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Help I can't become a digital nomad, I have too much stuff

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Re: Help I can't become a digital nomad, I have too much stuff

#21

I’ve been around Digital Nomads for a long time and I’ve been working digitally and remotely for periods of time most of my life. The sense of eradication Nomads are looking for can bite you back quite bad. This is something seldom discussed in DN circles, especially by hyper-positive (or toxic positive) digital Bromads of the “I dropship therefore I’m an Internet Entrepreneur” variety. Digital Nomadism is also very…

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Re: Help I can't become a digital nomad, I have too much stuff

#22

I’ve been around Digital Nomads for a long time and I’ve been working digitally and remotely for periods of time most of my life. The sense of eradication Nomads are looking for can bite you back quite bad. This is something seldom discussed in DN circles, especially by hyper-positive (or toxic positive) digital Bromads of the “I dropship therefore I’m an Internet Entrepreneur” variety. Digital Nomadism is also very…

I suspect in the next 5-10 years there's going to be a big backlash against people from western countries exploiting their economic privilege by living in developing countries. I've lived in various mostly developing countries for the past 7 years, and I'm not one to get hung up on the "white privalege" that's currently talked about in the west, but it is hard not to feel guilty at times at the tremendous advantages…

This. Tbh I think most Nomads would be glad to adhere to some form of "nomadic" taxation system, contributing to the communities they're visiting. This would require a massive coordination between so many different countries with different interests. I don't think we'll achieve anything like this in our lifetimes.

Re: Help I can't become a digital nomad, I have too much stuff

#23
Slightly left of topic, but the use of "nomad" in the context of "too much stuff" would be better described as 'asceticism'.

Traditional nomadic life was about entire communities or extended families (rather than individuals), usually carrying their entire home and possessions with them either on travois or animals and/or carts, and travelling between home sites as the seasons changed or the food source moved.

In current times it's not too challenging to carry one's entire digital possessions in a back-pack if you trust to there being an always-on quality network connection, but it'd be far more comfortable to kit out a mobile home, caravan, recreational vehicle, boat, or similar, if you want basics with you such as favourite clothing, personal items, and physical documents.

A challenge of this minimalisation is overcoming built-in obsolescence of most digital devices that often leads to collections of older 'stuff' kept 'just in case', as well as connectors, adapters, wires, and other bits. Oh, and avoiding buying 'convenience' single-purpose devices.

Having Siberian Huskies I once tried to figure out if I could live off the back of a sled and have the huskies be my means of transport. The sled would have needed to be 5 meters long and about 2 tall so I abandoned the idea!

Re: Help I can't become a digital nomad, I have too much stuff

#24

I don’t live in the country where I was born, and neither do most of my friends…still our apartments are full of stuff… trinkets, art, rescued furniture… to me it’s part of what makes me feel at home and what makes it fun to stay with others! There’s this chastising of owning things (‘the things own you’) that comes up every now and again, but I think that could be reserved for when these objects stop being something…

Apparently most digital nomads don't travel a lot, according to the guy running the biggest digital nomad network [0]

And more nomad stats here: https://nomadlist.com/digital-nomad-statistics

[0] https://twitter.com/levelsio/status/1143515689635864576

Re: Help I can't become a digital nomad, I have too much stuff

#25
I somewhat agree about the storage unit. I've certainly spent far more on my storage unit over several years than the value of all the stuff that's in it. On the other hand, it's kind of nice having a safe place to store various things which have some sentimental value. It's also a good way to figure out what things you actually need in your life. Has something been sitting in storage for 2 years and you haven't missed it? You don't need it!

Re: Help I can't become a digital nomad, I have too much stuff

#26
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No one can win against kipple, except temporarily and maybe in one spot.

I've developed a methodology of throwing it away on receipt :)

But eventually you'll die or go away, and then the kipple will again take over. It's a universal principle operating throughout the universe; the entire universe is moving toward a final state of total, absolute kippleization.

Re: Help I can't become a digital nomad, I have too much stuff

#27
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure but modern stools are designed to break to make you buy another, so you'll save money in the long run. They don't make them like that anymore. You'll be able to pass it down to your grandkids one day.

Old stools broke as well, but the ones that broke don't exist any more. Only the really good ones remain.

A good example of survivorship bias. I'm sure there's 70 year old IKEA furniture out there too.

I think anyone CAN make a good stool like that if they can find the materials and some hand tools, it's just that nobody can be bothered and nobody wants to pay someone to put in the effort. Or that nobody has access to tools and/or a space to do the work. There does seem to be a bit of a renaissance in woodworking though.

Re: Help I can't become a digital nomad, I have too much stuff

#28

I’ve been around Digital Nomads for a long time and I’ve been working digitally and remotely for periods of time most of my life. The sense of eradication Nomads are looking for can bite you back quite bad. This is something seldom discussed in DN circles, especially by hyper-positive (or toxic positive) digital Bromads of the “I dropship therefore I’m an Internet Entrepreneur” variety. Digital Nomadism is also very…

>Digital Nomadism is also very often a form of postcolonial and Western privilege. A lot of DN-targeted content focuses on the individual radical choice of going against the typical societal expectations (settle down, get a house, own stuff). What they mostly miss is how this choice is made possible by the inequalities between the West and the rest of the world.

It's something that came about as a result of domestic inequalities. Digital Nomads wouldnt be anywhere near as common if property/rents werent sky high back home.

It feels a bit wrong to emphasize privilege for things that also come about as a lack of privilege.

Re: Help I can't become a digital nomad, I have too much stuff

#30

I’ve been around Digital Nomads for a long time and I’ve been working digitally and remotely for periods of time most of my life. The sense of eradication Nomads are looking for can bite you back quite bad. This is something seldom discussed in DN circles, especially by hyper-positive (or toxic positive) digital Bromads of the “I dropship therefore I’m an Internet Entrepreneur” variety. Digital Nomadism is also very…

I suspect in the next 5-10 years there's going to be a big backlash against people from western countries exploiting their economic privilege by living in developing countries. I've lived in various mostly developing countries for the past 7 years, and I'm not one to get hung up on the "white privalege" that's currently talked about in the west, but it is hard not to feel guilty at times at the tremendous advantages…

> I suspect in the next 5-10 years there's going to be a big backlash against people from western countries exploiting their economic privilege by living in developing countries.

What kind of backlash are you thinking of? When I think of a digital nomad, I'm thinking of a rich white kid spending their money in a holiday destination year round.

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