I assumed this was some hokey early television code created by Autrey that didn't reflect reality, but not so: Cowboy Culture The roots of cowboy culture evolved from the Spanish who settled in New Mexico and later Texas bringing steers to western and eastern markets. In the 1690s the first cattle arrived in Texas. Missions were operating cattle ranches around San Antonio and Goliad by the 1730s. Ranchers like Martin de León began to build large operations. De León had some 5,000 cattle by 1816. The first cattle wranglers were the vaqueros. “Vaquero” is Spanish for cowboys and cattle drivers. Texans were the first American cattle drovers who evolved from the Spanish vaqueros. What is Cowboy Ethics? Cowboy ethics were unwritten and therefore many different versions of the code were carried down through the years. The code represented how a cowboy lived his life; shaping the culture of the Old West. Cowboy Ethics in Practice A cowboy did not exploit or take advantage of the little guy. The cowboy was true to his word and kept a promise if one was offered. A cowboy was considerate of children, their elders, and animals. A Cowboy respected other people regardless of their ethnicity or religion. Fair play was at the forefront of the code. Cowboys were hard workers who kept clean personal habits including speech and actions. A cowboy would come to the aid of those less fortunate. He was loyal and finished what he started, taking a stand if needed.Source Actually it isn't substantially different from various codes of ethics such as the Samurai Bushido code (Way of the Warrior, aka Precepts of Knighthood), or the Boy Scout Motto I swore to uphold when I was a youngster: Boy Scout Oath or Promise On my honor, I will do my best To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight. Boy Scout Law A Scout is: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. Boy Scout Motto Be Prepared! Boy Scout Slogan Do a Good Turn Daily! The Outdoor Code As an American, I will do my best to - Be clean in my outdoor manners Be careful with fire Be considerate in the outdoors, and Be conservation minded. Source The Samurai Bushido Code: Rectitude or Justice Courage Benevolence or Mercy Politeness Honesty and Sincerity Honor Character and Self-Control Source (with explanations for each item) And of course, every culture that strives to raise honorable decent people has similar codes.
Another code of ethics I'm aware of is the Toltec Warrior's Path: The Toltec philosophy is a fascinating esoteric tradition, what we fondly call a warrior’s path to personal freedom. We’re not at war with anyone outside of ourselves, but instead with the domesticated programming of our rational mind. It is a path that encourages us to let go of our preconceived ideas, limiting beliefs and rigid concepts to enable us to be free to express our spirit fully in our lives with an open heart. Toltec is not a religion. It would be more accurate to say that Toltec is a way of life (the beginnings originated in Mexico around the time of Christ). The truth is that we are all on a path that starts with birth and ends with death. We can’t escape from it, but we have a lot of leeway and choice as to how that journey will turn out: we can live lives filled with peace, or we can accept a life of chaos. The Toltec teachings simply help us to find contentment. The key to having a beautiful life is to have awareness of all the situations we are creating. Although Toltec is not a religion, it could be referred to as a spiritual path [...] it recognizes all spiritual teachers and religious philosophies. The Toltec tradition looks to find commonality between all these traditions, religions and philosophies; it seeks the truth behind the myths and dogma. There’s nothing to defend and nothing to fight over or justify. We won’t find a true Toltec defending a point of view because he won’t want to waste his personal power fighting over anything. Toltecs have absolute respect for others and their traditions; we have no desire to create conflict or disharmony. There is no dogma, nothing to memorize, nothing to recite and nothing to evangelize. The teachings either resonate with an individual or they don’t. The war we are engaged in is with our own mind, not with anyone outside of ourself. We recognize that the only thing in life we can have any control over is ourselves, the way we act, the way we think, the way we speak to ourselves and others and our daily decisions. They include aspects of Buddhism, Christianity, Stoicism (you can see a strong Stoic influence in that last paragraph) and many others. Source One thing I remember reading about the Warrior's Path is that a Toltec bows before no one and expects no one to bow before them. I first discovered it in the Carlos Castaneda books, and found more in The Four Agreements, a book written by Don Miguel Ruiz, which was followed by several more, that his son helped him write. Excellent, timeless wisdom. The Four Agreements are: Be impeccable with your word Don't take anything personally Don't make assumptions Always do your best Source (with explanations)
This explains why John Wayne hated Clint Eastwood and everything he stood for, at least in the beginning. Wayne's characters personified Cowboy Culture, whereas Eastwood, in his early films especially, played a shiftless antihero with no positive values, who was just in it for himself. I guess Eastwood was showing us those dishonorable Western Samurai (there's a lot of crossover, in fact many Westerns were based on Samurai legends).
I think Clint Eastwood went for more of a realistic vibe and John Wayne's movies, especially the older ones, perpetuated myth. I remember years and years ago watching a John Wayne movie (I don't remember which one) and there was a scene of John Wayne shooting a dead Native while he lay in his uncovered grave. The hate disturbed me. Also years ago, I watched an excellent documentary on how Natives have been portrayed in a hundred years of cinema. Highly recommended: Reel Injun
That depends on the movie. The Dollars trilogy were pure myth, and those are what kicked off Eastwood's career in movies. And after some years John Wayne said he now understood what Eastwood was doing and forgave him, and started playing the antihero himself, as in Rooster Cogburn and True Grit. And of course the things I said were just in general, it wasn't meant to be absolute.
A case of "good dumping": Over 2,500 old New York City subway cars (after being carefully cleaned) have been dumped into the Atlantic Ocean to create artificial reefs. Because invertebrates latch onto their hard surfaces, the train cars provide 400 times more food for fish than a sandy ocean floor alone. A very successful repopulation experiment.
In 1914, the world’s first electric traffic signal was placed on the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street in Cleveland, Ohio.
It was The Searchers. The hate is supposed to be disturbing; the point of John Wayne’s character in that movie is that he’s consumed with a thirst for a revenge. His character in the Searchers is an anti-hero. Eastwood was definitely not the first to play those roles in westerns, although Eastwood took it in the shiftless direction like Xoic says. But I don’t think antiheroes were as common in the 50s westerns, which makes The Searchers pretty interesting.
The Earth’s equatorial circumference (40,075 km) is greater than its polar circumference (40,008 km).
Integrity , courage, and self reliance as not embodied by Robert Ford shooting Jesse James in the back or Jack McCall shooting Wild Bill Hicock in the head also from behind and the less said about what was done to the Native Americans the better Rather like the knights code it’s a nice idea thought of later by romantics that had little bearing on reality
Well, there is some of that of course. But at any time, even in places where such codes don't exist in any codified form, there are people, families, and areas that lean harder into positive values than others. Cultures that try to inculcate good values into their youth will end up with a lot more decent people than those that don't, or that actively promote a lack of morals or negative values. But of course, as was said in one of those articles, it's a voluntary thing that only a few will ever choose and many will actively rebel against it.
Robert Ford was an outlaw. Jack McCall was a gambler. Army soldiers fought the Indians. Now, if you want to use the Johnson County War or the hanging of Ella Watson and Jim Averill as examples of poor behavior on the part of ranchers, then okay- we can talk about horse apples without dragging in Osage oranges. That being said, I've lived around cowboys and cowgirls all my life and you might be surprised how many of them embody the notions of integrity, courage, and self-reliance.
sure but people use 'cowboys' to mean gamblers and gunfighters (Maverick, Billy the kid, the wild bunch, are all examples of the 'cowboy' genre)... when you think of western portrayals in hollywood films its all about drinking in saloons and six guns in the street not the folk who are actually raising cattle... . even with things like bonanza and the high chaperal that are supposedly about ranchers precious little actual ranching gets done. likewise the phrase 'cowboys and indians'..sure the Army fought the Indian wars, but it was the cowboys and settlers generally who are portrayed fighting them in the same films that give rise to this supposed code. Good honest white men circling the wagons and fighting off the evil savages with another great victory for repeating rifles versus bows and arrows if the average cowboy film were to be believed/ I'm sure there's a lot of good people out in the big sky country , and i don't dispute that many of them may embody the qualities to which the code refers, but the people who cowboy films portray by and large didn't apart from through the rose tinted glasses of hollywood
Oh, I see what you mean. Of course, it gets exaggerated in the tales and legends, and then in the books and movies—at least certain types. These are the traits that get exaggerated to demonstrate what heroism is, what good role models are etc. Exactly the kinds of traits that formed myths and religions, once separated from individual people. In more realistic stories/movies you see how hard it is to live up to such standards. Even the best human beings can only do it at times, and with effort. But it's important to present young people with the values, through exaggerated stories, like those hokey old cowboy or knight movies. When kids are older and have learned more about real life and real people, they're ready for the more realistic stuff. There were a lot of hokey Hollywood movies, and still are, and stories too, but alongside them are also more gritty realistic stuff. But even in the silly black hat/ white hat westerns, it's clear not all cowboys are good guys—it's a matter of choosing your values.
Full disclosure: I am one of those people who sits through movies alternately moaning and bitching about historical inaccuracies. Did you ever read Owen Wister's book, The Virginian? If you're ever in my area, we can drive to the Goose Egg Ranch and Medicine Bow. If it's the right time of year, we can watch cowboys on horseback and four wheelers herding cattle. Wear your grubbies, and you can help folks castrate and brand cattle. Someone is sure to deep fry the results of the castration for your dining pleasure. You can have my share.
Oh god, you just reminded me of an episode of Dirty Jobs where Mike Rowe helps castrate—I think it was cattle. Some bovine farm/ranch animals anyway (If I'm using bovine right?). They didn't use any implements, and both hands were busy holding the animal. I'll bet you know what I'm talking about...
