Some people may find this kind of overthinking and over-analyzing quite stimulating and I can understand how it can start healthy debate and discussion.

I also understand that some people, as a result of their educational status have a need/tendency to want to analyze things in this manor.

I feel the same way about this piece as I did about reading "Place Hacking" by Bradley Garrett - I find it exhausting and entirely unnecessary to think THIS MUCH about this silly hobby we have all embraced.

Establish your own opinion on this, and enjoy it - if you enjoy this kind of writing. Curious to hear your thoughts on his discussion points...or don't!

Link:

https://deviantlei...s-deviant-leisure/

Pffft!
Not a single reference to drinking beer in drains.

I thought I was just taking pictures and looking at cool stuff. I had no idea that I was really rebelling against a perceived oppressive capitalistic system that has alienated me. Who knew I had such deep seeded resentment...

Posted by Peptic Ulcer I thought I was just taking pictures and looking at cool stuff. I had no idea that I was really rebelling against a perceived oppressive capitalistic system that has alienated me. Who knew I had such deep seeded resentment...

Well according to the article, you may be conforming to that system.

I have known the kind of Instagram urban explorers talked about, who get corporate sponsorship and travel the world. So that part of the article rang pretty true to me.

Posted by Freaktography Some people may find this kind of overthinking and over-analyzing quite stimulating... ...

Written by a graduate student who needs to communicate his social class and attitude of superiority along with his content. And why not? He worked hard for it--or his parents did.

But filtering out the attitude to get at the content isn't easy. I read:

The motivations behind my own and others’ participation in recreational trespass are various and diverse: the curious desire to experience illicit sights, sound- and smellscapes for oneself; photographic interest; architectural and historical geekery; and one-upmanship, to name a few. Of particular relevance for criminologists however, edgework, “sneaky thrills” (Katz, 1988), and the physical and mental challenges involved in both circumventing physical security measures and evading and outwitting security guards and the police, are all central to the motivation for, and experience of, recreational trespass.

My translation:

"We explore for lots of reasons. To experience breaking the law; to take cool pictures; to look at old stuff; and to compete with each other in doing these things. People who study crime are more interested in explorers gaming security."

Is Theo Kindynis overthinking UE? No, just overtalking it. At the same time, I think he's missing something. There's something spiritual or emotional about some scenes. I sometimes feel it, and I try to capture it in pictures; but I don't know what it is.

The article isn't really about how UE is a way of rebelling against the system, it actually takes a stance directly against that being a motivation. The article generally says that the primary motivation of most urban explorers today is based on the new branding it has received, basically, it says that a lot of people are getting into the hobby because it's hip. And it is, it's up and coming. The "Urban explorer aesthetic" is one a lot of companies (Urban Outfitters comes to mind, and now Nike and Canon apparently) and people (the instagramers we all see) utilize for marketing purposes. It's a cool thing to do right now, because, in my opinion, it is an inherently cool thing. You feel like a badass doing some of the shit we do.

My main take away from the article is that now that urban exploring is becoming an established aesthetic it will grow in popularity, and that growth will continue to feed more growth, and it will spiral into full on popularization.

Basically, we'll be seeing a lot more people going out and taking selfies rather than photographs. The majority of the participants in our hobby will do it for the aesthetic it promotes (especially on social media) rather than for its own sake.

I was into urbex before it was cool. Now I'm an urbex hipster.

Ugh.

Locations get ruined when some webmasters hashtag location to the max for maximum exposure and traffic for their site and e-fame.

The guy that got busted for scaling the Brooklyn bridge got busted only after he drew attention to himself on social media. UEing isn't for attention whoring.

Posted by Ganesha Written by a graduate student who needs to communicate his social class and attitude of superiority along with his content. And why not? He worked hard for it--or his parents did.

Absolutely and I don't look down on those who think this way, I just find it exhausting!

I got to "autoethnographic research" and quit reading.

While I fully support our 1st Amendment, I can't help but ponder better uses for the hard drive space occupied by this drivel (i.e. UE photos, YouTube videos of cute puppies, porn, etc.)

I'm rebelling against capitalism? Me? I would sell orphan tears if there was a market.

Posted by Deuterium UEing isn't for attention whoring.

Agreed... ideally. Yet 94% of those involved are clearly doing it for this very reason (look at my awesome photos! me=cooler than you). And some, to the extreme of getting the press involved. I try hard not to let this overexposure ruin the fun.

Guys, I have a confession… Now seems like an appropriate time… I am Seph Lawless.

But really, I'd like to read this article later… looks like you spent a lot of time thinking it through!

Personally, I found it rather hard to discern his own opinion of urban exploration. He mentions all of these trips he went on but he never explicitly states what he felt and experienced during those trips. Perhaps that stance was not appropriate for this article - I have no idea what the guidelines were for what I'm assuming was an assignment - but I would be interested to hear his opinion. Furthermore, he goes over an extensive number of topics pertaining to urban exploration, but he seldom presents an argument for or against these issues. Again, perhaps it wasn't appropriate but it would have been nice to know. As the article stands, all I can say is that the issues he brings up are valid, legitimate ones.

For the short time I have been exploring (a year, roughly), I have discovered that the reason I explore is to see, experience, and document. I don't brag about locations because I'm not trying to beat anyone; it's simply something that I love to do. An inexplicable passion, per se. I feel no reason to sell my actions to others and the commodification of this hobby, although somewhat annoying to me, is something I rarely take notice of. What others decide to do with their photos is not up to me so why worry about it?

In regards to the commidification of urbex, I remembered an interesting article we had to read for a class the other week (http://www.harvard...iss-nature-goodbye) which discussed the commodification of nature. The topic isn't necessarily a pleasant one to think about (I think you'll understand if you read the article), but it's possible we can find a balance between selling nature and experiencing it. Abandoned locations, in my mind, should be viewed as nature; perhaps not true nature but the nature of the urban landscape. As such, perhaps commodification is inevitable but as is the case with true nature, perhaps a balance can be found between selling urbex and experiencing it.

Anyways, that's my long-winded take on this article. I feel that some of his writing technique got to me and I apologize if the above paragraphs are convoluted and confusing. Nonetheless, thanks for posting this article; it's an interesting point of discussion.

Posted by CatAndTie But really, I'd like to read this article later… looks like you spent a lot of time thinking it through!

I don't think OP wrote the blog post... Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.