How we used to live (serious topic)

Bobby Summa

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@Gagi, Probably written this in the wrong part of the thread. Its a response to the video put up about a man who lives on top of a hill each summer . King Of the Hill.

Totally the kind of thing i had in mind when writing my post in ‘Public Intellectual's’ thread just now.

In my mind doing this kind of thing comes down to a few important things.

Are we in a position to do something like this. If not are we prepared to get ourselves to that position or at least try?

Does that partly come down to how much we want it?

I heard recently an you-tuber / insta person (or whatever they’re called) committed suicide out of the blue. - The day before he had done a typical video with no suspicion or indication of mental health issues. Why did this happen?
- Did he suddenly feel so worthless ?

Whatever the reason, I would imagine so much focus on social media plays havoc with many.

If we can moderate our use of it, realise its a tool to reach an aim, not the aim itself, then it would be the useful thing it was probably invented for…then this is fine.

Or

if we just use social media for enjoyment purposes ( if we can be self aware enough of when it becomes a hinderance), then this is fine.

- Im told by my partner that Facebook used to be so different to now and just a place to do silly fun things. It was a little more enjoyable, but like much social media seems to do, expanded beyond its original purpose.

How we use something is down to us. Often its not the platform or whatever object it is thats the issue. Its our approach to it.

Life is down to us. How we experience it is very much down to choices we make.
We have to be self aware in order to know how we feel and what we are thinking. ( if not done right, this too can have its pitfalls and lead to over analysis)

With my partner I recently went for a 4 mile walk in a beautiful part of the country. It was a place we went once, when we first met. Our first day out so to speak.

Id been a lot before ( many years ago) but discovered a new path and saw a totally new area to investigate another time, (it was a bit muddy there so couldn’t do it that day as our shoes weren’t good enough)
- what i felt that day was so far removed from anything a computer or phone can deliver. Just peaceful and pleasant.
Even though i have long covid, i was able to walk far beyond what I thought id currently be able to and didn’t get out of breath once even though their were a few hilly areas. - It just made me think. This is better than anything a computer can do for you. Even writing music.
 
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Bobby Summa

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I grew up witnessing this transition from a non-technological driven world to a technological driven one.

What bothers me the most is how Social Media has become a weapon of mass influence and how moderate thinking is increasingly disappearing.

Politics didn't use to be the mess that it is nowadays. (Which is now somehow possible to be injected into any conversation)
People pick their favourite extreme and follow it by rule, idolizing a political spectrum, party or person as if they were their "lord and savior".
It's pretty bad, pretty bad. Almost like a cult or weird fundamentalist religion for some people.

There are other things that we have lost and forgotten over time, some that I cannot remember now. I'm just here to add my two cents to the conversation.

EDIT: Smartphones, I don't believe they are necessarily a problem. They are just a composite of a portable camera, radio and a typical mobile phone in one device. Things people had before they exploded in popularity.
The internet is the only thing we didn't have on our side all the time.

Totaly agree
 
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Bobby Summa

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Absolutely agree.

Sometimes i think it just takes one saying to themselves. Enough is enough. Ive had enough suffering. Im gonna sort this out.
Now… What’s important to me?

This is or was when necessary 100% my approach. But I do get it wrong sometimes, but its not to be feared too much.
He who ventures…
 

dmgtz96

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Jul 13, 2020
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I don't think the human brain can handle the sheer amount of dopamine from social media likes, upvotes, followers, etc.
It's just not natural at all. Humans weren't meant to be in the spotlight of millions of strangers. (See also: celebrities)
 

Redrot

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Jan 11, 2022
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Every time I get off trail from backpacking or canoeing trips, I always feel such a glow. Life on trail is so simple, brutal, straightforward, and so much more fulfilling than at least most things I do (luckily, not *all* things), and it's a perfect reset from the rest of my life. I always want to take a few bits of trail knowledge back to civilization to impart on my daily life... and then 2 weeks after I'm back in whatever state I was in before, albeit slightly more motivated.

Still, I feel so lucky to be able to put my life, responsibilities, and the internet on hold for a week+ a few times during the year and *bust ass* on trail. I don't know where I'd be without it, certainly mentally less stable. And every time I get back I can think with a much clearer head for a bit, with my daily routines and thought patterns broken, and almost universally, when I get back, I realize just how stupid and pointless most things social-media related are to me.
 

Archon

Gagi
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Jun 27, 2020
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Every time I get off trail from backpacking or canoeing trips, I always feel such a glow. Life on trail is so simple, brutal, straightforward, and so much more fulfilling than at least most things I do (luckily, not *all* things), and it's a perfect reset from the rest of my life. I always want to take a few bits of trail knowledge back to civilization to impart on my daily life... and then 2 weeks after I'm back in whatever state I was in before, albeit slightly more motivated.

Still, I feel so lucky to be able to put my life, responsibilities, and the internet on hold for a week+ a few times during the year and *bust ass* on trail. I don't know where I'd be without it, certainly mentally less stable. And every time I get back I can think with a much clearer head for a bit, with my daily routines and thought patterns broken, and almost universally, when I get back, I realize just how stupid and pointless most things social-media related are to me.
Do I have a split-personality syndrome and you're my "other half"? I have to check the IP address just to be sure.

Absolutely spot on. When you see a huge mountain in front of you, and realize how you are in fact small and fragile in comparison to the harsh nature, that's so powerful for me. It takes away that "being the main character in your own life" feeling. I was the happiest at the end of April, when I was hiking in one of our NPs. It was stressful, it was physically demanding, it was pushing me to my limits in every way, but it was the highlight of my life so far. Not just hiking, but being in a remote village where there is almost no signal, where the only things you have to worry about are not being cold and having food on the table. Such a peaceful life...
 

Jetflag

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Jul 17, 2020
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a few times during the year and *bust ass* on trail. I don't know where I'd be without it, certainly mentally less stable
i've, due to family extentions, not been able to go on autumn surf-trips with the lads to scotland/ireland/iceland etc. and I can tell the difference. I have to find that in moments during the day now, but god how I miss it.
 
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dmgtz96

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Jul 13, 2020
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Not just hiking, but being in a remote village where there is almost no signal, where the only things you have to worry about are not being cold and having food on the table. Such a peaceful life...
I see why this lifestyle is appealing. My only concern would be if you need emergency medical care, to the point where every minute counts...
(Which is why I'll always live in an urban area with at least one major hospital, and quick access to a major metro area if required)

Personally, I'm fine with using gym time as my me/tune out of the world time. It's just me, my headphones, and the weights
 
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Archon

Gagi
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Jun 27, 2020
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It's that time of the year, folks!

Can't seem to fall asleep so decided to cut down my internet usage (again). Right now it's just limited to what I can do on the phone, but the laptop (and especially the habits related to it) is gonna be a much more difficult problem to tackle.

I've been good with internet for quite some time, but this lack of a project at work is very detrimental to my wellbeing. I desperately need a challenge.
 

Bobby Summa

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It's that time of the year, folks!

Can't seem to fall asleep so decided to cut down my internet usage (again). Right now it's just limited to what I can do on the phone, but the laptop (and especially the habits related to it) is gonna be a much more difficult problem to tackle.

I've been good with internet for quite some time, but this lack of a project at work is very detrimental to my wellbeing. I desperately need a challenge.
I don’t know what phone you have but if its an iphone I recommend downloading GarageBand and making Trance. I did this 4 years ago before getting my synths and studio gear. I made some tracks which a quite critical friend really rates for certain aspects of the tracks. Try it and have fun. Its easy to use.
However, if you don’t have an iphone…you’re screwed!!! - Just Kidding. Roland korg and i think probably lots of other firms do stuff for phones (hopefully android) so I reckon youl find something. .

i just found this…

You’ll probably release a tracnce track before i do 😆
 
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erickUO

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Jul 13, 2020
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I just took a 2-week vacation. And (luckily) my phone broke just a few days before the vacation.

I thought my vacation would be less enjoyable without a phone, but the opposite happened. I could really focus on enjoying my vacation, and every passing second made me feel alive. The days I spent on vacation -even when I wasn't doing anything- felt more fulfilling.

I often feel like I don't have enough time for myself, even when there's nothing specific that I have to do. But experiencing life without a phone again, made me feel reconnected with myself, I'm living more fully.

Maybe because I spend time more on reality than inside the screen?

If it wasn't for work, I would have bought a feature phone that can only call and text. What I'm currently trying is to attend every office meetings without opening my laptop at all. I just jot down everything in a notebook.
 

Bobby Summa

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@jetflag
Incredible. Fkn lovely to see this amount of fun and healthy activity. Re-connecting.

Gonna forward this to my cousin in Utrecht. He’s a huge windsurfer , snowboarder & mountain biker.
He has a large beach hut / house somewhere (maybe Ouddorp) and has nice parties there. He wants me to play live sometime. 🆒 but 😬

Both are handsome fellas in the video too 😉( but i am your biggest fanboy 😆)

Overall Summary: Well done Sir, have an Oranjeboom on me 👌
 
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