Leaving Civilization for a Life in Nature: Is it Really Possible?

[Kholdstare]

Has this ever happened to you? Did you ever feel the need to distance yourself from modern civilization and go back to jungle, beach, rock, desert, snow, plain etc. places forever?

So, I was watching a lot of discovery channel, checking out dive fishing videos, reading adventure books. And I was thinking, what if I could just leave the civilization and live in a very natural way. I mean I have grown sick and tired of verious things that goes on around me everyday. Yesterday, I saw Blue Lagoon I and II, and it has put a firm desire in me to live a life in the lap of nature.

Actually, the way I see it, human life in general has only two purposes - to seek comfort and to seek knowledge. Thankfully, I have enough of both. I do not need anymore. I do not even feel the need of earning money.

So, I have this feeling of drifting out. Maybe I'll get a mate, maybe not. But seriously, I do not want my kids to grow up in so called "modern world". Some may think I'm out of my mind or I will be doing harm to my children. But I want to give them the joy that I myself so dreadfully lack here.

NB: My only doubt is given the choice my kids might differ from my view on joy. Thus, I am confused. If I had the answer I'd have left a long ago.

 

[micromass]

Yeah, I sometimes get the need to distance myself from modern society. But after a while I realize that modern society isn't all bad: we have healthcare, education, easy access to food, etc.
I don't think I would even be able to survive outside modern civilization

 

[arildno]

As long as I have access to PF, I wouldn't mind living in a cave.

 

[Evo]

I could definitely go back to nature as long as I had all of the food, beverages, medicines, and modern medical attention I needed, proper shelter with central air conditioning and heating, comfortable bed and furniture, computer with internet access, movies, tv, books, indoor plumbing with running water, climate appropriate and functional clothing.

On my "wish list" would be refrigerator/freezer, electric lighting, stove and oven, microwave.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

No one likes the natural state like someone from the civilized state.

 

[SHISHKABOB]

I would rather find myself in a large well-known city than "outdoors"

 

[Chi Meson]

I love the wilderness. Absolutely, utterly love it. The best moments of my life so far have been the 3 weeks I spent on Denali (Mt. McKinley to non-climbers) the 2 weeks spent with my wife in the San Juans, the 3 weeks in the Scottish highlands and Hebrides, 2 weeks in the cirque of the towers in Utah.

More recently the much tamer outings with my young family in the Greens, Whites, and Adirondaks.

But after all that time in wilderness, it makes you appreciate a bed. And beer.

See if you can carry 2 weeks of food on your back and sleep in the rain with no tent. It's worth it to know that you can, but it also gives you insight into why humans progressed in the direction we have.

They never show gangrene in those movies, do they?

 

[Pythagorean]

I visit the wilderness when I miss it (not too far of a drive from here). Definitely makes you appreciate civilization when you return from a camping trip though.

 

[ZapperZ]

Has this ever happened to you? Did you ever feel the need to distance yourself from modern civilization and go back to jungle, beach, rock, desert, snow, plain etc. places forever?

So, I was watching a lot of discovery channel, checking out dive fishing videos, reading adventure books. And I was thinking, what if I could just leave the civilization and live in a very natural way. I mean I have grown sick and tired of verious things that goes on around me everyday. Yesterday, I saw Blue Lagoon I and II, and it has put a firm desire in me to live a life in the lap of nature.

Actually, the way I see it, human life in general has only two purposes - to seek comfort and to seek knowledge. Thankfully, I have enough of both. I do not need anymore. I do not even feel the need of earning money.

So, I have this feeling of drifting out. Maybe I'll get a mate, maybe not. But seriously, I do not want my kids to grow up in so called "modern world". Some may think I'm out of my mind or I will be doing harm to my children. But I want to give them the joy that I myself so dreadfully lack here.

NB: My only doubt is given the choice my kids might differ from my view on joy. Thus, I am confused. If I had the answer I'd have left a long ago.

Don't you think this is a bit hypocritical since you are voicing it by using your computer AND putting it somewhere on an internet forum, which is the epitome of "modern civilization"?

Besides, what exactly is "modern civilization" and what is so wrong about it? I'm sure way back when, the "wheel" was considered as "modern civilization". Some cave mother probably was complaining just like you are now, that this wheel is taking her kids out way too far too fast from home.

Zz.

 

[Astronuc]

Actually, the way I see it, human life in general has only two purposes - to seek comfort and to seek knowledge. Thankfully, I have enough of both. I do not need anymore. I do not even feel the need of earning money.

So, I have this feeling of drifting out. Maybe I'll get a mate, maybe not. But seriously, I do not want my kids to grow up in so called "modern world". Some may think I'm out of my mind or I will be doing harm to my children. But I want to give them the joy that I myself so dreadfully lack here.

NB: My only doubt is given the choice my kids might differ from my view on joy. Thus, I am confused. If I had the answer I'd have left a long ago.

There's a lot to be said for the modern world and access to hygiene and comfortable living conditions. I would not want to inflict an 'all natural' program on my kids.

One could visit a community in the Amazon or Papua New Gineau or various other parts of Africa, Asia, Australia or Pacific Islands, or S or N America, and live for a few months or weeks without modern conveniences. Or one could spend two weeks in some remote wilderness to see what back to Nature is really like.

Or one can find a community with not so modern tastes like the Amish or Bruderhof.
http://www.bruderhof.com/

 

[ZapperZ]

There's a lot to be said for the modern world and access to hygiene and comfortable living conditions. I would not want to inflict an 'all natural' program on my kids.

One could visit a community in the Amazon or Papua New Gineau or various other parts of Africa, Asia, Australia or Pacific Islands, or S or N America, and live for a few months or weeks without modern conveniences. Or one could spend two weeks in some remote wilderness to see what back to Nature is really like.

Or one can find a community with not so modern tastes like the Amish or Bruderhof.
http://www.bruderhof.com/

We don't have to go that far. Just look at those people along the upper Eastern seaboard that are now living without power, heat, water, gasoline, etc. Try telling THEM about how good it could be living without modern civilization.

Zz.

 

[dipole]

Nature is beautiful and wonderful to experience, but humans are terribly suited for living in most parts of the world. You take for granted that you don't sleep with a hunger in your stomach, a chill on your back and the fear of wild predators...

I love hiking and being in nature, but living in it full time is a very difficult thing. There's a reason most people didn't live past the age of 30 until relatively recently in human history.

 

[zoobyshoe]

We don't have to go that far. Just look at those people along the upper Eastern seaboard that are now living without power, heat, water, gasoline, etc. Try telling THEM about how good it could be living without modern civilization.

People who live(d) without modern luxuries actually had centuries of knowledge about how to do it behind them. It's very hard to revert if you've been raised in the modern world. A situation where reversion is forced on people overnight, involuntarily, is not going to work, of course. Someone who undertakes it voluntarily stands a chance.

 

[WannabeNewton]

Why voluntarily handicap yourself?

 

[Vagrant]

Actually, the way I see it, human life in general has only two purposes - to seek comfort and to seek knowledge. Thankfully, I have enough of both. I do not need anymore.

Really? I envy you.

Btw, since modern life seems to have fulfilled the two purposes of human life for you, I don't see why you'd want to abandon it.

 

[TurtleMeister]

It may be possible to get away from the modern rat race without getting away from modern technology. I can envision myself living in a nice wood heated cabin with electric power (batteries charged by falling water from a nearby stream), running water, satellite tv and internet, reliable communications (ham radio), and a 4-wheel drive truck to get food and supplies every few months.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Why voluntarily handicap yourself?

The ability to walk into some wilderness and know how to thrive is not handicapping yourself, it's empowering.

 

[bp_psy]

How old are you? I had a phase like that when I was 19 -20, I wanted to go in the wild and hunt squirrels and molest dear. Now I hope to become a billionaire by 40 and dispose of toxic waste where the endangered species live.

 

[arildno]

Don't you think this is a bit hypocritical since you are voicing it by using your computer AND putting it somewhere on an internet forum, which is the epitome of "modern civilization"?

Besides, what exactly is "modern civilization" and what is so wrong about it? I'm sure way back when, the "wheel" was considered as "modern civilization". Some cave mother probably was complaining just like you are now, that this wheel is taking her kids out way too far too fast from home.

Zz.

And, she would be right.
Her toddler had a wheel rolling over its foot and screamed in pain. Such accidents never happened in her own childhood.
Devilish invention, really.

 

[Kholdstare]

Yeah, I sometimes get the need to distance myself from modern society. But after a while I realize that modern society isn't all bad: we have healthcare, education, easy access to food, etc.
I don't think I would even be able to survive outside modern civilization

Yes. Healthcare is something so desirable that probably no one would dare to reject it.

As long as I have access to PF, I wouldn't mind living in a cave.

+1

I could definitely go back to nature as long as I had all of the food, beverages, medicines, and modern medical attention I needed, proper shelter with central air conditioning and heating, comfortable bed and furniture, computer with internet access, movies, tv, books, indoor plumbing with running water, climate appropriate and functional clothing.

On my "wish list" would be refrigerator/freezer, electric lighting, stove and oven, microwave.

Wow Evo! I'd not advice you to go back to nature with your kind of requirements. Just place some LCD monitors (the best of them) showing wilderness on your four walls and find a way to make a huge bank balance without working :P and relax forever (and do PF). Now that's what I call living. haha

No one likes the natural state like someone from the civilized state.

Very philosophical.

I would rather find myself in a large well-known city than "outdoors"

good for you.

 

[Kholdstare]

I love the wilderness. Absolutely, utterly love it. The best moments of my life so far have been the 3 weeks I spent on Denali (Mt. McKinley to non-climbers) the 2 weeks spent with my wife in the San Juans, the 3 weeks in the Scottish highlands and Hebrides, 2 weeks in the cirque of the towers in Utah.

More recently the much tamer outings with my young family in the Greens, Whites, and Adirondaks.

But after all that time in wilderness, it makes you appreciate a bed. And beer.

See if you can carry 2 weeks of food on your back and sleep in the rain with no tent. It's worth it to know that you can, but it also gives you insight into why humans progressed in the direction we have.

They never show gangrene in those movies, do they?

Yeah, its great to have outings. Its sad that my preferred wilderness are already taken by others and made into cities. :P

I visit the wilderness when I miss it (not too far of a drive from here). Definitely makes you appreciate civilization when you return from a camping trip though.

Yeah. Its all about comfort.

 

[Kholdstare]

Don't you think this is a bit hypocritical since you are voicing it by using your computer AND putting it somewhere on an internet forum, which is the epitome of "modern civilization"?

Besides, what exactly is "modern civilization" and what is so wrong about it? I'm sure way back when, the "wheel" was considered as "modern civilization". Some cave mother probably was complaining just like you are now, that this wheel is taking her kids out way too far too fast from home.

Zz.

Yes, Zz. It is hypocritical. But then again I've not did anything to go back to nature ... yet. I'm just thinking about it.

There's a lot to be said for the modern world and access to hygiene and comfortable living conditions. I would not want to inflict an 'all natural' program on my kids.

One could visit a community in the Amazon or Papua New Gineau or various other parts of Africa, Asia, Australia or Pacific Islands, or S or N America, and live for a few months or weeks without modern conveniences. Or one could spend two weeks in some remote wilderness to see what back to Nature is really like.

Or one can find a community with not so modern tastes like the Amish or Bruderhof.
http://www.bruderhof.com/

I'm really very aware of all the difficulties of living out there. And I also agree to accept all of them as I think that I can.

We don't have to go that far. Just look at those people along the upper Eastern seaboard that are now living without power, heat, water, gasoline, etc. Try telling THEM about how good it could be living without modern civilization.

Zz.

Its all about need Zz. I just don't feel the need.

 

[Kholdstare]

People who live(d) without modern luxuries actually had centuries of knowledge about how to do it behind them. It's very hard to revert if you've been raised in the modern world. A situation where reversion is forced on people overnight, involuntarily, is not going to work, of course. Someone who undertakes it voluntarily stands a chance.

That's my point. I don't want anyone to be forced into it. Its just that I feel that I can take the risk and be in the nature myself.

 

[Kholdstare]

Really? I envy you.

Btw, since modern life seems to have fulfilled the two purposes of human life for you, I don't see why you'd want to abandon it.

In case of knowledge - I think most of it is useless IF I go back to the nature. Being the lazy person I am :P I'll certainly favor that.

In case of comfort - Lately, I've become very lazy. A bit of hardship will do me good. :P

 

[Kholdstare]

The ability to walk into some wilderness and know how to thrive is not handicapping yourself, it's empowering.

Exactly. +1

 

[Kholdstare]

How old are you? I had a phase like that when I was 19 -20, I wanted to go in the wild and hunt squirrels and molest dear. Now I hope to become a billionaire by 40 and dispose of toxic waste where the endangered species live.

I'm quite young. Maybe I'll wait for a few more years to grow the thought of being a billionaire. No thanks. haha

And, she would be right.
Her toddler had a wheel rolling over its foot and screamed in pain. Such accidents never happened in her own childhood.
Devilish invention, really.

LOL! arildno

 

[Kholdstare]

It may be possible to get away from the modern rat race without getting away from modern technology. I can envision myself living in a nice wood heated cabin with electric power (batteries charged by falling water from a nearby stream), running water, satellite tv and internet, reliable communications (ham radio), and a 4-wheel drive truck to get food and supplies every few months.

Now, here's a very good hint. Although your requirements does not match mine, I'd really like to avoid modern rat race. Its like depending on modern technology for a bare minimum.

There's a guy who lives in Hawaii (I don't want to put his name here). He is over 50. Has a balloon shop in town. Goes to spearfishing. Eat banana and papaya and relaxes. He's an inspiration.

I'd very much like to avoid pollution, NOISE POLLUTION, learning useless skills, lack of scenic beauty, congestion, rat race, economy.

There's always pros and cons for living in nature and modern world. I'm geared toward accepting the cons of nature rather than modern world. :D

 

[D H]

But after all that time in wilderness, it makes you appreciate a bed. And beer.

And a shower with hot water. And a meal that isn't freeze-dried or an MRE.

Modern camping is pretty high-tech. Ultra-light kevlar canoes, tents, and sleeping bags. Freeze dried food and MREs. Orienteering compasses and topo maps. Gore-Tex clothing. Low tech camping is a lot of work and discomfort. Ultra-low tech camping, no clothing and just a flint knife, involves even more work and a whole lot more discomfort.

 

[ZapperZ]

Yes, Zz. It is hypocritical. But then again I've not did anything to go back to nature ... yet. I'm just thinking about it.

Well then, you need to think some more, because it appears that this is something you haven't really thought through enough.

I'm really very aware of all the difficulties of living out there. And I also agree to accept all of them as I think that I can.



Its all about need Zz. I just don't feel the need.

Fine. Let's start by you giving up the Internet. Let's see how long THAT will last.

Zz.

 

[OmCheeto]

Be sure and take a good book along.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Thanks to Sandy, right now I'm as close to getting back to nature as I ever hope to be. My biggest problem is that there are no lights at night and it's chilly in the house all the time. Even so I feel like I'm up to my eyeballs with it. I'll gladly take any of that civilization that you don't want.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

Kholdstare I get the distinct impression that you're confusing taking a trip to the countryside with living sans civilisation. They are utterly different things. Last night me and a group of friends hiked into nearby woods to set up a bonfire and have some fun. We had with us backpacks of food and drink, torches, multiple layers of clothes, appropriate boots, knives, newspapers to help start the fire and I had run up their earlier in the day to build a woodpile ready for the evening. We were "back to nature" in the way you seem to be describing. It was a lot of fun and definitely satisfied our biophilia over yet another night in town.

But that is nothing more than a theme park version of "back to nature". Even the most secluded inhabitants of the first world have the advantage of modern building materials, tools, medicine and the rest of the advantages that being in a "technosphere" for lack of a better word endows. You seem to be presenting this view that going "back to nature" will be multiple days and nights like I described above; pleasant experiences with no real hardship where even in the dark winter light and warmth arrive at the flight of a switch or lighter and food manifests at whim.

If you actually had to go back to nature in the same way that isolated present day tribes or ancient hunter gatherer societies did you would not find it pleasant. Nearly every waking hour would be spent working to gather and hunt food, to build and maintain tools, to tend to your aches and pains (hiking through fields and forests is a lot less fun when you don't have proper shoes) etcetera.

It sounds like what you really want is to move far from urban environments to a hamlet in the countryside. So long as you can find a good source of income you can have this Hawaiian lifestyle with no noise pollution and lots of leisure time with the great outdoors. Nature is cold and hunger and pain and sickness and misery and strife and there is a very good reason we developed complex technological societies to tame it and make it bearable. It is not some idyllic garden of eden that we've walled ourselves off from with dirty concrete and nosy cars.

 

[Astronuc]

There's a guy who lives in Hawaii (I don't want to put his name here). He is over 50. Has a balloon shop in town. Goes to spearfishing. Eat banana and papaya and relaxes. He's an inspiration.

Then make sure one gets back to Nature in the tropics, and preferably not where typhoons occur or with a long wet season.

One would need a source of clean water, with minimal heavy metals and no micro-organisms. Many folks hiking in the back country may not appreciate the presence of micro-organisms, e.g., giardia, among others, in the ground water.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giardia

Amoebic infections can be nasty, especially if the enter the eye or central nervous system. And then there are risks of dengue fever, cholera, yellow fever, malaria, . . . .

A dry, warm shelter, that is structurally stable and resilient, is important to one's survival.

It sounds like the gentleman in Hawaii lives on the fringes of modern civilization, which is fine. He may have a reliable source of clean water and ready access to medical care if necessary.

 

[Pythagorean]

I think living in the country is a good enough compromise for me.

 

[Kholdstare]

Hmmm. I guess That's it. I won't survive for longer period in nature on my own. Probably I'll work to raise a good enough bank balance and retire early to some small city. :D