Commercialism vs Self Employment

NEW GEAR IS LIKE A NEW CAR, do we really need all the Newest Gear on the market? OR is it a matter of WANTING the Newest gear on the market? I have had several cars that Ran fine, got me where I needed to go, didn't give me mechanical problems, still looked and performed fine....but.....I thought hey I just WANT a new car! Gear is sometimes the same, we don't actually need anything if what we have performs it's functions well enough, but sometimes it's nice to have a change. I love me some Quesadilla, but after about a week I would get tired of them even though they taste great, fill me up, are not expensive??? But human nature is to never be satisfied with the status quo per say. I dont think we buy new gear most times because we actually need it unless it was something we did not already have 10 of anyway but we buy it to see if the grass is greener or the piece more suitable to our liking. Any old knife that meets all the criteria of a good knife will work if you have the proper skill set and I have said MANY MANY times I would take my old 3.00 butcher over anything, heck I can make all the knives I want, but even this does not keep me from buying a new knife once in a while or trying a new product when it comes along. It is a sickness I think but man it feels good to be sick!

"To be sure, even though a man rigs up his own outfit, he never gets it quite to suit him, every season sees the downfall of some cherished scheme, the failure of some fond contrivance." - Kephart

So with all of that said do I sell gear YES, do I create and design gear YES, do I help other companies by acknowledging that their gear is worth buying YES, Do I make money by providing services and consultations, as well as from teaching skills YES, it is called SELF EMPLOYMENT, everyone loves to speak to Self Reliance and not being dependent, but by Golly you better be doing it somewhere else besides this community or you are a Sell Out!, Really? I don't compromise I tell folks exactly what I think of any said piece of gear ,including my own company, and most of the time I pay for Gear even if I review it or at least pay for something else from the same company before I review a piece of their gear, why because I want my opinion to be based solely on experience! Now do I sell the same gear I review or create, or design, HECK YES, It's call SELF EMPLOYMENT, Its called not LIVING off the Government TIT! I chose to make my living in the Outdoors, and I don't tell the Guy at the Tire Store selling me those 35" BF GR All Terrains that he is a sell out because I know he is making money off the sale, I expect him to sell me the most quality tire for my vehicle based on his experience and if he makes money in the process BRAVO, you are not in line for a hand out! Pat that guy on the back for being a worker and not a shirker.

I try very hard in this "business" and yes it is a business and anyone that tells you their SCHOOL, ONLINE STORE, or YT CHANNEL that is MONETIZED is not a business and an attempt to make money is FOS!, Sorry tangent alert! I try very hard to help smaller companies that make great gear to get ahead and I use any reach I may have to help them promote product and if I make something selling that gear as well, YOU GUESSED IT! SELF EMPLOYMENT! And Lets not forget I have Posted well over 1000 educational videos most of which are still up and cost nothing to view and learn, do I make Money from Google of course that is called SMART BUISNESS, do I review the latest gadget to get views NO, The vast majority of my Videos promote or teach actual SKILLS-

There are Many FINE Schools, Stores, and Businesses in this Industry and I don't think you have ever heard me one time bad mouth any of them on a public Forum, You got a good Book I will sell it, I don't care that you have a business or if you have a School, you got a good product, I'll take it and I don't care if it is sold somewhere else, if I can help you and I can make some money as well, but I would expect the same courtesy in return and not to be bad mouthed by you later on a forum or board, especially when my COMMERCIAL business is making YOU money-HELLO!

This Community (Which some try hard to tear apart at every opportunity) is a fantastic chance for us to all learn and promote and make things work TOGETHER! If you think for one minute there will ever be enough Knife makers to supply the demand think again! You got a School in another Environment or Are you teaching something I do not? I would love to send folks your way for sure, but that should be a mutual feeling.

It is such a shame that in a world filled with so much hate and so much wrong, and so much lack of self respect, that we as a Bush craft Community cannot seem to work together for the Common Good of ALL-

Not a day goes by that I don't see someone in this community talking or posting bad of someone else, of course some are sly and don't think you can see it or don't think anyone knows EXACTLY who you mean, REALLY?  I think you need to read the Bible-

I have made it my personal GOAL to rise above the many posts inundating the Web, and to NEVER openly bash anyone, as I believe everyone has at least one redeeming factor about them and until I change my mind I will not change my ways. My Grandma always said, if you got nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all, this community would be a lot better off if folks were that smart today-

I will never be heard to put someone else down to help make myself look better, I can learn from my own mistakes well enough I don't need to dwell on someone else's to justify it- Let me know if I ever tell someone they don't have the right or it is wrong to feed their family, and I will rebuke myself for this entire post-

Life is a One way Train Folks, You only get one ride, make it as scenic and enjoyable as possible because in the end we only have to answer to one! Thanks for reading this somewhat silly but long needed rant-