Skiing, Ranch Girl and Olympic Snowboarding, Essay Example

Skiing has traditionally been an elitist hobby. In order to be a skier, a rite of passage had to be performed. This rite of passage implied trips to Aspen or the Catskills in addition to ski equipment and regalia in order to enjoy the hobby of skiing. The concept of a ski chalet loaded with a fireplace, outdoor hot tub and bottles of champagne is traditionally associated with the hobby and sport of skiing. The traditional rite of passage for the skiers includes the skis, the access to snowmobiles and of course, ski accoutrements (Boroff 1).

The skiers possess hierarchies in their subculture. This implies that the most humble skier will arrive at the slopes on a tour bus trip which is a part of a package which includes food and lodging. The elite would prefer to go to the Swiss Alps or New Zealand to ski.  This aspect implies an ideal of the American dream (Boroff 1) However, that type of American dream has been long since forgotten. The article is written in 1964, when there were ideals which resulted in a growing middle class in America.

Snowboarding has become increasing popular as a sport partially due to the eroding economic situation which has been cascading during the past several years.  The snowboarders had been viewed as individuals who were rebels, bypassing the traditional rites of passage in order to enjoy the sport of skiing (McNaughton & Gnar 1). The question is: Have they been labeled rebels their own choice or by circumstance beyond their control? As the economic situation continues to decline in developed nations, the divides that exist between the poor and the rich is increasing.

Once upon a time, a college degree inferred guaranteed admission into the solid middle class. Not anymore.  The middle class and the ideals which the baby boomers enjoyed for a significant part of the twentieth century have vanished. The United States was once the home of the most productive and energetic middle class in the world. Presently many of the householders who are under the age of thirty one have poverty rate of 37% (Snyder 1).

The reality of the circumstance is that there are not sufficient employment positions for the young inexperienced college graduates who enter the workforce every year. Compounding the situation, the gap between the poor and the wealthy has increased.  This implies that many of the dreams which had been normal in America during the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty-firstcentury such as opening a business or moving to a new town and taking on a new job have become concepts which are impossible for many Americans (Snyder 1).

In the story Ranch Girl, the narrator is a girl who lives on a ranch in Montana. Her father is the overseer on a ranch and receives an hourly wage.  She is an intelligent girl. However, the resistance that she would face living with the richis shown in the following sentence: “You can live cheap in Dillon, and if things don’t work out with Andy you already know half the football team” (Meloy 234).

In the essay, the narrator understands the resistance that would be given by the poor and the well- to –do if she were to try to establish herself in another location or another social class.  The narrator feels sheltered in Dillon, MT. Everyone knows each other and everyone supports one another.  This aspect of the social divide that has increased for the generation which is thirty years of age and under becomes manifest in her attitude towards her neighbor:

Down the road at the ranch house, Ted Haskell grills steaks from his cows every night. He’s been divorced for years, but he’s never learned how to cook anythingbut steak. Whenever you’re with Haskell’s daughter Carla, who’s in your class at school, Haskell tries to get you to stay for dinner. He says you’re too thin and a good beefsteak will make you strong. But you don’t like Haskell’steasing and you don’t like leaving your dad alone, so you walk home hungry (Meloy 232).

The situation in Americahad caused the narrator to perceive herself as a victim of circumstance. This aspect is manifested in the opening paragraph of the story. The story begins with:

If you’re white, and you’re not rich or poor but somewhere in the middle, it’s hard to have worse luck than to be born a girl on a ranch. It doesn’t matter if your dad’s the foreman or rancher—you’re still a ranch girl and you’ve been dealt a bad hand (Meloy 230).

The implications of snowboarding becoming an Olympic sport infer that the stigma that had been experienced by snowboarders for being rebels has converted into acceptability.  Although the economic situation has declined due to the mental depression which has affected America’s economics, the ideals of America continue as the same ideals which had been experienced during the 1960s. The concept of the acceptance of snowboarding as an Olympic sport implies that the world has accepted the ideals of those who had been considered as being outcast, rebels or not socially acceptable. The ideals of Americasurvive.  The acceptability of snowboarding as an Olympic sport is evidence that our ideals and our culture continue to be admired throughout the world. The acceptance of snowboarding as an accepted sport is evidence of the influence of American culture (McNaughton & Gnarr 1)

Works Cited

Boroff, David. “A view of skiers as a subculture.” Time, Inc., 23 November 1964.Web. 7 February 2014 http://si.com/article/magazine/MAG1076651/index.htm

McNaughton, David & Steezy Gnar. “How the snowboarding industry is using video to make money.” Business Insider, 19 April 2011.Web. 7 February 2014http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-sell-snowboarding-via-video

Meloy, Maile.”Ranch girl.” New Yorker Magazine, 16 October 2000.Web. 7 February 2014 http://www.newyorker.com/…/2000_10_230_TNY_LIBRARY_00021935

Snyder, Michael. “The middle classin America is being wiped out- Here are 69 facts that prove it.” Infowars, 2013. Web. 7 February 2014http://www.infowars.com/the-middle-class-in-america-is-being-wiped