Murph, look at the big picture man. Look, I dont agree with a lot of what you post. But, your the man in the tree, its your name on the job, and its your wallet at stake. Sooooo, you gotta do what you feel is best. Thats what makes the world go round. If your methods are working out for you and you are laughing your way to the bank each day, cool. But, you lose your audience with the "Im superior to you" mentallity. People watch your videos, they really do. You've gathered quite an audience. But you lose them when you become high and mighty. Tree work goes right out the door, and it becomes a matter of being offensive. If you have a message to share with the world, such as considering alternate cuts, than have at it. But, if you want to be the teacher, and want other climbers out there to be your students, dont start off the day with a "Im better than you" attitude. All the students put their heads down on the desk and go right to sleep when you do that.
Ive seen you post things to the affect of "no one in my area is getting it done like me, no one." Dude come on. You and I both know loads of guys in that neck of the woods, and I cut my teeth on the main line. There are a handful of real bad to the bone climbers around you. Guys that put big wood on the ground and make it happen FAST. You may feel you are one of the top dogs, and thats great, but you lose your audience when you put other guys down. I cant remember a time when Alex Shigo was teaching his ways out at Longwood Gardens and making it clear that all his students were inferior. In his time, he came off with some things that folks thought were bogus. But, he was a patient teacher, and in due time, his ways became law. If you want your message to be heard, learn how to speak it. I could put up a video of me doing some BS work in a tree. Most of these guys at the TreeHouse will not flame me for it. They'd give me their ideas on some better ways, and they'd compliment me on the things that I did do well. Not because they all like me, because they dont. But because they know Im not claiming to be "mightier than thou" in a tree.
Give it some thought.
