Is it possible to live outside of society?

by **Jessiehegland** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 2:09 am

I hate how money orientated it is, and how now we have things like technology it's almost a crime not to use them... but I really would be happy/happier without all this stuff. The question is, is it even possible to get away from all of it? I used to think about living in the woods in a tent and growing my own food, being totally self sufficient, until I was quickly reminded that someone probably owned that wood and wouldn't let me stay there for free... and there are probably many more flaws in this due to people ensuring they make a profit. I understand that we need to have values and that the idea money is not a bad one... it's just all the greed that has come with it. Can I get away from all this?Please tell me!

**Sponsor**

by **Phinehas** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:53 am

Living in International waters would be the only way in my opinion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_colonization

by **robin in fl** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:59 pm

jessie

I think there is a way to live ouside society ..there are both exteme ways and subtle ways.it may be a bit harder to live the extreme way now,i am talking about the way Will Mclean did in florida.he lived outside society just fine.and quite well, one with nature.if you watch the movie Into the wild ,you will see it does not work out so well for others.

many people now,and always have chosen to live 'outside' on a less extreme way and do just fine .It all depends on how far outside society you are wanting to live.

i OD'd on people a few years ago and opted out of society for the most part.I did it the way which was best for ME..so i would suggest at first you you find what your comfortable with doing and and how you want to live.

I do not use a cell phone at all.a land line is good enough for me.besides the fact that i could not get a signal out here.if you want your own food to grow then you need a piece of property ,so that would be your first goal i would think.i bought my property and love a reclusive lifestyle (so do a lot of writers ,not that i am one)...i live well within my means but i do need electricity ,this is FL and i may live more reclusive then many people i must have AC and hot water....i am not much into this whole technology thing, though i do have a computer. As i mentioned, it will all depend on YOUR comfort level. So read some books on it and speak to some people that actually do or have lived in a more reclusive way.

too many people it's a matter of greed ,not need now a days ..i am quite happy only leaving my sanctuary once or twice a year now.in fact I love it.anything i need is delivered to me. and i do just fine .so it may depend on your age and if you can buy some land (even a small piece say like a few acres)..to me ,land was a must..i have always had to own my own land ,be it big or small.but just figure out first what will work best for you ,then take it from there,and take the time to figure it out.what works for one person may not work for another.good luck.

the young man this movie was about died trying to do it ,,lovely song though mr vedder wrote about living ouside society

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouANEo2w0Pg

Society lyrics
Eddie Vedder (Into the Wild) song lyrics

Oh it's a mystery to me.
We have a greed, with which we have agreed...
and you think you have to want more than you need...
until you have it all, you won't be free.

Society, you're a crazy breed.
I hope you're not lonely, without me.

When you want more than you have, you think you need...
and when you think more then you want, your thoughts begin to bleed.
I think I need to find a bigger place...
cause when you have more than you think, you need more space.

Society, you're a crazy breed.
I hope you're not lonely, without me.
Society, crazy indeed...
I hope you're not lonely, without me.

There's those thinkin' more or less, less is more,
but if less is more, how you keepin' score?
It means for every point you make, your level drops.
Kinda like you're startin' from the top...
and you can't do that.

Society, you're a crazy breed.
I hope you're not lonely, without me.
Society, crazy indeed...
I hope you're not lonely, without me
Society, have mercy on me.
I hope you're not angry, if I disagree.
Society, crazy indeed.
I hope you're not lonely...
without me.

by **flyphish56** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 12:00 am

It takes a certain a-social or anti-social bent in a person's psycological make-up( this is pure conjecture on my part), but there are people who do it quite well up here in Alaska.
An excellent example of this is the story of Ed Proenneke. He lived completely isolated except for ocassional airplane visits in the summer months. He did this for 30 some years and produced some magnificant 16mm film footage of the building of his log cabin and of the surrounding country and it's wildlife.
Look him up on line. He was a very interesting man.

by **Jrutledge** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 5:27 am

Jessiehegland wrote:I hate how money orientated it is, and how now we have things like technology it's almost a crime not to use them... but I really would be happy/happier without all this stuff. The question is, is it even possible to get away from all of it?

I can only speak to the first part of your post, regarding technology. Some years ago it occurred to me that if I wanted to live as my father did (a farm boy in Oklahoma), or as his father did (a farm boy in Missouri, with no electricity) I could. It might be difficult, but it could be done. My ancestors managed to survive with little-to-no technology, and my existence seems to be proof of their tenacity. If you want to live as people did in 1850, you can do that. If you want to live as people did in 1900, you can do that. If you want to live as people did in 1950, you can do that. Your standard of living will likely not match 'The Wives of Beverly Hills', but you can still get by; and chances are you will be happier. I think that new technology should be viewed extremely sceptically, and we should only accept new technology that actually helps us, and does not diminish human connections. Just because something is faster, doesn't mean it is better. I am a bit of a Luddite, and like Robin I do not have a cell phone. I don't even have a wrist watch. Sometimes simple is better.

Jrutledge

p.s. I think Robin's advice regarding the ownership of land (no matter how small) is absolutely correct.

by **Phinehas** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 10:24 am

Nobody owns land, you have to pay taxes or it is taken away from you. So based on the parameters the op suggests, the only way to be truely self sufficient and escape the grasp of society and money, International waters is the only current way you can do that.

This of course takes money to get there but that is the only place that still exists where this could be done.

There are large scale options such as:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasteading

and a different point of view on Seasteading...http://timothyblee.com/2010/08/26/the-p ... asteading/

Then there is the more individual option:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... tinsti-20/
http://anniehill.blogspot.com/

by **robin in fl** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:31 pm

fly ,i believe alaska would be a beautiful place to do this sort of lifestyle in ,i may not have the tenacity to do it in such an area,but i'm sure some do and have.
i mentioned to what level the OP wanted to take it to ,i mean i chose reclusive a few years back because i was ready for it.i opted to step out of society.to be honest i just had grown tired of it.the silence here may drive some quite mad..i happen to LOVE it.i can spend hours outside and never see a car,or perhaps one or two at times if i am up front.i have a huge sign on my front gate that read "unless you have an appointment or an invitation DO NOT ENTER..you have been warned"

,i think it gets the point across quite nicely,much better then a generic do not enter sign,or private property one.the pack of hounds at the gate may be a deterrent also.

so if the op is just looking for a reclusive lifestyle it's easy enough to set a goal and do it.though if he wants to live like the Amish or Mennonites with no electricity ,that would be a bit harder,i would think.at least for me it would.being reclusive is one thing,being totally self sufficient is another.i have plenty of room for a garden here if i were to want one,but i so far have opted for woods,and flowers and tropical plants.i wanted to create a santuary and that is just what i did.it kept me sane.i know when i do my midnight walk abouts every evening with my hounds i am safe here.sure we have black bears or whatever comes through ,but i have never heard of a bear attack here and am quite use to wildlife.

jrut,,i don't have a watch either..no need for one now.the only thing i knew i must have is land.this may be because i remember scarlett o'hara's father telling her land was the most important thing..yes ,gone with the wind,loved that movie!

i bought this land with an old house in a small town with a 10 year mortgage on it and paid it off in 10 months instead of years.3 years later had the house torn down and put a mobile home on it instead..that worked for me.then i just checked out of society for the most part.some didn't get it and some did..wasn't up to anyone but me to get i said..it is what it is.and i like it and needed it.simple as that.

the OP just needs to do a bit of research before he decides what kind of lifestyle he is seeking,have a plan and work torwards that plan when he is sure.no matter what choice he makes,it will take some sort of money to do it though..even if he lived in a tent,he would have to buy a tent and supplies .if all he wants is a temporary reprive from society ,then he should do it on a lesser scale and see how he likes it before doing it.

living on water would NOT work for me.I'm afraid of pirates

and love being able to walk around in the woods.I'll opt to OWN land.

by **Phinehas** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 5:23 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJKd0rkKss
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=534vvTOj ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7jxFbscIJY

I guess people could go out in the middle of one of the larger national parks and just squat or be nomadic and stay hidden, which may or may not be easy to do. You would really have to acquire some skillz to go mountain man though.

by **robin in fl** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 9:01 pm

i guess if i had to be pretty much self sufficient here i could be ..i mean i have a river close enough so i could fish,i have plenty of deer and turkey in the woods around so i could hunt if i had to(though i would not enjoy killing a deer,if i had to i would do it)...i have plenty of space for a garden/fruit trees...if i ate eggs i could even have chickens,,i could also get a generator if need be..but so far i don't do those things,bbut it's good to know i have the option if i had to.
i already own guns and know how to use them,so hunting would be an option,if there were no other way.

some can survive and know how,some do not and wouldn't have a clue.i am one of the few in my family that would probably be able to be a survivalist such as i am speaking of.so far i have not taken it to that extreme.

i already do a lot of holistic and natural medicine and no i am NOT an old hippie..though i do like the vintage clothes.

one could just live the nomadic life in a state forest as phine mentions,i do know many do that in the state forest that is not so far away.i saw that on the local news,but that can also be a dangerous life style,because one does not know what type of people are also out there.

as with any major life style change the best advice i can give anyone is research before you decide...you will then know if you are ready and if it's for you and to what level... i just know that if i were ever to have to live in a deed restricted community i would go quite mad..or an apartment for that matter.it would be comparable to locking up a feral animal.