Spreading The Word...bad?

[LokiDucks]

Hello everyone. At 19 years old, i think i'm one of the younger geocachers around here (at least in my area [not counting cacher's kids anyway]). In any case, i'd love to spread the word to others my age to spark interest in it. I've had success with my personal circle of friends whose interests i know match mine and i know would be interested in geocaching and take it seriously.

 

So i thought about writing an article for my college newspaper about geocaching. But as i was writing, i thought about some jerks deciding to go plunder caches just for the fun of it (college kids can be so cruel). Maybe it's just mean world syndrome, but i'm a little hesitant to submit the article.

 

On the one hand: it could greatly increase interest in geocaching for people more in my demographic, expand the community, and cause growth in the number of caches to hunt around here.

 

On the other hand: pirates plundering the hard work that we know goes into hiding, submitting, and maintaining caches.

 

I suppose this is the risk we take anyway, where anyone could just stumble upon the website and decide to plunder caches. But it seems a little dangerous to just be advertising our presence and our activities...I dont' know, what do you guys think?

[+Cache Heads]

I don't know what the general consensus is on "spreading the word" , but I would think (hope?) that people (especially college age people) wouldn't go out and spend the money on a GPSr and the time learning how to use it just to plunder some piece of tupperware filled with happy meal toys .

 

I know that geocaching has gotten press before, and many commerical sites like Garmin and Jeep link to GC.com (or at least refer to the game). Recently it was talked about on Jeopardy! by a contestant who was also a cacher I'm sort of new here myself, though-- so I don't know how the veterans have felt about all the new publicity.

 

Interested in seeing the responses to this one....

[+Chuy!]

I think you did it the right way, you passed the word among people you can trust. What you feared happened in my neck of the woods. A geocaching teacher used caching as, I think, an extra credit assignment. Well, some of the students created a club of sorts whose purpose was to plunder caches. I would venture to guess one of them grabbed their parent's GPS.

We found out from a student whose dad is an active cacher. She overheard said students bragging about items they had plundered.

[+wiseye]

I think it is better to spread the word personally. General invitates to the public will cause harm in the long run.

[CoyoteRed]

In a hobby where our game pieces are at the whim of whomever finds them, word of mouth is the better way of going about it.

 

Sure, there is the occasional newpaper article, but if you consider who reads it you see how this has not been too much of a problem just yet.

 

Let's not force growth as we're having enough growing pains as it is.

[+sbell111]

On the other hand, one of the issues that most have had with newspaper articles about the hobby is that the writer often doesn't really understand geocaching. You could write one of the few articles that get it right.

[+Bill & Tammy]

I don't know what the general consensus is on "spreading the word"  , but I would think (hope?) that people (especially college age people) wouldn't go out and spend the money on a GPSr and the time learning how to use it just to plunder some piece of tupperware filled with happy meal toys  .

 

I am afraid many wouldn't have to buy a unit, there are an awful lot of one star caches that can be found very easily using only mapquest.

 

I recently did an interview for our local paper and plundering was one of my chief concerns. I shared this with the writer and I think she did a pretty good job not being too specific about where local caches are located.

Edited January 24, 2006 by Bill & Tammy

[+sbell111]

That's the thing. You don't have to tell where any caches are (or how they are hidden) to write an interesting article. If you spark someone's interest, they will go to the website and create a profile to find where the caches are.

[+ncfinn]

I'd say definitely write an article. If I had relied on word of mouth I would never have discovered the hobby.

 

You have to register and create an account before you can view co-ordinates on the web page. You have to buy/borrow/steal a GPSr and learn to use it before you can do anything with the co-ords. Then you have to hike into the woods and find the plastic box. That is a lot of work just to cause a little bit of harm. I can't believe that many people want to do that.

 

After the initial investment geocahing is a rellatively cheap hobby, and it is healthy, too. So definitely it would be good for college students.

[+cudlecub]

We had a hiking club at the small college I went to and some of them already had a gpsr. Maybe you would consider joining that group and spreading the word among them? They already enjoy getting out in the wilderness and scoring a find while taking a break on a trail would just be a bonus.

[CoyoteRed]

You have to register and create an account before you can view co-ordinates on the web page. You have to buy/borrow/steal a GPSr and learn to use it before you can do anything with the co-ords. Then you have to hike into the woods and find the plastic box. That is a lot of work just to cause a little bit of harm.

Wow, where do you live? No urban caches at all? No parks? Nothing? Only caches in the woods?

 

You only have to register to see the coords. Then click on a convenient link on that cache page to show you a very good idea of where the cache is. Read the description and the hint and, viola, you have everything you need to find the cache. So, for free and in just a few minutes you, too, can be caching.

 

...or plundering.

 

Your choice.

 

We found our first few caches sans GPS. Today, in even a moderately cache dense area there are a bunch of caches to be found without a GPS or even a lot of knowledge of maps.

 

Like I've said many times before, our hobby survives only on the goodwill of others.

[+Airmapper]

My local group is trying to get an article in the paper about Geocaching, we'll have to see how it turns out.

 

I'm 19 as well, but most of the people my age I tell seem to give me the "What in the.." look. But considering these same people have difficulty with the GPS concept, I don't think I have to worry about cache plundering.

[+sbell111]

...and in just a few minutes you, too, can be caching.

 

...or plundering.

 

Your choice.

 

...

 

Like I've said many times before, our hobby survives only on the goodwill of others.

You've made your position clear. Unfortunately, you appear to be forgetting that many of us found out about this hobby through the TV or newspaper. Surely, more good has come from this sort of story, than bad.

[CoyoteRed]

...and in just a few minutes you, too, can be caching.

 

...or plundering.

 

Your choice.

 

...

 

Like I've said many times before, our hobby survives only on the goodwill of others.

You've made your position clear. Unfortunately, you appear to be forgetting that many of us found out about this hobby through the TV or newspaper. Surely, more good has come from this sort of story, than bad.

You missed this:

Sure, there is the occasional newpaper article, but if you consider who reads it you see how this has not been too much of a problem just yet.

 

What I'm saying is you just need to watch your venue.

 

Not saying college kids are evil. I've got one. She's a perfect example of someone who would be completely disinterested in the article. She's been cachin and, well, she tolerates it just to spend time with Mom.

 

Not saying saying 19 year olds are mischievious. Got one of those, too. Okay, so he's not a good example unless it's to prove my point.

 

However, even the OP has expressed a concern. If the OP wants to write an article and he has concerns, then maybe he will write with that in mind.

[+sbell111]

I think college students would be a great audience. I believe that they would be much less likely to plunder than high school students or, perhaps, the general population.

Edited January 24, 2006 by sbell111

[+gumbyatl92]

I believe geocaching is such a good community of people because of the lack of mass communication about it. It is a word of mouth, grassroots type of thing seems like the community is built on mutual friends. I heard of it through a friend who heard from a friend who heard from a friend... In my opinon most anything that is commercialized suffers from it. I'm not saying that anyone shouldn't write an article about geocaching or make a tv show about it, I'm just saying I wouldn't personally because I like the way the game is spread from one person to the other and I also think it is positive for the community as a whole.

[+sbell111]

Take a look at one of the 'How did you hear about geocaching?' threads. Loads of people found out about the hobby via the media. I found out by watching TechTV five years ago.

[LokiDucks]

Thanks all of you for replying to this thread, it's good to see additional concern and opposite viewpoints.

 

I do suppose that it would be a whole lot of work to print maps, decypher clues, drive out to the woods, search for the cache, then only to steal it. Frankly...the people who would be most interested in plundering a cache would probably be too lazy to actually follow through, heheh.

 

I think i'm going to write the article anyway (it probably won't even get published). At least that way the word is out and those who decide to use it for good will get a chance to have some fun

[+Scout65]

I vote for writing the article. As an insider your perspective would be a little different than that of a reporter. As for your concern about plundering, mean people will do mean things with or without your help. If your article causes someone to expend the time and effort to go out and empty a cache, it's not your fault.

I helped with a newspaper article a couple of years ago about caching and as far as I know there wasn't a rash of plundering after it was published.

[+Davispak]

I as well like the fact that GC is kind of a members only kind of hobby, but I also believe that a positive article written about GCing would be very beneficial. Our hobby has the potential to get very bad press if we are not careful. Complete strangers lurking around in brushy areas hiding boxes? I think a good informative article so that the first thing people think is "oh they must be GCing" instead of " I wonder if he is a Thief casing the area"

 

That's why on another point I think in urban areas we as a community need to get away from ammo cans and to clear containers.

[+vree]

I think college students would be a great audience.  I believe that they would be much less likely to plunder than high school students or, perhaps, the general population.

i don't know. i work at a university... some of the students are destructive enough to earn a reputation for most of the others who are not. of course, most of the vandalism is probably done while drunk, but still... you'd be surprised at the type of people who are going to college these days.

 

if you're vague, it seems like it could be harmless enough to do the article. personally, i enjoy word of mouth so you know exactly who the audience is.

[+sbell111]

..., most of the vandalism is probably done while drunk, but still...

I was thinking the same thing. I figure that the drunk ones will be less likely to find the cache.

[+The Blind Acorn]

Is there an outdoor adventures or hiking club at your school? Perhaps you could talk to the advisor for the group and see if there is an email list of members. Those would be the ones more likely to be interested in geocaching. Just my two cents worth.

[SGT Superman]

I think that word of mouth is the best and safest way for our sport. On the other hand it just doesn't get the word out to a large enough crowd. A middle ground is the best option here. Write an article, but only in a publication that caters to people that enjoy related events. Such as an offroad mag, tech mag, or a blog that a certain group of upstanding students read. If you print it in the general paper, next to the news about the latest phrat party, you run the risk of some low life drunk student plundering caches (don't get me wrong I like to drink and party as much as the next guy, but those are usualy places where you find jerks.)

Just my 2 cents, take it as you wish

[+gumbyatl92]

I just thought about what I had said and I'm not sure that what I said was what I meant. I fully agree with the idea of promoting geocaching in specific arenas, like the outdoor sports section of a college newspaper. I even have a podcast for geocaching (with questionable language so I won't give the link). What I didn't I didn't like, however don't condemn, is mass media like having a feature on the ABC nightly news or something.

[+Elde]

Take a look at one of the 'How did you hear about geocaching?' threads.  Loads of people found out about the hobby via the media.  I found out by watching TechTV five years ago.

TechTV reaches a rather different audience than say, the newspaper, or your local TV station's evening magazine or filler news segment. Not all media is equal.

[+lostndazed]

My two cents....as a newcomer it seems to me from reading threads here that there is some opposition to geocaching in certain areas. For that reason I believe that the more people that know about geocaching and what it's all about the better.

 

The more people who become involved the less likelyhood of elected officials passing laws to ban it

[+terri and billy]

I remember many, many years ago seeing a segment on useing GPS technology to find a container in a tree on 60 Minutes. I don't think you can get much more mainstream than that. I thought this sounded like so much fun but so out of my price range. Years later, my interest was resparked by a totally different group of folks and I was able to afford to join the fun. I think if more people learn about this sport, the less misunderstandings there will be. People have gotten parinod lately. Just ask my youngest son....a couple of years ago, he was riding bikes with a bunch of his friends. They decided to jumps some dirt ramps that were in a vacant lot and a neighbor called the police that a teenage gang was casing her house! That lot is still vacant and there is no plans to build on it but I sure wouldn't place a cache on it even if I had the owners permission!

 

So, write the story. Include some stories about caching and what fun it can be. Include how easy and how challenging it is. This is an easily portable hobby/sport that can stay with you regardless of you age or lifestyle or physical limitations. I don't know too many things that I can enjoy with my 75 year old mom and 2 year old grandson!

 

Terri

[+cache_test_dummies]

I suggest you write an article, but that you write it as a work of fiction. Weave a futuristic tale about small group of everyday people equipped with hand held devices and access to a secret web site that provides coordinates to containers hidden almost in plain site all over the globe.

 

Don't use the word 'geocache' or 'geocaching'. In fact, don't use the word 'cache'. This way, only the most motivated readers will figure out that what you are describing in your fiction is actually a real activity, and we'll be protected from the majority of the would-be-plunderers.

 

[CoyoteRed]

You don't want geocaching to go mainstream.

 

The more people you expose it to the more likely you will get someone who will become a maggot. Ask RK about how fun a maggot is.

 

Our caches are only protected by their obscurity. Why in the world do you think we caution against muggles and use stealth? Why do we have cover stories? Why do we even hide the caches in the first place?

 

Think!

 

Right now, we are only seen as some weird person with an electronic gadget. Let geocaching go mainstream and then everyone will know you're looking for a cache. Kind of hard to use stealth when everyone knows what you are doing. They will know there is a cache very near. Savvy, but less than honorable, folks could simply watch you replace the cache and later go pick it up. They simply walk away with whatever booty was in the cache. They're not invested in the hobby so when they are done they toss it. Cache archived.

 

Follow this out to its logically conclusion.

 

You don't want geocaching to go mainstream.

[+cache_test_dummies]

There have already been many, many, many opportunities for our beloved activity to be thrust permanently into the mainstream. Many of these opportunities have come in the form of articles which don't exactly portray geocaching or geocachers in a positive light.

 

And what has been the result? Despite all this publicity, both positive and negative, has geocaching 'gone mainstream'?

 

I don't see the harm in one more article. Or 10 more articles.

 

I'll grant that it's not inconceivable that a single extraordinary geocaching event ("Geocacher Discovers Body of Jimmy Hoffa", "High-Tech Treasure Hunter Locates Secret Lair of Osama Bin Laden") couldn't push the activity over the edge. But with respect to whether or not geocaching eventually goes mainstream, I sincerely doubt that we as individuals have that kind of clout.

[+Team Red Oak]

Write and submit the article. Geocaching is already being covered in many newspapers, magazines, TV programs, and recently someone mentioned it was in a book his wife was reading.

 

Last night I started to tell my sister, who lives in another state, about Geocaching she said she already knew about it, which floored me. She read an article about it in Parade Magazine a few months ago. For those who don't know, Parade magazine is an insert that comes in the Sunday paper. Where I live we get some other insert.

 

I bet most college age people, and I have a few of them at home, who read the article may think it sounds interesting, but they either won't care or they'll think it's too much trouble to do.

 

We're not a secret organization afterall. Who knows maybe one day when a police officer gets a call about a suspicious looking box in the park, he'll know what it is because he read an article, or saw a news segment.

[+lostndazed]

You don't want geocaching to go mainstream.

 

The more people you expose it to the more likely you will get someone who will become a maggot. Ask RK about how fun a maggot is.

 

Our caches are only protected by their obscurity. Why in the world do you think we caution against muggles and use stealth? Why do we have cover stories? Why do we even hide the caches in the first place?

 

Think!

 

Right now, we are only seen as some weird person with an electronic gadget. Let geocaching go mainstream and then everyone will know you're looking for a cache. Kind of hard to use stealth when everyone knows what you are doing. They will know there is a cache very near. Savvy, but less than honorable, folks could simply watch you replace the cache and later go pick it up. They simply walk away with whatever booty was in the cache. They're not invested in the hobby so when they are done they toss it. Cache archived.

 

Follow this out to its logically conclusion.

 

You don't want geocaching to go mainstream.

I'm a newcomer and very enthusiastic about the benefits of geocaching. I don't think that you can assume all muggles are going to do as you say and plunder a cache. I think it's human nature to be curious when you see someone doing odd things.

 

I really don't see the problem if geocaching becomes mainstream and people realize what it is your doing wandering the woods. You're still going to be aware of people watching you and avoiding going to the cache site to protect it's integrity aren't you?

 

If geocaching gets cloaked in too much secrecy I think it gives people a reason to think it shouldn't be allowed in places like public parks etc. My personal opinion is that the more publicity the better.

 

The more folks that become involved the more caches there will be to find and the game/sport/hobby/addiction will only get better.

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

Write and submit the article. Geocaching is already being covered in many newspapers, magazines, TV programs, and recently someone mentioned it was in a book his wife was reading.

 

Last night I started to tell my sister, who lives in another state, about Geocaching she said she already knew about it, which floored me. She read an article about it in Parade Magazine a few months ago. For those who don't know, Parade magazine is an insert that comes in the Sunday paper. Where I live we get some other insert.

 

I bet most college age people, and I have a few of them at home, who read the article may think it sounds interesting, but they either won't care or they'll think it's too much trouble to do.

 

We're not a secret organization afterall. Who knows maybe one day when a police officer gets a call about a suspicious looking box in the park, he'll know what it is because he read an article, or saw a news segment.

I don't think we're as secret as it made out. While it appears looking at some profiles and some forums on the subject that the average cacher is an almost middle-aged (mid 30s to low 40s) techie job male (which ironically describes me ), I have seen quite a few stay at home moms, college students, retirees, police/fire/ambulence/military people (maybe it's somewhat like searching for clues/people/the enemy in the woods?), etc.

 

In fact, on the bit about retirees, there was an article about it in Bottom Line Personal last summer that noted that a lot more retiree-age people are doing it than one would expect giving it's "techie" nature and origins and noted that it's a great way to get fresh air and exercise while exercising the mind a little as well.

 

And TV shows like Law and Order, Crossing Jordan, etc. have had an episode that revolves around geocaching.

[CoyoteRed]

I don't think that you can assume all muggles are going to do as you say and plunder a cache.

See. Here's is where you don't get it.

 

All it takes is one in an area to cause problems. One. Not all. Just one.

 

That one is from a very, very small precentage of the population that will gleefully wreak havoc where ever they can get their jollies. But the more folks you have that are aware of the hobby the more likely you're going to bring it across this one person's radar.

 

Then you'll be right back into the forums howling hate towards "these maggots that are ruining your game."

 

Those of you who haven't been around awhile haven't seen the forums when there's been problems with maggots. Many of us remember the pirates' games being played. There have been various areas where there have been problems with plundering. You can't say no one would do it when you haven't been around long enough to see that it has happened. Once you go through something like this you'll see just how vulnerable our caches really are.

[salmoned]

Yes, the fact that it 'only takes one' is one of the more intriguing aspects of this activity, IMHO. It insures civility and mutual respect. Geocaching is not for everybody.

[+lostndazed]

. You can't say no one would do it when you haven't been around long enough to see that it has happened. Once you go through something like this you'll see just how vulnerable our caches really are.

I don't believe I said that "no one would do it" I'm saying that even if it becomes mainstream you're still going to take the same evasive actions to protect the cache. Of course there are folks out there who willfully destroy whatever they can get their hands on. I don't see that as a reason to keep geocaching as some kind of secret society.

 

I may be a newcomer but I'm not naive. I happen to think that geocaching is just about the perfect activity for people of all ages. I think it would be a shame not to share it with anyone who's interested.

 

[CoyoteRed]

I think it would be a shame not to share it with anyone who's interested.

Absolutely. But, that's not what we were talking about here. Going mainstream does not equate with sharing our hobby. Neither is it the other way around. I share it with anyone who cares to listen, but I'm not shouting it at the top of my lungs.

 

Remember, letterboxing has been around 150 years. It's been a very healthy hobby all of that time. Enter geocaching and its push for popularity, and all of a sudden our hobbies have come under scrutiny of all sorts of varying authorities. In fact, I don't know of any regulation that restricts letterboxing that came about because of letterboxing. The only ones I know about became about because of geocaching. But let's say there are one or two, how many rules or regulations that restrict one hobby was caused by the other and how does that break down?

 

Now, explain that.

[+briansnat]

don't know what the general consensus is on "spreading the word" antenna.gif , but I would think (hope?) that people (especially college age people) wouldn't go out and spend the money on a GPSr and the time learning how to use it just to plunder some piece of tupperware filled with happy meal toys

 

In my high school and college days I did a lot of things for fun that I wouldn't remotely consider doing now. Many were simply mischevious and some were dowright mean (yes I was the one who after you raked your leaves, bagged them and left them by the curb came by and broke open all the bags and scattered them on your lawn).

 

I'm sure if geocaching was around back then that I would have been doing bad things to caches in the name of fun and would have had plenty of friends to join me.

 

My point is that its probably not the best idea to publish an article in a college newspaper. I'm not saying all males that age are like that but having been onje once I know that there is no shortage of them.

 

As an aside, I wouldn't mind the opportunity to go back in time and punch my 19 year old self in the face.

[+cache_test_dummies]

yes I was the one who after you raked your leaves,  bagged them and left them by the curb came by and broke open all the bags  and scattered them on your lawn

That was YOU?? Why, you little ....

[+Thrak]

On the other hand I've done a cache GCHGWW that was logged 4 different times by college students who were geology majors (or at least in a geology class) who found the cache by accident. Each time they read the log, made an entry, and replaced the cache where it belonged.