While there are as many reasons to camp as there are campers, there are some common themes that show up often in discussion.
One is to gafiate, or Get Away From It All. Camping provides an opportunity to leave behind the stresses of the day-to-day life and recover for another bout in the ongoing fight for survival. Everyone needs a way to escape to recharge the batteries, and for many camping is it.
Another reason to camp is to promote togetherness on family vacations, forcing everyone to work together. I have vivid memories of a camping trip twenty odd years ago with a new tent for which we forgot the instructions I do recommend putting the instructions on your checklist by the way.
For those on a budget, camping is a much cheaper way to run a vacation than the alternatives, and vacations that cant be done if you intend to stay in a hotel become possible if you can camp nearby. Without the high cost of hotels, and cooking your own food in the campground rather than eating out, a surprising amount can be shaved from the cost of a vacation.
Then comes skills development. Camping is a way to leave the conveniences of modern life, and...