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The rat race, escapism, and the feasibility of such
15 years ago
General
Have you guys seen:
Into the Wild
The Beach
Swiss Family Robinson
White Squall
Lost
Gerry
A lot Mallick's stuff (Badlands, The New World)
I just watched Cast Away for the first time (I know, I know) and it left the same yearning that those flicks did.
I take a lot of shit for granted. Becoming disenfranchised with amenities the rest of the world would dream of sounds absurd, but I'm not going to lie and say it hasn't happened.
So, how do you fix that? Not by pop-psychology or words of advice. It has to be deeply affecting - a life altering experience. There's the saying "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."
I've seriously considered selling everything, stocking up on essential gear, and exploring islands in the South Pacific. Learning how to fish, hunt, scavenge, and overall survive in nature. The goal isn't just to survive, but to prosper - to be comfortable in a purely natural environment.
How much would you change from such an experience? What would you learn about the world? Yourself? What would you see, hear, experience? What kind of person would you be if/when you return?
I'm not a Luddite and this isn't pie-in-the-sky fantasies. I've been backpacking and camping all my life and I'm an eagle scout. I have a good taste for what survival in nature entails.
But...right now I'm entranced by the security of a nice job, nice apt, nice possessions, and trapped by several years of debt. What would it take to make an escape possible? Getting fired? Mid-life crises? I'd go now if it weren't for the debt. What'll happen by the time it's paid off? Maybe by then I'll have a significant other, a mortgage on a house, more debt. By then I may go numb and no longer care...
Phewww
Look at me, a real journal. It feels good getting it out and I'm insanely curious if anyone else has felt the same?
Into the Wild
The Beach
Swiss Family Robinson
White Squall
Lost
Gerry
A lot Mallick's stuff (Badlands, The New World)
I just watched Cast Away for the first time (I know, I know) and it left the same yearning that those flicks did.
I take a lot of shit for granted. Becoming disenfranchised with amenities the rest of the world would dream of sounds absurd, but I'm not going to lie and say it hasn't happened.
So, how do you fix that? Not by pop-psychology or words of advice. It has to be deeply affecting - a life altering experience. There's the saying "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."
I've seriously considered selling everything, stocking up on essential gear, and exploring islands in the South Pacific. Learning how to fish, hunt, scavenge, and overall survive in nature. The goal isn't just to survive, but to prosper - to be comfortable in a purely natural environment.
How much would you change from such an experience? What would you learn about the world? Yourself? What would you see, hear, experience? What kind of person would you be if/when you return?
I'm not a Luddite and this isn't pie-in-the-sky fantasies. I've been backpacking and camping all my life and I'm an eagle scout. I have a good taste for what survival in nature entails.
But...right now I'm entranced by the security of a nice job, nice apt, nice possessions, and trapped by several years of debt. What would it take to make an escape possible? Getting fired? Mid-life crises? I'd go now if it weren't for the debt. What'll happen by the time it's paid off? Maybe by then I'll have a significant other, a mortgage on a house, more debt. By then I may go numb and no longer care...
Phewww
Look at me, a real journal. It feels good getting it out and I'm insanely curious if anyone else has felt the same?
all
the
time.
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
I think so
If i had a choice.. i would travel, but to run away to do it all by fishing and such, never. The joys of exploring are seeing the culture, tasting the foods, enjoying their ways and you can't do that by sitting on a beach catching a flounder every night :P Anyone can live on a deserted island.. but very few people get to experience living everywhere. Even having a modern society now where we live in our concrete jungles gives you a chance to see it, and feel it with the different areas in different towns and eateries :) Personally... no one could pay me enough money to throw it all away and sit there looking at sand forever. A tree is a tree.. But even just a village.. even a small one.. is a universe.
But we're talking about two different things. You speak of travel, which is immensely enjoyable and I crave as well. But separate from that, I dream of an alternative way of living. A way spawned out of exhaustion with people, society, and all the obligations and expectations that come from them.
The longer you live, the more bills and debt and taxes and monthly obligations pile upon you. Subsequently forcing you into a life monotonous labor, often not because it's what you WANT to do, but because those constant obligations must be satisfied.
What is living when you are just a spot on a beach? figuratively of course. Life is about experiences, I try and have as many as I can from wherever I can get them. Exploring islands are all fine and well but why not toss in exploring some temples and ruins. Jump out of an airplane and free fall for nearly 300 seconds from 32,000 feet in South Korea or hike along the great wall of China.... These are experiences that can not be put into words to explain in any way... my grasp of the language is nowhere near enough to eloquently state it beyond exhilarating and humbling at the same time. You do not need to be burdened by bills and money, but you can use it to your advantage if you work it right, sacrifices are somewhat necessary on occasion until it all comes into balance.
Mind you its an exercise in conversation as I honestly don't think you will leave on a slow boat to Attu or anything :P But you can see where I am going with it :)
Even though the concept is exciting and I would probably be a much, much better person for it, I've grown fond of the perks and frivolity of the first world. I feel I take it for granted, but I wouldn't trade this life in for anything. But do what makes you happy.
By the way, we're super-dee-dupers on last.fm.
The escapism I describe is an ultimate fulfillment of such simplicity. Aside from acquiring food, water, shelter - those are your only regular obligations. And it'd be nearly impossible to complicate things much more than that. Letting your mind get to such an unfettered state is what I'm curious about.
The closest I'll be getting to LA in the visible future is Las Vegas. I've always wanted to visit SoCal sometime, though.
I miss the east coast...
was I don't have the testes for it
think I told ya, I've seen it with my own eyes it's not the same for the nuns
but yeah
yeah
yeah
....
I can not discourage you.
I am not skilled at hunting so I had better be a good gardener and shelter builder. Seriously I had thought extensively about my ability to live "off the grid" etc. I'd have to endure a Zen materialistic cleansing of possessions. Hard to let go of one's stuff, even the loftier stuff. Oh, and friends, family and fuck-buddies-- hey, that sounds like a great cellular plan!
So yeah, as much of a trap as it is, and as tempting the prospect, I think I'd need a terrible war or disaster to send me fleeing for my remote hill-dwelling. Of course, one's mind is always subject to change...
I'm thinking a lot about homelessness in general since im drawing a comic about it, and just leaving society behind does actually hold somewhat of an appeal at times, though a lot of time you're really only trying to escape yourself, and that's the only guy you cant escape from.
A lot of the routine I'm escaping is the frivolity of modern social obligations and expectations. There'd still be demands on my life, but they're purer and directly require strength and will power to achieve. It's that kind of personal growth and symbiosis with nature I'm tempted by.
Speaking of which, I noticed you've been endeared by the concept of two toned pictures (from your reaction to
Hence: Live in nature, beholden to nobody but yourself.
I'm not an unrequited hermit. This isn't a "rest of my life" goal. It'd just be a few year sabbatical.
Another part tells me I couldn't do it alone. That may be just me, but I'd rather experience this type of thing with a companion, especially if its only for a brief time.
And GREAT POINT about the companion aspect. So much in life isn't worth doing if you don't have someone to appreciate it with.
On a side note, you know Slab City and Salvation Mountain, from Into The Wild? A group of friends, my bf and I actually headed down there to see it last year! Kinda neat.
On a side note, you know Slab City and Salvation Mountain, from Into The Wild? A group of friends, my bf and I actually headed down there to see it last year! Kinda neat.