1900 Island Twist Ending

originally posted by: dleeb
Travel the world and you will see how cultures we may see as "poor and backwards" and live much shorter, but the quality of their lives are so much better.

I have travelled extensively, there is nothing special about living a hard, short life versus having decades more life.

When you're dead you're dead for a long time.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I agree when you're dead you're dead that's that. But some people hold different beliefs. You don't want a hard life, cool. But in your travels you should have seen that some people and cultures are happy and fulfilled living like that. Sure it's not for everyone, never said it was. You still have the will to travel and experience life. So you do have the will I described in my previous post, you have the will to wander and experience.

We should all experience and taste different cultures and decide what we like best. What's best for me is certainly not best for you, etc etc. I think we can agree there?

To me this show and idea just highlights that very idea. What is good for some is not always good for others, but we can be surprised and fulfilled living a life we didn't think would be fulfilling and enjoyable.

When some of these people return to regular lives they will yearn for the harder lifestyle and some will be extremely happy to get back to an easier lifestyle.

originally posted by: dleeb
Sure it's not for everyone, never said it was.

The premise of the thread is that it's for most people. It's not even close, no one wants to be a dirt farmer living a subsistence lifestyle and frankly the people who advocate this are the lasts ones that will go and do it.

There's a group of people out there that is kind of close, they're called the Amish, people should give that a whorl and report back via snail mail once they've tried it for a few years.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

My personal beliefs and what I have found is that a mix of this lifestyle and a decent mix of technology in my life where it's absolutely needed has suited me best. I work 60+ hours a week to ensure my wife and I have what we need when we need it. But not knowing what tomorrow brings and not wanting to fall too hard on hard times, I have learned how to live a hard lifestyle and I continue parts of it and I have carried on and taught those around me what I can. In the past 2 years these are skills I have picked up:

Fishing (I don't like fish, but if food becomes scarce you eat what you can)
Archery (I don't have the heart to kill an animal but I have been hunting with a rifle, shotgun, and now a recurve bow. Again when you are hungry you do what you have to do.)
Farming (Grew up in a rural community but didn't understand the importance of what I should have learned much earlier in life)
Building (Helped build a few homes, churches, and school buildings)
Electrical (Still learning this one but learn what you can?)
Plumbing (Not a skill that's particularly fun all the time but none the less, you should understand crude plumbing techniques.)
Horseback riding (Nothing more joyous than being out on a trail with just you and your horse and you still have miles to travel. The bond that gets established over a short time is simply amazing and rewarding)
Cattle (Learned how to raise sheep, cows, and pigs)
Barbacoa/Smoking (smoked food, yum, learned that several years back. However, traveling in Mexico with my wife and her poor family I learned how to do traditional Barbacoa.)

On top of that I know how to work on cars thanks to my father. Computers, thanks to my brother. I have worked hard to become damn near self sufficient, and I take pride in the hard work I perform. It is a lot of hard work and it is very time consuming to learn and do some of these skills but I have found it to be very rewarding.

I think a vast majority of the first world population could gain a lot out of learning and experiencing doing these things. Will they enjoy it as much as I have, maybe? Maybe not? But when you farm your own crops and you get to experience the rewards and the fruits of your labor, it is really rewarding and it has been rewarding to those around me who have helped.

It's not a lifestyle everyone can handle I agree, but I do think the vast majority of people, if they can just unplug and adapt to the situation could really gain a lot of life lessons and a greater appreciation for, really, everything around them. There truly is nothing more peaceful than being out on a 4 day ride and just disconnect and enjoy the world around you. Enjoy the food that you brought with you, that you grew, that you made.

Again this not for everyone, but I feel like everyone would get a rewarding experience out of something like this. Some people really are more domesticated than others, and that's ok too, I just feel bad for them, becuase they are missing out on the world around them. But at the same time it's not my place, they choose to live how they want to live.

But I do agree with the premise of this thread, I think most people would get a rewarding appreciation from an experience like this.

The Amish are a very different animal though. I live next to several Amish Communities. Very interesting people, but very different too. It's similar to living an antiquated lifestyle but it's also heavily rooted in church doctrine which would turn of many from living that specific lifestyle.

But living hard for a bit, I believe it's good for you and everyone should experience it just to gain a greater appreciation for what they have.

a reply to: dleeb

I can do most of the things you listed and then some but would rather not if I could pay a professional to do them for me such as plumbing and electrical work.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Yes but at the end of the day aren't you glad that you can do all of that if it's a rainy day. Electrical and plumbing I'll pay someone as well. But if the situation arises I'll gladly do it if I can.

But people in general should have the basics to live life without just in case.

originally posted by: dleeb
Yes but at the end of the day aren't you glad that you can do all of that if it's a rainy day.

Not really, doing menial tasks is not my first choice and as someone who owns an old home I do they with regularity, there's always something to fix.

All of that is besides the point, the premise of the thread is you will be performing these tasks AND gathering all your own food, making your own clothes and doing pretty much everything for yourself.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: JAGStorm

I'll take my job responsibilities over that type of existence any day.

And you made JAGs point perfectly...

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: JAGStorm

I know most of my neighbors and happen to be friends with many. I'm not seeing why it would be necessary to revert to a more labor intensive subsistence lifestyle to be 'happier'. As a matter of fact, I think it would make most people unhappier.

This doesn't play out well because it creates a dependency which the outcome is exploitation. An interdependencey plays out different still and it's not limiting to living in squalor roughing it, might even take you to the moon.

Independent interdependency > Dependent codependency