The glory of the Simple Life

Bob A · Jan 25, 2022

Life has become simplified to the extent that half the population would probably perish if they were transported back a hundred or so years ago. Probably not too much of a surprise for most posters here, but a reminder to the young and the Romantics of the Primitive.

Here's a thoughtful article that demonstrates the differences between Then and Now:

https://www.aier.org/article/simple/

mpollan1 · Jan 25, 2022

Great closing sentence. Thanks for posting.

Kman · Jan 25, 2022

Very good. Thanks.

SummitCnty · Jan 25, 2022

Half of the population would perish if they didn’t have basic services (by todays standards) for a month.

Doco Overboard · Jan 25, 2022

Author forgot to mention the unnecessary societal burdens and complex system requirements civilization has brought upon itself for no other reason but to keep someone else happy.
Maybe he smoked a blunt before putting pen to paper or was partially distracted by watching the news at the same time.

Alea Jacta Est · Jan 25, 2022

As with much of what AIER puts out…good chit

TYVM sir

K31 · Jan 25, 2022

He missed a few nuisances of the modern experience.

If someone has more than you, it's not fair.

People who have more should give it to those who don't have it even though they've done nothing to earn it.

If you don't have something it's never your own fault through choices you made. Bad choices should actually be rewarded.

teratos · Jan 25, 2022

mpollan1 said:
Great closing sentence. Thanks for posting.

Agree, the closing sentence is very thought provoking.

I think we are living the easiest life we ever had…but I don’t think it’s good for us. When I talk to people, particularly men, about anxiety I tell them that our brains are not equipped to live in these times. Especially in Boswash. People out there suck. They are angry, impatient, aggressive. They prove time and again they are willing to step over you if you are bleeding in the street. Then there is technology. Artificial light rots your brain. Revs it up. You can’t sleep. When’s the last time you had 3 refreshing nights of sleep in a row? Much too much going on.

We men were designed to go out and kill shit. Then we would turn that into shit we eat, wear, kill more shit with. Most of your down time was spent around a campfire with the family. People who cared about you, looked out for you, and had a vested interest in your needs being met. That’s fallen by the wayside.

We’d be happier in simpler times.

mpollan1 · Jan 25, 2022

teratos said:
Agree, the closing sentence is very thought provoking.

I think we are living the easiest life we ever had…but I don’t think it’s good for us. When I talk to people, particularly men, about anxiety I tell them that our brains are not equipped to live in these times. Especially in Boswash. People out there suck. They are angry, impatient, aggressive. They prove time and again they are willing to step over you if you are bleeding in the street. Then there is technology. Artificial light rots your brain. Revs it up. You can’t sleep. When’s the last time you had 3 refreshing nights of sleep in a row? Much too much going on.

We men were designed to go out and kill shit. Then we would turn that into shit we eat, wear, kill more shit with. Most of your down time was spent around a campfire with the family. People who cared about you, looked out for you, and had a vested interest in your needs being met. That’s fallen by the wayside.

We’d be happier in simpler times.

And Darwin's theory would come back in play

Alan3413 · Jan 25, 2022

Not really, it's as tough as ever. Only the challenges have changed.

Simple? Try making a living. Sure, milking a cow in sub zero temperatures suck. But try making any kind of living without being able to read. Even the most uneducated person can milk a cow.

Try navigating modern society. Walk on the right. Look both ways when crossing. Don't push. Don't stare. Carrying a spear downtown will invite the attention of the po-po. Keep holding the spear and you're toast.

If you brought someone from 200 years ago to present day, he'd be dead in a month. Or sooner if he got mugged.

mpollan1 · Jan 25, 2022

Alan3413 said:
Not really, it's as tough as ever. Only the challenges have changed.

Simple? Try making a living. Sure, milking a cow in sub zero temperatures suck. But try making any kind of living without being able to read. Even the most uneducated person can milk a cow.

Try navigating modern society. Walk on the right. Look both ways when crossing. Don't push. Don't stare. Carrying a spear downtown will invite the attention of the po-po. Keep holding the spear and you're toast.

If you brought someone from 200 years ago to present day, he'd be dead in a month. Or sooner if he got mugged.

Brought him where? A major city? If so I may concede your point but there are parts of pretty much any major city that if I wandered around I would likely get mugged.

That said, somebody from 200 years ago would stand a far greater chance of surviving today than somebody transported from the present to 1822.

Edit: We can agree to disagree as this can/will never be resolved.

Mightydog · Jan 25, 2022

teratos said:
Agree, the closing sentence is very thought provoking.

I think we are living the easiest life we ever had…but I don’t think it’s good for us. When I talk to people, particularly men, about anxiety I tell them that our brains are not equipped to live in these times. Especially in Boswash. People out there suck. They are angry, impatient, aggressive. They prove time and again they are willing to step over you if you are bleeding in the street. Then there is technology. Artificial light rots your brain. Revs it up. You can’t sleep. When’s the last time you had 3 refreshing nights of sleep in a row? Much too much going on.

We men were designed to go out and kill shit. Then we would turn that into shit we eat, wear, kill more shit with. Most of your down time was spent around a campfire with the family. People who cared about you, looked out for you, and had a vested interest in your needs being met. That’s fallen by the wayside.

We’d be happier in simpler times.

Definitely happier and less stressful back before “social media” and I remember back when we only had 3 channels on my parents B&W tv. Did a lot of pheasants hunting with my school chums in Pennsylvania when having a shotgun in your truck was no big deal and EVERYONE took responsibility for themselves.

28Shooter · Jan 25, 2022

Mightydog said:
Definitely happier and less stressful back before “social media” and I remember back when we only had 3 channels on my parents B&W tv. Did a lot of pheasants hunting with my school chums in Pennsylvania when having a shotgun in your truck was no big deal and EVERYONE took responsibility for themselves.

Amen! Those who grew up in the age of personal computers, the Internet, email, cell phones, and cable TV have no idea of what the world was like before electronic devices took over our lives.

Alan3413 · Jan 25, 2022

I remember the days before the Internet and have no desire to relive them.

In the dark ages, if you wanted to do any research, you had to go visit the library and painstakingly look up individual references. I remember making hundreds and hundreds of photocopies in the literature search phase of my thesis. The photocopy card I always carried around was well worn. And out of money at the most inopportune time. Sometimes, the journal or book you wanted isn't there. Interlibrary loans took weeks to months. Textbooks gave just one explanation. Don't understand it? Tough, look up another equally incomprehensible textbook in the library.

These days, knowledge is on tap 24x7. there's no excuse for not knowing something. You may lack the experience to put this knowledge into context, but you certainly won't lack for knowledge.

Don't know where the drain plug is on your newfangled CVT transmission? YouTube.
Don't know how to reassemble a Ruger Mk II? YouTube.
Don't understand how an LM555 circuit works? Google. Dozens of explanations, complete with interactive webpages that show you exactly what happens.
Researching your thesis topic? Google. Better yet, scholar.google.com. Millions and millions of publications on file, ready to be read from the comfort on your bed.

I used to read about this in SciFi books, and dreamed about such a future.

No, the "good old days" are better only in the rear view mirror. Have no intention of living in the past.

Archeryrob · Jan 26, 2022

Today's world is too crowded for people to starve to death. I have talked to my neighbor on end about this. If things got bad, the cities would run out of food. The people would not starve as they would start killing each other for the available food. This is not like being alone in the wilderness. There will be food near by and someone else will have it and other will make plans to take it. People on this very board have commented about how they aren't prepping they will just kill the preppers. Even most hunters don't know how to butcher their own meat if they needed to, much less preserve or can it.

My neighbor and I have talked about how we would farm, can and everything else we needed to survive. We would gather the rest of the neighbors to a co-op of sorts. We both agreed that once the cities hollowed out they would come for us country folk and thing would not end in a very christian manner. He agreed and is a retired preacher.

Ponder_MD · Jan 26, 2022

People on this very board have commented about how they aren't prepping they will just kill the preppers.

That's awful. One reason I'm a "gray man."

joppaj · Jan 26, 2022

I have no desire to return to pre-industrial living. I'd like my modern lifestyle in an area with a much lower population density.

Alea Jacta Est · Jan 26, 2022

“Population density”….there’s a key to happy living.

One of the locals on the hill, Popcorn Sutton’s cousin, likes to say “…people warnt made to live that close together…”

Turns out, he’s right.

My two cents says if/when society crumbles further, population density will be a great indicator of how far and how fast stuff is changing. As a metric, the value will improve come the show.

Ponder_MD · Jan 26, 2022

While we romanticize earlier times, let's remember that people died, a lot, from things that we now consider easily curable or fixable.

Still, I could live back aways. I'd rather be freer and die sooner than live to be 115 years old in the dystopian hell that we're sliding towards. What point is living if the quality is poor?

joppaj · Jan 26, 2022

Ponder_MD said:
While we romanticize earlier times, let's remember that people died, a lot, from things that we now consider easily curable or fixable.

Still, I could live back aways. I'd rather be freer and die sooner than live to be 115 years old in the dystopian hell that we're sliding towards. What point is living if the quality is poor?

Agreed. I think the sweet spot is living a personally simpler life while enjoying modern convenience. Spending more time doing rewarding things as opposed to living online is a big one.

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