Article on Nomad 'Consumerist System' quotes B Wells

[UptownSport]

Airstream myth and painful RV reality of life on the road

 

[John61CT]

Wow, **excellent** article, and spot on about the historical context, especially the roots of scientific propaganda.

Bernays' work was very closely studied and expanded on by Goebbels, and the Madison Avenue really refined their techniques over the following decades.

Of course such technological advances aren't automatically used for the common good.

The use of Facebook and other social media have supercharged these weapons against rationality, the whole Collective Unconscious of our global society now has a standardized interface, exposed to the skillful hackers available for hire to the highest bidders.

 

[lenny flank]

Meh, sounds like more Poverty Purity to me.

 

[ped]

desire machines

 

[John61CT]

Every Commercial Ever

The Men of Hammacher Schlemmer: Are they really happy? https://www.theawl.com/2017/05/the-men-of-hammacher-schlemmer/

 

[akrvbob]

That is a great quote of me, I just wish I had said it! It's Jessica's summary of my philosophy, and better said than I've ever done!!

But now I'm going to start saying it!

 

[geogentry]

Good article - BUT.  I skim read it.  I wanted the gist of the article without getting bogged down by a lot of arm chair rhetoric.  If I hadn't seen so many of Bobs' video, amongst others, along with my own life experiences the basics of the article would scare me off of becoming a Nomad.  Now I understand why there are so many questions on youtube and other places.  The article gave me the impression that if I am not taking in $500 a week I am going to struggle and scrape along on a meager and unfulfilled life.  I know that just isn't true.  Just like the Romani  Gypsy the idea of not being around animals, not being in nature, not having sun shine down on your head is almost incomprehensible.  And just like the semi-nomadic Gypsy when the urge comes to get up and go you go.

 

[John61CT]

You mean you can actually be comfortable on less than $500 a week?

Including all vehicle costs over the long term?

 

[MrNoodly]

You mean you can actually be comfortable on less than $500 a week?

Including all vehicle costs over the long term?

Depends on one's idea of comfort.

 

[geogentry]

You mean you can actually be comfortable on less than $500 a week?

I am hoping you are being sarcastic here.  But if your not I should state that although I am not living the life of luxury I am comfortable as I live now and it is indeed much less than $500 a week,

 

[John61CT]

I guess biggest consumer of "disposable" income is long road trips.

I figure $1 a mile for my internal budgeting, and pretty easy to do a thousand miles a month sometimes.

And food prepared by others rather than cooking yourself.

 

[ped]

with food stamps, basic coverage, and 14 day stays one can easily live on $50-75 a month. Probably less. you got free internet, free tv, free libraries. what else you got to pay? tags, an oil change, gas.

 

[geogentry]

John61CT

I am not sure how you figure $1 a mile.  The current mileage rage is somewhere around 55 cents and this is to take into account not only gas but the wear on the vehicle which will need maintenance.

And food prepared by others - I think you mean eating in some form of restaurant.  Being a Chef with 25 years experience I just cant bring myself to pay someone to prepare my food with less quality than I can prepare it.

 

[Almost There]

Even with my north and south trips every six months I can live on well less than that, no matter which currency I'm using.

I don't drink alcohol, don't smoke and prefer home cooking to eating out.

And given my choice, a thousand miles could take me 6 weeks or more to get that far....  

Today, I managed a whole 113 miles....did good doing that!! Tomorrow I have to drive further so I get to my planned stay for the night...sigh! It's going to be a tiring day...

 

[John61CT]

My $1 per mile covers all vehicle costs from fuel to being prepared for long tows off the pavement to major drivetrain repairs.

As/if I accumulate a surplus, just means I have a greater range of choices, spending stupid money on keeping my beloved going (and not having to do a fresh buildout)

or upgrading to a larger or more reliable vehicle when I decide to replace her, and maybe a nicer level of buildout.

It's nice to have options, and over the decades I've been **stuck with none** out in the middle of whoop-whoop, too **many darn** times, to skimp on that budget category anymore.

If I want to drive 400 miles tomorrow, but don't have $400 ready in my CurrentOperations account to transfer in to VehicleDoNotTouch, I just stay put until it **is** there.

If I did end up with over say $50 grand in there, I suppose I might tap into it for say, medical care if needed.

And if/when I'm on any sort of Gov assistance, I count it internally as income.

 

[John61CT]

And food prepared by others - I think you mean eating in some form of restaurant.  Being a Chef with 25 years experience I just cant bring myself to pay someone to prepare my food with less quality than I can prepare it.

Same here.

But I count supermarket prepared foods as well, separate budget item from basic ingredients. Essentials I rarely cook myself like bread go into the latter though.

We eat very well on under $5 a day per person.

 

[MrNoodly]

Meh, sounds like more Poverty Purity to me.

What do you think it should say? What would your message be?

 

[geogentry]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]John61CT[/font]
But I believe we digress from the original import of my post and that is that a person can live comfortably on less than a take home pay of 500 a week.

You have found a system which provides you with a level of comfort you are happy with.  And as posted by McNoody the amount required really does depend on an individuals idea of comfort.

The article indicates that to be a Nomad and be comfortable a person would "need" to spend at least 500 a week to be comfortable and happy.  That is very misleading, and discouraging, to someone who reads the article that may have an interest in becoming a Nomad.  It is misleading because dozens if not hundreds of people who are Nomads are living on less than 500 a week who are comfortable and happy.  And it further states that this does NOT include the cost of a trailer or vehicle.

 

[ped]

that is an $18hr full-time job. nearly 1.5x the average income. you're doing it pretty wrong if you're spending 1/10th that.

 

[jonthebru]

That is a great quote of me, I just wish I had said it! It's Jessica's summary of my philosophy, and better said than I've ever done!!

But now I'm going to start saying it!

It sure sounded like you. 
There is a 2002 BBC documentary called "The Century Of The Self". It is on YouTube and NetFlix. About Edward Bernays work.
Every American should watch it. Part one is titled "Happiness Machines", you get the idea.