Well, my reaction to this one is suspicion that it sounds a little too perfect and either the farmer is idealizing his life or the journalist has taken editorial liberties.. so, maybe?
Journalists love to craft articles around some narrative theme. Edit: I’m talking about consistency within the article and a “focus on the subject” stance. If the author wants to present the farmers happiness, that’s what they’re going to frame the whole piece on.
mini quote from a good article about the Guardian's Experience column works:
> [Our writers] tend to interview the subject and then work with them to tell their story in their own words.
“ By not leaving my apartment for a year except for shopping” this is entirely foreign to me. Where do you live?!
Where do you live where you _have_ been leaving your home for non-essential reasons? I recognize that different countries have had differing levels of effect from COVID, but I'm not aware of any that hasn't had at least _some_ impact.
The US. While many businesses (especially restaurants) shuttered in 2020, most retail businesses reopened rather quickly though usually with a limited capacity (Home Depot, a massive store, was permitting something crazy small like 200 people in at a time here last spring and early summer).
Hiking trails and state parks in CO opened up by late spring or summer 2020. Restaurants and bars were really the places most impacted from what I saw of last year in the US as they went a much longer stretch without allowing indoor dining.
Well, my reaction to this one is suspicion that it sounds a little too perfect and either the farmer is idealizing his life or the journalist has taken editorial liberties.. so, maybe?
I don't know that a journalist was involved in this. An editor may have been but this just appears to be a letter-to-the-editor or commentary submission
It's written by this woman, who calls herself a "pop philosopher". Her name is at the bottom of the article:
It's an inspiring article, but it left me wondering what is his exit plan. He's got nobody to pass the farm on to, and his sister is dependent upon his care. At 72 and with his medical history, he will not be able to continue much longer.
This is in the UK where there exists something of a social safety net. For example, I very much doubt he pays for his sister's carers (speaking from experience), and he will have healthcare available for himself if he needs it. So he may not feel the need to consider an exit plan.
Journalists love to craft articles around some narrative theme. Edit: I’m talking about consistency within the article and a “focus on the subject” stance. If the author wants to present the farmers happiness, that’s what they’re going to frame the whole piece on.
mini quote from a good article about the Guardian's Experience column works: > [Our writers] tend to interview the subject and then work with them to tell their story in their own words. via https://www.theguardian.com/membership/2021/feb/15/experienc...
> work with them to tell their story
Hmmm... Suspicioun that this is heavily editorialized intensifies.
There is value in finding your place in life and being content with it. Yes, you might be able to change it, perhaps to conform to more traditional standards of 'success', but why bother if you're happy as you are? If we humans optimize by happiness, then we should have nothing but envy for a life like Wilf Davies leads.
I came to this realization in university - I love software, I love writing programs and solving problems, but I really don't love office work or the idea of sitting at a desk all day. I dropped out of a software engineering program to work on a factory floor, a decision I haven't regret once in five years (even if my parents would consider me a failure). The hours are good, the wage is good, benefits are good, I get…
My happiest period with relation to work was similar, laborious but satisfying because I got something done every day and didn't have to think about it after work. When you're writing software, it's hard to turn off the switch (I think especially if you find software development itself to be an interesting subject) when you leave the office. It's hard to not think about the design, the thing you'll do tomorrow, continue pondering that failed test case or new bug report into the evening. I only really got past that myself by introducing a significant break between work and the rest of my day with exercise in the 1-3 hours after work. But that's a rather high cost for anyone with a family.
Have you given any thought on how you plan on reintegrating into society, and the negative health effects of this type of isolation? I’m curious what the balance is between covid risk and isolation risk.
What negsibe health effects? Plenty of people live isolated lives and enjoy it.
Social isolation is, on a population level, associated with poor health outcomes. The data shows this most strongly in the elderly, but it’s true at all ages.
Of course, certain individuals may enjoy and thrive in isolated environments.
I wonder about the two strokes. Him and his sister. Probably genetic or is it a result of the same diet they both share? Is eating an egg a day really bad for you. Science has gone back and forth on this. He would get plenty of exercise what could have caused the strokes?
The beauty of a simple life. Away from noise, stress and all things that make one miserable. Being content with simple things in life is nothing more than a beautiful life for you and your family.