“To Conquer Myself ”: The New Strenuosity and the Emergence of “Thru-hiking” on the Appalachian Trail in the 1970s

Abstract

In the early 1970s hundreds of hikers began to traverse all 2,000-plus miles of the Appalachian Trail in a single effort. Spanning from Maine to Georgia, today over 14,000 have trekked across the entirety of the famed “wilderness footpath.” A particular mentality, characterized by perceptions of asocial self-discovery gained though physical activity and “wilderness” recreation led to the initial 1970s “thru-hiker” surge. This sense of autonomous self-discovery, however, was connected to a certain social and cultural context. Indeed, it could be argued that thru-hikers embraced a certain brand of individualism that should be read as a manifestation of a privileged social position as much as the achievement of personal authenticity.

Representations of Hulk Hogan in the 1980s: Christianity, Masculinity, Xenophobia

“…Elected in 1981, Reagan's tenure in the United States has previously been associated with the demonization of those seeking welfare and the celebration of individual successes (Kohler-Hausmann 2015). Physical activity was part of this process, a point Benjamin Rader (1991) previously noted. Under Reagan, physical activity became an acceptable form of leisure, as it cultivated these traits.…”

“…The muscular Christian ideal of the nineteenth century-which celebrated a Weberian Protestant work ethic-was reinvented during the 1980s. As Benjamin Rader (1991) argued, the strive for self-sufficiency during this period echoed the underlying ethos of the muscular Christian ideal-that hard work, as found in one's bodily strength and appearance, was tantamount to some form of personal good. Put another way, in the 1980s, the body became a visual signifier of one's social wealth.…”

“…While it may seem trite to discuss the president's eating and training habits, Jeffords made clear that Reagan was a master of self-construction. He tapped into what Rader (1991) referred to as America's desire for self-sufficiency and strenuosity during this period. Trickling down from the president himself was the zeal for physical activity and the linking of American masculinity (more accurately white American masculinity) to one's body.…”