Adventure Philosophy aims to “Inspire others in all walks of life to seek their own adventures, pursue their dreams, be creative, and value the world around them”.
We share this philosophy through our core values:
- Inspirational role modelling
- Personal adventure
- Professionalism and integrity
- High quality sharing via all forms of media
Adventure Philosophy believes in an adventurous spirit, the determination to pursue a dream or vision, the tenacity to overcome barriers, a willingness to take calculated risks, and a respect and affinity for the earth. Adventure Philosophy believes an adventurous spirit lies in the heart of people that make up a healthy society.
Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass.
Adventure Philosophy promotes adventure through the Good For LifeScholarship.
an ADVENTURE MANIFESTO
Adventure Philosophy started as a team name for our first expedition - the first traverse of the Antarctic Peninsula coastline by sea kayak. It was a name we hoped would catch and become associated with a set of fundamental values about cur relationship with the environment, the way the environment is portrayed and how humans conduct their affairs: a bundle of principles we thought were important in life and the presentation of quality life.
Since that first expedition we've been busy with a number of things that have strengthened our philosophy and conviction. We've been on challenging expeditions, created the Adventure Philosophy Charitable Trust to administer our youth scholarship, written books and loads of articles, given literally hundreds of talks and presentations, made documentaries, and created a couple of babies (which wasn't a team effort). Aside from all these 'tasks' what has become stronger and sharply defined is our set of values. This is exciting and all sorts of opportunities and possibilities are emerging. So here goes, a snapshot, a sound bite of not what we do - but why we do it, the philosophy of adventure according to Adventure Philosophy.
We believe in the individual and social benefits of adventure. To engage in adventurous activity promotes and develops vital skills: self-confidence and reliance, determination, initiative and calculated risk taking. These are the hallmarks of citizens in any progressive and healthy society. We use the word adventure in its widest, most inclusive way. Adventure is about hauling sledges to the South Pole, kayaking an unpaddled river, but it is also about tackling a new pursuit, starting a new business, helping coach a school sports team.
Adventure through the ability to inspire, serves the audience and protagonists alike. The oldest stories are adventure stories, stories of risk taking and daring. As Paul Zweig maintains, adventure stories may "constitute the original definition of what is worth talking about". The social benefit of adventure is immeasurable as the values and norms that define our culture are shaped and support by the stories we tell. Armchair viewers are as interested in the human story as the adventure accomplishment itself what was learnt, the skills that were employed. Aside from the nurturing of skills and the potential to inspire, adventure is also, well, damn exciting. While many a expedition to the Polar Regions or even the new space station has been dressed up in the name of science we need not shy from the fact that adventure generates a passion for life trans porting us from the mundane to something worth living for. Society needs adventurers just as it needs doctors, plumbers and poets.
We believe that stability and balance on an individual family and social level is necessary for prosperity and happiness. But we also need and admire those who are prepared to question and challenge the status quo. It is through disruption that our world view is called into question, where errors in prevailing paradigms are exposed and conditions For new levels of' understanding created Within our social Frameworks we must make room for the creative, the challengers the feather rufflers: where the precision of society's cogs don't squash the life from those prepared to assume the unconventional.
We believe time is the only real currency. We trade it in various ways to various ends. We live in comparative freedom of choice and action (we're not slaves) and that makes it only right we use our time to fulfil our potential. Within the bounds of our genetic inheritance and short 75 odd years we ought to be the best we can be, challenge ourselves to be the fittest, healthiest, the be sportsperson we can be, accomplished in our vocation, a best friend, son, daughter, parent, community member. To squander our gifts is to relinquish what it s to be human.
We agree that people should be able to profit from the use of the land and that involves individual control and management. We believe, however, in policies that protect the publics access to land areas for non intrusive recreation. Access to our beautiful and wild places is fundamental to quality life and serves a grater good than the profiteering of a few. Similarly, it is not in our interest to reduce everything to a life of ease. Restricting motorised access and activity in certain areas leaves the rewards for those prepared to make an effort. Limited access wilderness areas are the jewels the crown of New Zealand's wonderful hinterland.
We recognise self-interest as the motivator that oils the wheels of enterprise, achievement and what we hail as progress. Self interest, however, along with the ugly sisters of pride and arrogance has demonstrably wrecked any fragile relationship we had with the environment and placed us at the crossroads of sustainability or decay. Nevertheless, we must be optimistic that the same self-interest that has fouled our water reserves and accelerated the decline of bio diversity can be used for good: that we can resolve the tension between the messages - recycle and reuse, and discard and dump. The outcome is far from certain, but we have the capacity for a greater collective intelligence; we can communicate, drive policies and change behaviours to ensure resources are used sustainably and that other species arc not sacrificed to the short term power of humans.
We believe in a humble orientation to the environment - that the outdoor world does not exist for the hedonistic pursuits of a privileged few. That loud people that speak before listening, who use more than their share or the air to announce their identity, are like destructive initials on a tree trunk; tarred with a brush of unsustainable and repugnant attitudes. The natural world offers a place to rejuvenate the soul; where we arc reminded of our place in this awe inspiring world, where we come closest to appreciating our connectedness with the rest of creation.
We believe that it is not a contradiction to have a society that promotes individual responsibility and accountability whilst maintaining a safety net for the less privileged. That there is no contradiction in having government run services that work better with a state owner and enabling opportunity for individuals to benefit from their skills and efficiencies. We believe it is necessary to move beyond the old master, servant paradigms of right and left politics and that there is a third way, a more relevant political direction for the 21st century.
Oh and also...we don't believe the end of the world is nigh, that society's (young or old) values are better or worst than they ever have been. We do believe we have a long journey ahead and that an adventure philosophy can help us get there.
