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Indefinite Backpack Travel

jeremymaluf.com

421–429 of 429 posts

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#421

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. I exist at a particular point in time with particular skills. My kids cannot do the same things. 2. Even if they did do the same thing, getting it done 30 years earlier has a bigger effect. 3. I still don't think it's right for me to take 100% credit for everything my kids do.

Not sure if that’s good faith, but of course your kids’ contribution doesn’t have to be the same one you make. That would be absurd. If you don’t have kids, their contributions won’t exist.

pot/kettle/black

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#422
post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Counterpoint - the best single thing you can do for the planet, in terms of minimising your consumption / ecological footprint, is to not spawn.

1) This is simply not true. 2) Why tf should I car about the planet over human happiness?

It is true. And google sociopathy.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#423

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But… why? What you describe sounds like a dystopic vision, but you seem enthusiastic about it? Why?

I grew up watching Star Trek and its replicators ("Tea, Earl Grey, Hot"). So a core part of me is excited about this ideal future world where we wouldn't need to work to sustain ourselves, but would be free to use our time to explore the universe, or learn, or make art, or manage a vineyard. To me this vision of us being able to do whatever we want, while machines are available to take care of our necessities, to the…

Chief O'Brien is the underappreciated hero of Star Trek making Picard's lifestyle possible. I'm happy to see his hard work, often crawling on all fours in awkward spaces, got highlighted more in DS9.

Or in other words, there were no automatic maintenance machines in the Star Trek universe at the time, it was all handwork still. Manufacturing and food prep was done by machines which solves some part of it I suppose.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#424

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Slavery never went away, it just changed its name to Prison Labor. For fun here's a pair of stories about people being held past their release dates: * https://promiseofjustice.org/news/louisianans-illegally-kept... * https://www.corrections1.com/law-and-legislation/articles/re...

For a lot of countries, it did go away.

I think if you look closely it was just hidden behind various structures, like e.g. hiring seasonal workers from abroad, housing them in your own (substandard) buildings, and cutting their wages by the amount of rent that you charge so their take-home is well below minimum wage. But they tolerate it because it's still better pay than they can get in their home country.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#425
post #102
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why no synthetic underwear? I feel like I would be miserable with only cotton boxer-briefs... I sweat entirely too much even in moderate weather to be comfortable in cotton. I am partial to Pair of Thieves extra long boxer-briefs, they don't ride up at all since I have big thighs. When travelling I can wash them in a sink, and they dry way more quickly than cotton.

The replacement for synthetic underwear is wool, not cotton. For weeklong wilderness backpacking trips, I used to vacillate between a fresh pair of synthetic boxer briefs every every day, which took a lot of space, and one for every other day, which was gross. Now I wear a single pair of wool boxer briefs all week, and it feels and smells better at the end of the week than synthetic underwear does after two days. Sam…

I love my merino wool socks and non-base layers, but my skin is generally too sensitive for most brands.

I should try the smartwool underwear because there stuff is better than the competition, especially the small players.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#426

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One way or another, I think most of us have lifestyles subsidized by society. OP could also have bought stocks in 2015, and perhaps done even better than buying a house. Since the beginning of that year, the S&P500 has more than tripled, while housing has gone up about 50% (though of course leverage helps). For all we know, OP does hold stocks, which wouldn't cramp his lifestyle at all. Plus he claims to spend less w…

Interest, leverage, and volatility are far better for a primary dwelling than equities which is why they would have been such a good investment.

And diversification is better with an index fund. Both routes have their benefits and drawbacks. I wouldn't say you're paying an "opportunity cost" either way.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#427
post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Counterpoint - the best single thing you can do for the planet, in terms of minimising your consumption / ecological footprint, is to not spawn.

This will only result in others reproducing more to replace those who are predispositioned to think like you. Also, have fun not having anyone to take care about you when you grow old. And your retirement won't be worth shit either without a new generation to keep the economy going. Yeah no thanks, fuck your anti-natalism. You might as well remove your own ecological footprint if you would deny your children's their…

I think perhaps you have misunderstood what a counterpoint is.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#428

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When it comes to ultralight hiking gear, don't think durability is a major issue if it just sees occasional use in urban environments and you take good care of it. I've travelled w/ a Montbell Versalite and Arcteryx Cerium LT for the past few years and both are like new, each probably getting around 200-300 wears in primarily city use while traveling to over 40 cities. Just picked up a Montbell Travel Umbrella (3 oun…

I was wearing some Uniqlo puff jacket the ul community recommended on a trip to Italy. I brushed up against a pillar at some ruins and it snagged on the rough material and exploded into a cloud of down that the heavy wind blew all over a crowd of tourists. Now I wear sturdy cotton, linen, leather, denim, and the extra weight is just a couple more calories burned.

I have hundreds, possibly over a thousand hours on mine and it is significantly more delicate and expensive than the Uniqlo one, which I had owned previously.

To me packability and efficiency reign supreme, and I just reflexively know I’m wearing a delicate item and react accordingly to my environment when I wear it.

It’s similar to the sunglass paradox. For many years, I owned fairly cheap pairs and lost them often. Then suddenly I spent $300 on a pair of Oliver Peoples… had them for 10 years, finally gave them to an ex-gf who loved them more than I did.

You can in fact change semi-reckless behavior when the quality of the item dictates it. Perhaps the extra anxiety isn’t worth it, but this is an article about one bag travel - which I do - so it fits.

Re: Indefinite Backpack Travel

#429

I don't think this is the author's intent, but to whomever it may help. There will always be someone more "out there" than you. Traveling longer, with less, doing more, going farther. It's tempting to follow these people or to compare yourself to them. I've also met people who are equally adventurous, equally worldly who travel in smaller chunks (2 weeks to 1 month then back home to recharge). Go out there and see th…

amen !
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