I finally told my hiking group that obsidian isn't a rock, and they argued with me for a solid hour.

Thomas Young · 2026-04-14T10:25:06.49581+00:00

They kept pointing at a big piece from Glass Butte, Oregon, saying 'it's a stone, it's hard,' completely ignoring the 'it's volcanic glass' definition. Has anyone else had to defend basic geology to stubborn outdoorsy folks?

robert_ross956mo ago

Wait they were holding a piece from Glass Butte and still didn't get it? That place is famous for the glass! Did they think it was called Glass Butte because the rocks look kinda clear sometimes? That's like holding a brick from a brick factory and saying it's not clay.

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olivia_lopez986mo ago

Ugh, the "it's hard so it's a rock" logic is the worst. I mean, I just bring a little piece of actual granite now to show the difference. Sometimes you gotta see it side by side.

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maxl936mo ago

Oh man, the "it's hard so it's a rock" thing drives me nuts. I had a buddy insist quartzite was just "shiny sandstone" after a whole trip to the Superstitions. He wouldn't listen even when I showed him the cleavage.

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