to make people play by other peoples rules and creates a standard for aesthetic (which is the opposite of creativity in my opinion). This will create more emerging artists and art that will in turn increase the popularity of the art form and then the cycle will feed on itself.

Great post.

 

[Cadillactaste]

What are you going to do with them then?
Give them away?
The majority of youth could give a shit about bonsai.
Because you said it first.
A tree ain't an iPhone.
It isn't dinging every few minutes with alerts to hold their short little attention spans.
They need to be rewarded now.
Not 5 years or more down the road.
Bonsai will never change that kind of thing in younger people.
They live for the minute,not the day.

My son doesn't do social media...I sat him down and lectured him...he uses to many texts. (Sarcasm) When in fact...he doesn't have any of his friends have his cell number. Why...if he's at home it doesn't work. And if he's driving...he doesn't want it ringing as a distraction. He detests social media actually...finds all the faults in it...he actually requested a generic cell...not wishing for a smart phone for he feels they are a waist of time and steal your minutes you could be actually living. He doesn't wish to be zombiefied. I'm pretty proud of him. I'm weak to social media. Doing this forum for one. He works....goes to college...and never read a blog until a collage class had him write one. He didn't even research blogs. (Which I lectured him over) he only read the text book...and created a page of a blog. Got an amazing grade on it. He is rare...

 

[Woody Carverton]

I've been doing bonsai for 34 years, stuck with it and I still think your a blistering idiot....your hypothesis is flawed.

Well, I've been doing bonsai about 40 years. And have always thought you were a blistering idiot so i guess we got that in common.

 

[Woody Carverton]

Wow, as one who deals with youth myself...that is quite offensive that your outlook on them is to that degree.

I think you missed the "consumerist" part. Also like "i'm mister big shot" @Smoke , i think you also skipped over the "that may have been" in the ending.

Typical on the web these days though. People only read or acknowledge the parts they want to.


You all are free to continue on though, I got what I came for on the first few pages of this thread and have unsubscribed to it now so I can focus on more constructive threads with what little time i have online these days.

Feel free to take this reply and bend it to fit whatever context you all want.

 

[_#1_]

Don't wanna be a penis, but this might sound like it.

Wouldn't 11k+ trees equates to consumerism? I mean when your daughter grows up and heads for college in 18 years, these trees might be something. And will be sold to fund her college? Supply/demand...

This is pure speculation of course.

 

[coh]

In reality, No it wasn't. He was paid for doing it. As someone who has apprenticed in their youth I can tell you first hand that apprentices are paid. Apprentices are given a place to stay, and the equivalent to about half of minimum wage to pay for food and such. Being an apprentice is a job, not an education even though you learn about the job while you are doing it.

That being said, it still does not mean he should not charge for the Mirai live. It costs money to pay camera crews, host a web platform, pay video editors, etc. True, he is over charging for what is delivered. But he will get away with it because there is a market for it in the older crowd. It will do little to nothing for the younger crowd as the cost is probably half of their weekly salary for a years subscription and they would rather spend it on buying material.

Truthfully it is inevitable that sooner or later all that material will be leaked in some sort of torrent download anyways and Ryan knows that so I cant blame him for trying to make his money while he can in the beginning to recover the funds for cameras, mic's, lighting, and all the other hardware he had to purchase to make Mirai Live.

What makes you conclude that he is over charging? Tier 2 costs $18 per month. If you figure there are 4 videos per month, at say 1.5 hours each, that's 6 hours of instruction for $18, or $3 per hour. Tell me where else you're going to get a deal like that from someone with his background?

 

[Cadillactaste]

Wouldn't 11k+ trees equates to consumerism?

(((MIC DROP))) BAM!

 

[sorce]

penis

(((Microscopic Drop!))) BAM!

Sorce

 

[Smoke]

I think you missed the "consumerist" part. Also like "i'm mister big shot" @Smoke , i think you also skipped over the "that may have been" in the ending.

Typical on the web these days though. People only read or acknowledge the parts they want to.


You all are free to continue on though, I got what I came for on the first few pages of this thread and have unsubscribed to it now so I can focus on more constructive threads with what little time i have online these days.

Feel free to take this reply and bend it to fit whatever context you all want.

Since you have never contributed anything here, either in help or pictures of trees, and only came to glean from the forum what you needed like a selfish child, I have taken steps to deal with you in the best way possible for me. The ole ignore button.

edit: I do remember you did tell a guy with a crappy procumbens how great it was, and then blew it on the juniper ID in another thread. Yea I know your kind, probably voted for Bernie Sanders.

Post away I'll never know.....

 

[Delrious]

Delrious slowly walks backwards out of forum realizing his mistake.

 

[M. Frary]

I'm pretty proud of him.

As well you should be.

 

[M. Frary]

would like to get some ideas from all you wonderful folks

How do you like us now?

 

[sorce]

Delrious slowly walks backwards out of forum realizing his mistake.

And I shove you back in with a knife like typing finger and a few words of encouragement!

No mistakes!

Sorce

 

[Woody Carverton]

Since you have never contributed anything here, either in help or pictures of trees, and only came to glean from the forum what you needed like a selfish child, I have taken steps to deal with you in the best way possible for me. The ole ignore button.

edit: I do remember you did tell a guy with a crappy procumbens how great it was, and then blew it on the juniper ID in another thread. Yea I know your kind, probably voted for Bernie Sanders.

Post away I'll never know.....

Fuck you smoke and your idealistic bullshit like you fucking know something. I have helped dozens of people on this forum had you have taken 5 fucking seconds to look through my post history. Get off your trump loving fucking high horse and get your head out of your ass.

Before i joined here dozens of people warned me to stay away from this forum, at first i thought they were just crazy. Now it makes perfect fucking sense.


Is that the reaction you wanted dip-shit? Got what you were digging for? Good! Now go fuck yourself.

 

[M. Frary]

Before i joined here dozens of people warned me to stay away from this forum

Too bad you didn't listen to them.
What dozen did you help?
You have your profile page so we can't look up your previous posts.
So in order to check your alternate facts someone would have to sift through all of the forums just to see.
I'm not going to do that.
So I don't think you've helped anyone. Except yourself to some people's generosity.
I'm glad I didn't fall for your begging routine.
You said you got what you wanted from us so don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out troll.
Dozens?
Delusional!
Came here to beg for cuttings with his hat in hand.
Smoke sent him home crying!
This is why I love this forum.
You just made my day!

 

[Anthony]

Well before @Woody Carverton goes, could he show 5 to 10 of his trees, 40 years would be impressive,
just for keeping the trees healthy.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[coh]

Fuck you smoke and your idealistic bullshit like you fucking know something. I have helped dozens of people on this forum had you have taken 5 fucking seconds to look through my post history. Get off your trump loving fucking high horse and get your head out of your ass.

Before i joined here dozens of people warned me to stay away from this forum, at first i thought they were just crazy. Now it makes perfect fucking sense.


Is that the reaction you wanted dip-shit? Got what you were digging for? Good! Now go fuck yourself.

@Smoke was right about you. You talk about all this experience and these grand plans, but based on things you've posted on this forum I have to question whether you really have much bonsai experience at all. It's irrelevant now, though, as your extremely nasty response lands you on another ignore list.

 

[Dav4]

@Smoke was right about you. You talk about all this experience and these grand plans, but based on things you've posted on this forum I have to question whether you really have much bonsai experience at all. It's irrelevant now, though, as your extremely nasty response lands you on another ignore list.

C'mon, give Woody a break... it's how we all learned to communicate up there...

 

[Cadillactaste]

As well you should be.

Thanks!

 

[LanceMac10]

I read "serious" in the thread title, so I didn't bother.....look what I missed!!


Of course, having a "serious" discussion about an age group not necessarily known for being "serious" is a fruitless exercise in nihilism.....

C'mon, give Woody a break... it's how we all learned to communicate up there...

Are you inferring that us "Yankees" have a dialect acute to the northeast?
I'm a bit curious how many people have me on ignore after reading thru some responses here......
Let me take a moment to tinkle a bit on the embers here....I can still smell the @Smoke .....heheheee.....