who's ready to Quit society?

It's nice to see that there are others that feel the same way I do. I have really been fed up with society lately. Unfortunately, to drop out of society the way I want to, I need to work more to be able to fund my dreams. Kind of a Catch-22.

Can anyone suggest some good books or other reading material relating to some of the skills one would need to do this? Any ideas would be appreciated.

Oh damn
I Love this site =))
U people speak right out of my soul

Originally posted by scooler1
It's nice to see that there are others that feel the same way I do. I have really been fed up with society lately. Unfortunately, to drop out of society the way I want to, I need to work more to be able to fund my dreams. Kind of a Catch-22.

Can anyone suggest some good books or other reading material relating to some of the skills one would need to do this? Any ideas would be appreciated.

Personally I don't know of any books, but...

A military issue survival guide has a lot of useful info in it. Though, I don't expect anyone to be living off the land, or evading capture, but it still has many useful hints for building structures, traps, etc. from raw materials and also tells you what can and can not be eaten.

Also, I would suggest starting a garden. I just started one this year. I'm usually a videogames kinda guy, but surprisingly enjoy raising food. Quite fullfilling. A mountain bike never hurts (free fuel - you), and learn to hunt with a bow and a rifle.

I'm sure others can recommend good reads, but at least there's a few tips to get you started.

This video fits into the discussion IMHO:

www.disclose.tv...

Originally posted by Gray Fox
The sad truth of the matter is that most people aren't ready to leave their lives of convenience because they're brought up to believe that it's necessary to their survival from the day they were born. Growing up, all you ever hear is that you need to buy this, this, or this, or you'll never be able to get the most out of life. I'm personally curious to see what would happen to this world if most of our modern day technologies were suddenly taken away and people couldn't watch or read about their favorite reality TV shows or that silly Hilton woman. Perhaps then, and only then would we find that most people would start actually thinking about that which truly matters.

I second that... in it's entirety.

I, too, am moving back to my family (asap) and will begin searching for some farmland. My problem is student loans -- if I choose to walk away, then I leave my parents stuck with them, which is, to say the least, unfair.

I'm practicing my gardening techniques (lesson #1: figure out how to NOT kill the plants... ), canning, sewing, knitting... anything that I have readily available. In short, I'm working towards self-sufficiency, or as darn close to it as I can get.

I won't deny the benefits of society, like the jars that I use for canning, the stove and the electric and whatnot. I'm using it for the time being, until I can walk away.



In answer the the OP's second question, my ideal society would, actually be small societies. I think humanity went wrong with these big urban environments... gotta keep 'em small, and as self-sufficient as possible. Bartering/Trading is decided between the individual societies... no overlord, no checks and balances, none of that. (Frankly, having these systems simply creates loopholes for greedy peeps, of whom I'm seriously getting tired of. Men and women, whites and blacks, straights and gays, rich and poor... People get greedy when an opportunity provides itself, and their greed is the root of *many* of our current problems.)

I want people to work towards being morally good, instead of being satisfied with 'not being bad' (which simply makes them morally neutral). But I don't think morals can thrive with this external authority figure always threatening punishment. ((Legalistic systems do not work!!!)) I'd like to get back to shame cultures...


Indeed.
Screw fireworks -- I'm off to enjoy the thunderstorm!!!

not sure about quitting society but the way we live has go too complex. why should we live to work to work to survive? if everyone went back to an equal playing field with just waht they needed to survive i think the "society" that would evolve would be much the same as we have now.

perhaps a new way of looking at things is needed? how bout a world where all the basics like food, water, electricity etc etc were free? the people that work for these companies work for free? the rest of society could go along with this philosophy too.

might be a crap way of saying it but if everyone did what they do now for free, why would we need currency? surely a world without currency would be a world without half of its problems?

Originally posted by scooler1
Can anyone suggest some good books or other reading material relating to some of the skills one would need to do this? Any ideas would be appreciated.

A few suggestions merely to get the ball rolling:
Mother Earth News
Backwoods Home Magazine
Farmer's Almanac

Caring for your own garden can be back-breaking work (sometimes literally) but the reward comes from your first harvest

It all sounds good but the problem is just like how it is in the movie "THE VILLAGE"

You cant really escape society because many of the supplies you would need are drawn from this society in the first place. Clothes supplies etc.

Also your kids would HATE you for taking everything away like TV and GAMES snacks etc. Im sure many people would soon grow tired of this ideal place as well.

We have to face it that in our times this is what were doing this is where we are. Its one thing to be born into and grow up into a world like you all are talking about but picking up and going is completly different

As many as you guys might not now i am 15. I have been thinking about all this lately and I often wondered. Why?, are we doing this. I look out side my bed room window and think what is this going to be in 100 years.

First thing i thought when i read this topic is the movie "The village". I have been thinking what am I going to do after highschool, and a Doctor has come into my mind but I am not sure.

I do not think just taking off is such a good thing at all. I think it is a wrong move and will lead in the future to somthing bad. I could be wrong but what do you think your family will think? Would any of you stick to it?

This is an excellent and long overdue discussion. Big thanks to the
Original Poster for getting the ball rolling.

I didn't want totally out of society, but at the age of 43, (5 years ago) I
was fed up with enough aspects of modern life in the USA to make some
changes. So I got rid of the things that annoyed me the most (job, TV)
and kept the modern trappings that gave me happiness (computer, beer).

Of course, I still go to a modern doctor and not to a witch-doctor. Her
report was that my blood pressure normalized and glucose levels dropped,
because I'm working in the garden I now eat from. I go on bike rides with
my two sons, play ball with them and have no more damn boss. Since I
own my own business now (one-man insurance broker), the serenity
and sense of control that comes with controlling virtually every waking
hour and my own income is almost magical compared to the days of
programming software for United Airlines and having to beg another
human being for vacations when I wanted to take them.

No.. we don't want to give up every aspect of society. Keep the things
you like and discard those you don't. You can just do it one step at a
time. Don't go total cold-turkey. Well..enough about me. I'll look for-
ard to reading happy posts from others who have taken back control
over their own life and destiny at some level. -CareWeMust (chicago)

never mind - no point really - sorry

[edit on 6/27/2007 by Blaine91555]

I began reading ATS when I was in college. I'm now done with college and am working full time. It's like now I can see what everyone was talking about the whole time Our jobs dumb us down and make us lazy and tired. I am really starting a new bit of work on myself to gain more discipline and wisdom so I can try to still have a meaningful life which is all I really want.

But I can really see how (after many years of this "slavery") a person could say "hey society has taught me all it ever will" I'm personally just not quite there yet...

But atm I just try to learn what I can from my job when I can - and hey dealing with people I guess you never stop learning about that. I try to ponder on something i read the day before if nothing interesting is happening, and that's a decent use of the time. And now I am really focusing on trying not to be tired at the end of the day so I can learn more in my free time. I think that being mindful can help with this, but seeing how so many of you I admire are just fed up with it I guess it's always going to be a matter of time.

Originally posted by Blaine91555


We did not

We are all still here. Well, most of us.

Im curious please tell me more of your story. Dont delete it this time!

Looking for property in Northern Canada suitable for solar/wind power with access to fresh water. Property is inexpensive, neighbors are few..buy some while you still can..80 acres..$25k...Not because I see anything bad on the horizon..just because I want to live in a different way than the seething masses.

www.mls.ca...

This is the first thread Ive actually flagged. Excellent topic.


I strongly disagree with the posters who equate leaving this society with farming communes and eat grass sort of stuff. Instead I would only implement a few changes but keep things like progress, technology and creativity on track.

The Nr. 1 problem I see is that most people have bought into the belief that they have to do a 9 to 5 job that they dont particularly enjoy in order to survive. This single belief has created masses of unfullfilled, orientationless and slave-like people.

The solution is that each and every individual finds the lifes task that is appropriate and enjoyable for him/her and stops buying into the "i have to do a crappy 9 to 5 job I dont like in order to make money". I doubt if that person will ever make MUCH money being exhausted and bored every day.

The 9 to 5 rhythym is one aspect of society that is utterly enslaving. I quit being an employee or worker a long time ago. When driving during rush hour I see the poor bastards predictably coming home exactly around that time. Day by day by day by day. Believing they do it to make money...but with their ability to think and be creative killed, they will always only make enough to survive. predictably when they arrive home they will have supper. then watch tv. then go to bed. and then wake up and do the same thing all over again, until they die.

I strongly agree with and believe in the concept of variety and difference. I want to live in a world of variety a world in which differences are appreciated rather than frowned on. Conformity equals stagnation. Therefore, I would not want everybody to live in farm communes, only some. In a world of variety I would appreciate the money-people, the nature-people, all types and colours. You can choose your own way of life without the necessity to invalidate the others way of life.

Its like the Internet: Every possible type of info is there, and you choose what you prefer. The only problem is when you are taught that you cannot choose, that you MUST follow a certain path. The problem is therefore not society as such or a conspiracy as such, but ones own belief that one must conform to the norm.

Originally posted by earth2

Originally posted by Blaine91555


We did not

We are all still here. Well, most of us.

Im curious please tell me more of your story. Dont delete it this time!

Here is the short version -

Long haired rebel. Thought the system was rigged. After College I started bouncing from party to party. We would move around in groups from one place to another. We thought people who had real jobs were dumb and we knew how to do things better.

Then I met Ron. 50 year old Hippie hanging out with us wanna be adults. He had nothing. He had nobody. He was free. I should have seen my future in him, but instead I thought he was "cool". He really had it figured out. 50 years old and never had a job. We followed him around like good little Hippies until we slowly started to drift away. For me it was a trip to jail. Nothing bad, just a joint in my pocket.

I decided to get out of there and went back to small town USA and did every disgusting job on this earth. I spent years on the end of jackhammers, digging trenches, working in hundred degree heat up to my ankles in concrete. I even did a while on Oil Rigs as a Roughneck and earned Journeyman Status as an Electrician. The whole time I had a Bachelors of Science Degree in my pocket. To stupid to go back to school and do something with it.

Life was one big party for a while. Then reality started happening. I kept getting asked to leave or evicted for failing to pay bills and rent. I started going wherever the construction bucks were the biggest and to hell with roots.

Then one day, after another breakup with a girl I'd picked up at a party, I realized I had no home, no car, no food and it was not funny anymore. I was walking the streets of a large city. I went to a friends house and he said you can't stay here and told me about a Rescue Mission. I met a man there. A Clinical Psychologist. He was the genuine article and I knew it. For the first time all those things my parents told me when they were still alive made sense. He told me "You want a good life? Then why are you hanging out with losers?". Hit me in the face like the proverbial ton of bricks.

I ended up training to become a Drug and Alcohol Councilor. Did it for 18 months after I got the license. Then I managed a Nursing Home. Full Charge and they loved my work and I loved my job. Here I was in my 30's and just now getting to the point I should have been at ten years prior. But then I knew too much and of course the Government was bad, the war was wrong and my Mother was dumb and every other lie I could tell myself.

There is nothing new going on on ATS. Every Generation thinks it is the last. Doom and Gloom are nothing new. If you want happiness it is hard work.

We are the Misfits!!!

And i certainly have felt manipulated since i was born. Do this, dont do that, that's wrong, bla bla bla bla bla

I think for most of us what keeps us "in" society is our families. Children, grandchildren, parents, etc.
I would not hesitate for one minute in changing it all and leaving everything behind, including my designer bags and glasses, and going to live off the land in the woods somewhere- were it not for family.

Its not an easy thing to do to just up and take off, at least for most of us.

We are the Misfits!!!

And i certainly have felt manipulated since i was born. Do this, dont do that, that's wrong, bla bla bla bla bla

I think for most of us what keeps us "in" society is our families. Children, grandchildren, parents, etc.
I would not hesitate for one minute in changing it all and leaving everything behind, including my designer bags and glasses, and going to live off the land in the woods somewhere- were it not for family.

Its not an easy thing to do to just up and take off, at least for most of us.

Isnt there land in Montana were you can still homestead?
Is Montana to far north, I guess you would need to plant gardens so it cant be to cold. Nice place would be the desert next to a water supply if that even exist.

I would quit, when I'm presented with an opportunity... Because of the lack of resources, knowledge, etc. Its quite hard to make a decision like that. I have the will, but not the materials (iow, cash for the necessary equipment, books, etc). I could go with farming & hunting, its only prerequisite is patience and hard work. The only modern technology I would take along is a small-ish solar panel, an Ipod (or something similar, I love music), bongo-drums/guitar (I would prefer electric, but just by mentioning it... its self-explanatory in why I can't).

to me, hard labour, is good labour. It sucks sometimes, but you feel good afterwards (I hope everyone understands what I mean).

Biggie, if I could... I would've joined you, but I have one problem... I live across a big river called the Atlantic ocean .

I was born to be a vagabond/nomad/whatever you want to call it. A philosophy I have (towards society) is you don't choose to fit in with society, society decides if you should fit in.

Excellent thread, btw.