sanesh-iyer profile

I'm glad I'm up late on the internet. This was awesome, thank you!

I love that the featuring of a grom! ... And I have literally never smiled on Empress. That's awesome.

One thing that was brought up a few times in the comments that I feel the need to reflect on is the effect of peer groups, statistical representation, and the purpose of the discussion at hand. For one, I agree, clearly peer groups and statistics have an effect. But the generalization that it's not "culturally" part of people's life. I just don't see it as a cut and dry cultural "choice" until we can look at ourselves and say "yes there's absolutely no systemic socioeconomic barriers." The pay gap is a huge one. Historically trail difficulty was as well (and since the NSMBA changed that it has been a lot better!). And representation, and all the other things doscussed. 

I think the real reflection we all have is not necessarily to drill in to mountain biking, but into other aspects of our lives as well. We are all privileged and rich. We should be looking around our offices and our communities and reflecting on what barriers put up, support, and benefit from. I am a man, I am an immigrant, I'm well educated, I paid for my own education, I'm straight... We all have priveleges and losses. And there's not necessarily an equality between them. If we can lift up people through our places of work and our other communities, we'll see mountain biking grow naturally too. But mountain biking isn't the cause of systemic problems, it's a symptom. So... Let's look in all those places and do what we can there.

You hit the nail on the head mark. Privilege is a complex spectrum. I think the first part of having a proper discussion is being honest where you are on it.

On the privilege spectrum, sexuality is definitely something people are singled out for.

Hey, thanks for reading.

Fwiw, I have no animosity towards you, or anyone really. Just the kid I punched, but even then I'm angrier at myself. I also don't think all white people are bad.

Hopefully to constructively engage:

1) the book is about historic and systemic issues in the US. I think I make it pretty clear that it may not be our fault (I'm a male too, which means I benefit from biased systems) that these systems are in place but we so benefit from them. So it's on us to equalize things. I'm really not finger pointing here. As someone who grew up pretty lucky and as a male I have just have different priveleges. I have read some pretty extremist left books that I don't agree with, just because I would like to read something doesn't mean I take it as gospel. But there's probably something to learn. Right wing economics has some interesting parts, but I have little tolerance for the lack of inclusiveness in right-wing politics (not just western countries, either). So far as I can tell a large part of right wing politics is uniting against a common other. And to be clear, right wing politics isn't unique to white people or Canada or the west. In this article I'm speaking to a very very local issue. The Shore.

2) I think the point your missing is that racial identity is already woven into everything, for everyone. The point of these conversations is to unweave it. I think so economics point hits that home. If people systemically make less money, of course they're less likely to participate in expensive hobbies. The parallel I can provide is gender identity in engineering. There is still significant under representation of women in the field. The fact that it hasn't been a 50/50 split for history of humanity indicates that gender identity is already woven into the profession. This is why so many people have put work into unweaving (or to use your cancer analogy, irradiating) gender identity from the profession. It's way too convenient an explanation to say "people like that just dont like this."

Hey! I'm glad to hear it resonated. I think we met on a Trail day this past year. Everything you just said rings so true. Thank you for sharing your story. Looking forward to seeing you on the trails!

Hey Greg, thanks for your thoughts!

You bring up a great point. Mountain biking, and the outdoors in general, are great communities. And a lot of tension comes when people aren't versed in the common courtesies (ride don't slide, right of way, etc.). But it's not because they're bad people, they just need to be welcomed in better.

Thank you Andrew.

I refuse to believe I'm unique. That's part of why I went on that tangent about hiring. I, and my employers, were definitely lucky with right person-place-time. But, I think as we think about the gatekeeping in our community, we can work towards every shop having a Sanesh and every Sanesh having a shop. 

I haven't read this book yet, but it's on the list.

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/a35379486/why-does-the-world-reward-mediocre-white-men/

Thank you. Though these words are my own, my partner and I regularly get into conversation about all sorts of non-engineering and bike related things, and she's quite a force to keep up with.

Hi MrBrett, and Craig also mentioned some of this.
Culture and generational experience are definitely part of it, but I think we have to be wary of using that as a scape goat. It's definitely a factor, but not the only one.. But as you said, reducing the gate keeping is huge. I think the explosion of the sport in the last year has improved diversity, and the NSMBA was prepared thanks to years of work to manage that growth.

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