Olsen, Brown, and the history of primitivism

Posted by: nursemike

Olsen, Brown, and the history of primitivism - 11/01/08 06:16 PM

Apparently there was at some point controversy between Larry Dean Olsen, Utah primitive skills educator, and Tom Brown, a New Jersey (?) primitive skills educator. this is an interview in 1998 that represents their first meeting in 20 years. The interview is pretty much a series of choruses of Kum-Ba-Yah and mutual admiration. Does anyone have any insight into the disputes between the Olsen and Brown schools? Or even what might be the distinctions between their approaches? Olsen seems to advocate neolithic digging sticks and flint-chipping, while Brown has designed a really odd-looking knife and tracks people over pavement.
Thoughts, observations?
Posted by: Chris Kavanaugh

Re: Olsen, Brown, and the history of primitivism - 11/02/08 02:23 AM

First, a disclaimer; ETS is part of a 'community.' Our diplomatic course is to avoid the personality squabbles.

I had a 'primative movement' once. Then I found the book HOW TO S**T IN THE WOODS. Interesting word, primative. It conjures Rousseau's Noble Savage. There is little 'Noble' about the past pissing contests between several alpha males trying to mark out some imaginary territory ( and income.)

The Digging stick is not Neolithic.