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There Have Always Existed People Who’ve Simply Wanted to Be Alone

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Re: There Have Always Existed People Who’ve Simply Wanted to Be Alone

#71

Post by DannyDaemonic »

jonnathanson wrote: post #40
DannyDaemonic wrote: post #20

There's an evolutionary advantage to having people who are isolated from the rest of the community. And not just in terms of sickness transmission. Things such as war, famine, and natural disasters can wipe out whole population groups.

I'm a little skeptical. Isolated individuals cannot successfully reproduce a population. Furthermore, those who intentionally isolate themselves seem less likely to achieve reproductive success in the event that, say, they stumbled across a suitable mate, or a post-disaster survivor encampment.

Perhaps I read the article wrong, but I was under the impression that he came back to society after 27 years. This would mean if there had been a disaster while he was gone, his genes would make up a much higher percentage of the population than if he had stayed.

Re: There Have Always Existed People Who’ve Simply Wanted to Be Alone

#72

Post by nabla9 »

samirillian wrote: post #62
lgas wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know the feeling you are talking about but I don't think that you're any less you when you're around people and external stimuli, you're just the you that are when you are around people and external stimuli. No more or less you than the you that you are when you are alone, just different.

Yes, but I also think there's a kind of latent potential that is either explored or not. We would never learn that we have an innate potential for language if we do not grow up in a social setting. Likewise, we don't realize our innate potential for such a rich...interior life if we don't spend time in isolation.

Yes. I think this is exactly it.

If you have lived only in one mode, you have only one reference point to yourelf. "Mental exploring" outside the default comfort zone helps to explore and map the ways you can experience the world and use your mind.

Re: There Have Always Existed People Who’ve Simply Wanted to Be Alone

#73

Post by adenozin »

smallnamespace wrote: post #60
syshum wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the idea that "Humans are social creatures" is spread by the part of humanity that are social creatures and us introverts are not normally around to challenge that assertion. While undoubtedly there are many many humans that desire to socialize and be around other humans, there are many of us that find socialization less enjoyable. So while I personally have benefited from periods of social interaction, I'd m…

Being social and being sociable often conflated. Every time you buy something from Amazon, drink tap water, or live in a dwelling that you didn't build yourself, you are being a social creature. Few animals are capable of interacting in these highly complicated and choreographed ways.

What animals also do this ?

Re: There Have Always Existed People Who’ve Simply Wanted to Be Alone

#75

Post by Zuider »

"Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god"

From Aristotle, The Politics.

Re: There Have Always Existed People Who’ve Simply Wanted to Be Alone

#76

Post by nerdponx »

nabla9 wrote: post #42

Being alone and hiking and camping in the wilderness without human contact for longer period can be amazing experience. There can be initial anxiety and intense desire to go back after romance goes away and your internal shit comes to light. When there is constant need for do chores to survive but also free time and no human contact, no books, radio or music, mind gradually settles into itself. It's like coming from…

Where do you learn the outdoor and craftmanship skills you'd need to survive on your own in the woods? Lots of backpacking trips with more experienced people?

Re: There Have Always Existed People Who’ve Simply Wanted to Be Alone

#77

Post by influx »

trentmb wrote: post #61
influx wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your sample size is one. Let me double it for you, I highly recommend Dick Proenneke's story, Alone in the Wilderness. https://youtu.be/iYJKd0rkKss

Reading [0], Dick was significantly more prepared, and had a friend that regularly fly in supplies. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Proenneke#Site

Nod, I've been more prepared going car camping for a weekend in the summer in a campground within walking distance of a resort than Chris Mccandless was going into Alaska for the winter.

He should not be the benchmark for this thing.

Re: There Have Always Existed People Who’ve Simply Wanted to Be Alone

#78

Post by vlunkr »

nabla9 wrote: post #42

Being alone and hiking and camping in the wilderness without human contact for longer period can be amazing experience. There can be initial anxiety and intense desire to go back after romance goes away and your internal shit comes to light. When there is constant need for do chores to survive but also free time and no human contact, no books, radio or music, mind gradually settles into itself. It's like coming from…

That was quite beautifully explained. I think I feel all of that to a smaller extent if I just turn off all my devices and let myself be alone with my thoughts for a while.

Re: There Have Always Existed People Who’ve Simply Wanted to Be Alone

#79

Post by drdeadringer »

nabla9 wrote: post #42

Being alone and hiking and camping in the wilderness without human contact for longer period can be amazing experience. There can be initial anxiety and intense desire to go back after romance goes away and your internal shit comes to light. When there is constant need for do chores to survive but also free time and no human contact, no books, radio or music, mind gradually settles into itself. It's like coming from…

Your mention of going from bright light to a dark room is literally my current working life. I shoot cameras for image quality, which often necessitates a dark room. I've come to prefer the room dark even when I'm not shooting. The past few weeks of where I live, the outdoors has been rather bright... so leaving the lab room dark has become even more attractive.

About two months ago I went to the eye doctor with the last free spot on his schedule, the first one in the morning. I inquired to his booking. "Oh, I've had some people cancel because it's a nice summer day. They have better things to do than be in a dark room all day." I thought, 'Dude, you have no idea what I do for money right now." He's on wetware, I'm on hardware, we're both -- obviously through keeping the job out of our own volition -- enjoying doing the same job.

Re: There Have Always Existed People Who’ve Simply Wanted to Be Alone

#80

Post by chadcmulligan »

bitwize wrote: post #70
evervevdww221 wrote: post #24

I have the impulse to become a hermit myself, fundamentally because I'm tired of living up to other people's ideologies: going through schools and finding a job in a cubical. getting married at the right age and then raising the right amount kids, saving for their college fund and then for retirement. but why? I can't help but compare with my surroundings, even I have quit Facebook for many years. I can't be myself w…

A cubicle? You'd be lucky. Today's Modern, Dynamic, Collaborative workplace has no room for outmoded concepts of "personal space". Welcome to your new workspace: a cubic meter on a cafeteria style table in a sea of cafeteria tables. Join the team of tomorrow -- always chattering, always discussing, always collaborating to build a better future! Now you need to get these stories done by end of sprint. We have a releas…

Wasn't that one of Dante's levels? Seventh Circle (Agile)
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