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Sounds like they didn't survive the Alaskan wilderness on a homestead, and instead survived in a city or in a provided structure while occasionally heading out
by IncreasePosts 2y ago
Sounds like they didn't survive the Alaskan wilderness on a homestead, and instead survived in a city or in a provided structure while occasionally heading out into the wilderness and wasting their time producing nothing much of a value.
- fxtentacle 2y agoSounds like they divorced and then the father died in a car accident while trying to make life in the wilderness work. And the mother moved to the city and never came back, which helped her have a long life with her daughter, so probably that was the better decision.
- justusthane 2y agoSort of tragically ironic that he died in a car accident while trying to live outside of modern civilization.
- solardev 2y agoAre there any successful tales of Alaskan homesteading? It seems like we fetishize those foolhardy lone wolves like this couple or Alex McCandless from Into the Wild, but where are all those people who moved out there and actually managed to live happy, simple lives? One of my favorite book series is Woodswoman, about a lady who set out into Vermont to build herself a lakeside cabin from scratch and made a living off maple farming. The several books detail her trials and tribulations, but also her joyful swims and happy encounters with the neighbors. I would love to hear about more encounters like that in Alaska, not just the people who trek out there but never make it.
- GlibMonkeyDeath 2y agoTwo examples I can think of off-hand: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Proenneke https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Proenneke and https://www.jeanaspen.com/about-us https://www.jeanaspen.com/about-us
- slackfan 2y agoPlenty. But here's the rub, most that do do not want to be seen, heard, and care very little for the internet. The life also is not simple.
- octopoc 2y agoYeah a friend of mine married a lady who grew up in the Alaskan wilderness. The family was desperately poor yet still had an airplane, interestingly. They were the kind of people who don’t use the internet at all.
- tula 2y agoDick Proenneke is one of the more well-known ones. He built his cabin all on his own, filming the whole process, as well as his life there. He lived in his cabin for thirty years. https://www.nps.gov/lacl/learn/historyculture/proennekes-cabin.htm https://www.nps.gov/lacl/learn/historyculture/proennekes-cab...
- briandrum 2y agoThe film, “Alone In the Wilderness” is terrific. https://vimeo.com/767376634 https://vimeo.com/767376634
- Arrath 2y agoThese college friends did it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3NWdFll2X8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3NWdFll2X8 Not super long term, but interesting!
- marssaxman 2y agoThere were ~3500 successful homestead claims in Alaska. My ex-wife's dad grew up on one of them, near Soldotna; she and I went out to visit once. It was not seen as an unusual experience in that area. I don't imagine those folks spend much time writing about their lives on the internet.
- s1artibartfast 2y agoIm honestly curious where this hostility is coming from? Ideas of value are obviously subjective.
- ramesh31 2y agoThere's an obsession with the old ways. As if they were better. As if sitting in a cabin in the woods and breaking your back every day to not die of starvation is some kind of accomplishment. It's not.
- s1artibartfast 2y agoI think it obviously is a difficult accomplishment. I agree that some people probably romanticize the "old ways" and more radical forms of self-reliance, but ultimately it is question of taste and interest. I have enough experience with it to know it is far harder than most people imagine, but still think there is a lot that I think is positive about it.
- fifilura 2y agoIs running a marathon an accomplishment?
- runsfromfire 2y agowhy isn’t that an accomplishment? who are you to decide what other people get validation from?
- IncreasePosts 2y agoI would call it more of an honest statement about what happened there, as opposed to an overly positive one. Having said that, I do have a long-standing issue with the relatively small group of people who try to go their own way from society without a modicum of understanding about what kind of work and skills will be required. As well as an issue with the larger group of people who cheer on these folks and either enable this behavior or become subject to this behavior themselves. Where do my feelings on the subject come from? Well, "into the wild" was required reading my freshman year of college. And I was forced to engage in dozens of discussions treating McCandless as a tragic hero, instead of an idiot. My issue isn't necessarily with people wanting to get away from mainstream society, but it is going about it in an absolutely boneheaded manner. I have an immense amount of respect for people like dick proenekke
- pnathan 2y ago> wasting their time producing nothing much of a value. they lived. that is not nil. it enriched their lives. But, eh, I wouldn't say they lived and thrived there. Some other people have done the very far out life. Here's one: https://hellscanyon.tours/2022/08/15/all-about-buckskin-bill-and-his-life-on-the-salmon-river/ https://hellscanyon.tours/2022/08/15/all-about-buckskin-bill... is one example. I think its very feasible.... for people who know what they are doing. This probably requires basically an apprenticeship.
- Turing_Machine 2y agoMaybe their value system is different to yours.