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Indefinite Backpack Travel

jeremymaluf.com

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Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#311

Post by falcor84 »

Ferret7446 wrote: post #285
delichon wrote: post #10

I lived out of a backpack for two months on a Pacific Crest Trail hike. I got comfortable with it and told myself that I had overcome my materialism, and could henceforth live happily without a lot of stuff and conveniences. Not so much. Now a couple of decades later, I've got a house and garage crammed with stuff. Yesterday I had a plumber here working on a leak, and this morning I have no running water, and here I…

You couldn't survive with just a backpack if other people "overcame their materialism" and didn't own all of the capital that allowed you to survive, like providing you your equipment, food, knowledge, and emergency rescue if it came to it. Criticizing "hedonism" is its own kind of hedonism, or in common parlance, a first world problem. It is a luxury that cannot be indulged by poor societies.

There might be some version of a future where robots take care of managing the industry for our benefit in a post-scarcity setting, allowing us humans to live as simple a life as we want, knowing that when a material need arises the robots will be willing and able to quickly fulfill it for us.

I don't think that's where we're headed, but I like imagining.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#312

Post by iso186 »

Liftyee wrote: post #229
owenversteeg wrote: post #55

I've done this before (not indefinitely, but for many trips around the world.) I agree with the author on a lot: 1) it's not a good way to live long term, 2) traveling with as little as possible completely transforms the traveling experience, 3) zero-bag travel is great, 4) a good quality small bag with well designed compartments is critical, 5) M-series Macs are the only way to go, 6) two thumb drives is very conven…

I also try and avoid synthetic fabrics especially for everyday use. What's your rationale behind it? Asking because I'm not exactly sure why I hold this view, and need some inspiration.

This would be my reason, although I'm not an advocate against synthetic fabrics, just a personal preference. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8279095/

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#313

Post by ahoka »

fedeb95 wrote: post #309

This page contains some interesting advice I didn't know, useful for traveling in general. Traveling without a luggage is a staple of mine, but I am not at this pro level yet. For other commenters, overcoming materialism means not being attached to objects. Not necessarily living on a backpack. The idea is to have objects if you can, but don't suffer for their loss, or their gain. Seneca, the stoic thinker, might be…

Overcoming materialism by carrying as much Apple hardware as possible in a backpack. I hate these kind of "minimalism" stories.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#314

Post by noduerme »

echelon_musk wrote: post #310
fedeb95 wrote: post #309

This page contains some interesting advice I didn't know, useful for traveling in general. Traveling without a luggage is a staple of mine, but I am not at this pro level yet. For other commenters, overcoming materialism means not being attached to objects. Not necessarily living on a backpack. The idea is to have objects if you can, but don't suffer for their loss, or their gain. Seneca, the stoic thinker, might be…

> “What the development of true renunciation implies is that we no longer rely on sensory pleasures for our ultimate happiness; we see the futility of expecting deep satisfaction from such limited, transitory phenomena. It is important to understand this point clearly. Renunciation is not the same as giving up pleasure or denying ourselves happiness. It means giving up our unreal expectations about ordinary pleasures…

Not to sound like an asshole, but I bet losing that backpack would be as bad as someone else losing their car.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#315

Post by noduerme »

ahoka wrote: post #313
fedeb95 wrote: post #309

This page contains some interesting advice I didn't know, useful for traveling in general. Traveling without a luggage is a staple of mine, but I am not at this pro level yet. For other commenters, overcoming materialism means not being attached to objects. Not necessarily living on a backpack. The idea is to have objects if you can, but don't suffer for their loss, or their gain. Seneca, the stoic thinker, might be…

Overcoming materialism by carrying as much Apple hardware as possible in a backpack. I hate these kind of "minimalism" stories.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:19. He was talking about backing up to the cloud ;)

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#316

Post by jalapenos »

senordevnyc wrote: post #71
jalapenos wrote: post #59

[flagged]

Your younger self sounds a lot nicer.

Probably, but to clarify, I'm pointing out that this lifestyle is maximally opposite to having kids, and so still being obsessed about it after 10 years means he's committed to being a genetic dead end.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#317

Post by jalapenos »

rocketvole wrote: post #96
senordevnyc wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your younger self sounds a lot nicer.

yeah- "genetic dead end?" what did he do to you lol

Just pointing out someone who's committed to living like this isn't going to reproduce. Even Marie Kondo had to give up the minimalism stuff after having a kid.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#318

Post by ehnto »

rockostrich wrote: post #52
delichon wrote: post #10

I lived out of a backpack for two months on a Pacific Crest Trail hike. I got comfortable with it and told myself that I had overcome my materialism, and could henceforth live happily without a lot of stuff and conveniences. Not so much. Now a couple of decades later, I've got a house and garage crammed with stuff. Yesterday I had a plumber here working on a leak, and this morning I have no running water, and here I…

> It turns out that climbing on the hedonic treadmill is practically effortless, but sliding down it is full of splinters. Not sure if I'm missing a joke, but the whole point of the analogy being a treadmill is that there's nothing to fall down. Regardless of positive (running forward) or negative (going backward on the treadmill) life changes, your happiness will probably stay relatively consistent because you're on…

It also relies on all your intellectual and creative persuits being digital in nature, otherwise all you have is the social and the travel.

The lifestyle appealed to me too and I even worked towards it, but I don't think it could be a full time thing for someone who loves making things, "building a life" does in a sense require some permanency past your laptop.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#319

Post by dominicrose »

unglaublich wrote: post #32
JamesAdir wrote: post #28

I'm always suspicious of a long list of affiliate links in one article.

As the author says: The post is 10 years old and updated and read millions of times. Why would you _not_ put referral links there? It's just a more direct form of advertisment.

I may be sceptic but showing that 50% of everything you own (99% of the price?) was made by Apple and as he said providing a long list of affiliate links doesn't make the author very believable

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#320

Post by dominicrose »

Loocid wrote: post #306
porphyra wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You're constantly making and throwing away relationships. Yeah, this lifestyle basically only works as a single young adult. Once you have a significant other, it's very, very hard. Once you have a kid, it's impossible.

I agree with the kid point, but YouTube is littered with travel influencer couples that are living this lifestyle. I would imagine if you had significant other to join you on this lifestyle, it would be significantly easier since your companionship is covered.

youtube isn't real life, it's what the algorithm shows
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