Sunday 15 November 2020

Metal Detecting, An Old Person's Hobby?


         Autumn of Life
Artefact hunting with metal detectors is a hobby suitable mainly for old people: Peter Turrell,'Six Reasons Why Metal Detecting Is the Perfect Hobby for Seniors', Leisure Promotions Aug 06, 2020

Bored of the bingo hall? Parting ways with puzzles? [...] why getting out with a detector can truly enrich the lives of the elderly [...] marvellous for the mind [...] It makes for excellent exercise[...] gets you out in nature [...] encourages super social interaction [...] learn more locally [...] start a new adventure
Trashes sites, he forgot to mention the trashing. The sheer ability to damage an archaeological context that has survived for centuries, millennia, evidence that nobody has ever touched before and which nobody will ever be able to see again, destroyed in a few instants as the legacy of the artefact hunter's greed. Why don't Leisure Promotions write about that? ... I see... "LP Metal Detecting We have been selling Metal Detectors and Arranging Rallies for over 30 years". The article seems suspiciously similar to Daniel Bernzweig's Why Metal Detecting is the Perfect Hobby for Seniors (metaldetector.com 2012), and the same author's 'Five Reasons Metal Detecting is an Ideal Hobby for Geezers (Guest Post)' on Geezerguff 10th Sept 2013). Neither of these articles mantions the damage the hobby does to the historical record. Then there is KellyCo's 'Metal Detecting as a Hobby for Senior Citizens', Feb 18th 2020 by Maggie Kornahrens. Then there is 'Why Metal Detecting Is The Perfect Hobby for Seniors' (Sept 22nd 2017) by Jamie Olive [ mother and metal detecting hobbyist, regular contributor to the Kellyco Metal Detector Blog] on the Life As A Human magazine website. We can also find a similar article by 'Admin' on the 'Elder One Stop' webpage 'TreasureHunting With Metal Detectors… a Great Activity For Seniors', May 13th 2020. Add to that Senior Lifestyles magazine's article by Elizabeth Anderson, 'Why Metal Detecting is the Perfect Hobby for Senior Citizens' (April 22, 2020) and you start to see a pattern.

1 comment:

Brian Mattick said...

Their article is a masterful explanation of why birdwatching is the perfect hobby for seniors. ALL the advantages he mentions and none of the destructive downsides you mention.

Should PAS stop banging on about "responsible" and be saying instead "Drop detecting old man and take up birdwatching, you'll get far more respect from us and do zero harm"?

 
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