Presenter(s): Lilly French
Faculty Mentor(s): Avinnash Tiwari
Poster 103
Session: Social Sciences & Humanities
It is an easy claim to make that people are increasingly turning to the outdoors as a means of escape from their real world. “The outdoors” is a loaded term with definitions far expanding that of its physical space. Really, “the outdoors” has everything to do with the opposite of its physical space, urban life. This research essay explores the outdoors as it is used by people as a form of escape. This method of escapism is reflected through case studies that discuss the feminine language surrounding the outdoors and why it is harmful, examples of nature’s use to treat anxiety and stress, outdoor recreation as an industry in the United States, and the commodification of time’s creation of a need for escape. The culture that questions the authenticity of outdoor experiences is also discussed. When conducting my research, I consulted credible articles, academic journals, and a nonfiction novel as examples and references to previous studies demonstrating elements of my research question. As outdoor recreation becomes a more and more common way to practice escapism, I have found that pieces of the “real world,” the parts people are trying to escape, have begun to seep into the outdoor culture and community as well. Without a collective conscious of these hazards, our great escape may fall to the same pains and perils of our real world.