Stepping outside the box

I find that in today's North American culture, we admire those that 
step outside the box.  But when we have to deal with these people on 
a personal basis, then we might quible.  I have a friend who admire's 
those who step outside the box (his thing is leadership theory and 
practice).  What I told him is that people stepping outside the box 
look admirable, until it is your box they are stepping out side of 
(He is a Royal Canadian Mounted Police type).

Ray J has stepped outside the box of traditional Backpacking.  When 
you step outside the box, you are in new territory.  Often the 
territory is foreign, so initial observations may not be as accurate 
as those who follow in your footsteps and come bearing an accountant 
type "box" mentality, which wishes to catogorize things.  Then some 
observations from the initial sojourn may come under skeptical 
scrutiny by those following the new path of the now "new box."

What Ray did was open everything up to question.  Some of his answers 
may not withstand the test of time (Freud's aren't), but a critical 
new field - ultra lightweight backpacking - was given new impetus.  
Probably this forum wouldn't be as popular if it weren't for people 
like him.

I can't see why such a simplistic proposal such as - it is more fun 
to carry a lighter load - has garnered such controversy.  Or why some 
established institutions, such as MEC haven't moved in the that 
direction yet (and trust me - they haven't; I go to the Vancouver 
store all the time).

For those that label Ray a nut case, remember that today's anti-
establishment theory is tomorrow's orthodoxy.