What can you live without?

[enjoy the ride]

Ok - there is an experimental group in existance right now that "does without" to a large extent. The people living on the streets or in our case the woods. They own not nor do they pay taxes. Nor to they produce anything that helps anyone else.
However, that basic of a way of living is not what I would even care to contemplate. It is a dirty, disease spreading, violent and exhausting way to choose to live. It brings uncontrolled fires, drugs, danger and disease to all in the vacinity.
And the fact that there are others in other places who are forced to live that way doesn't really move me either. They would leave what they have for what I have in a minute- same as I would do in the reverse situation. Bringing me down would not do a thing to raise them up. Tearing down has never cause uplift in another part of society.
What does seem important, to me anyway, is that I am not such a glutton for things that I suffer from moral obeisity. Too much stuff means spending effort on things that drag me (and others close to me) into a mindless and lethargic state so that my life passes by without my having time and the condition to appreciate the living itself. I don't want to die in front of a large screen TV, sucking in other people's emotion- ersatz joy of life. I want the real thing.
So I ask, what drags me down and what lifts me up. It can be the real joy of giving something to someone in need- so I need enough to be able to give some. Or the joy of spending time in nature- so I need time away from drudgery of providing. I need to keep my vision clear to see this way and therefore don't want things that demand I attend to them unless those things promote my other values.
IMO only- I take joy in a congenial jobs successfully done but not so demanding that it is all I can do.

Pretenious way of saying- what can I do without? Jewelry, more than one vehicle (need to get to town sometime,) games of all kinds, anything needing dusting is on my short list......................lol

 

[krjwaj]

I could definetley do withou jewerly. We did without TV for 6 years no problem.
There is lots, really.

Still something something to read, family to love and my good health!

 

[Cassandra]

I'm sorry, I do not understand the premise of this thread. What *can* you live without?

I took it to mean (and responded as if it meant) "What would you be willing to live without in an effort to be self sufficient?"
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There is a self-sufficient village in Alaska that I have read about. I wish I could remember the name. I first read about them because Madonna made a donation to their community, so they became news. But I have just googled it and can't find it!!!!!!

Anyway, from what I remember, they are virtually self-sufficient and they don't do without much! (Except meat. They don't eat meat--as a personal choice, not a philosophical statement, because they don't promote any religion.)

Being self-sufficient doesn't mean being completely cut off from society. They have TV and internet. They grow all their own food, build their own houses--I think they produce their own electricity... I can't remember. I wish I could find it. It was fascinating to read.

They have received government grants for their efforts in developing a type of grain that will grow in Alaska.

Does anyone want to start up one of those? I think it would be pretty cool. ^_^ LOL

Cassandra

 

[the simple life]

I am not sure if this is what the thread means, exactly. But we can all live without almost everything if we have to.
Over the years, when I was younger and before the life I live now, I went without alot.
I have done without what most people consider neccesities,
I have lived without heat, electricity(which means not just lights but frig,tv, radio) phone, medicine, a car or transportation unless I could walk it, new clothes, decent shoes (I remember getting written up in gym class for not having sneakers) a warm coat and more than I care to remember, food.
The only thing we always had was water, even if it was cold showers at times due to the lack of gas to supply the hot water heater.
I lived without all of it and it probably shaped who I am today.
I know that I could do it again if I ever have to, don't want to.
There are millions of people who go without all of these things every day of their lives.
Anyone can live without all of these things, its just outside our comfort zone, but you make do and adjust accordingly.
Papertowels and everything else are frivolous and anyone can live without them.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm with you, the simple life. Been there and done that, got the T-shirt. I've done without most things.

What it all comes down to is what would one have to take the place of the more commonly used items. If I had kerosene lamps, I could do without lights. If I had a wood stove, I could do with a range, electric or gas heat. If I had a wringer washer (the kind you operate by hand, not electric) I could do without my washer and dryer. So on and so forth. I've washed clothing for a family of 7-9 people on a washboard, hauling the water in buckets, from a spring a good 1/4 mile away. I've done without refrigeration, but wouldn't choose to do so again.
To live in reasonable comfort, I would want to have some way of living somewhat normally. The extra work wouldn't bother me, as long as I didn't have to go away from home each day to earn a living. To do all things is more than I could accomplish, I think.

So, what could I live without? Just about anything, if you I have to. What wouldn't I live without? I'd want a good water source, a good wood stove, a good chainsaw (yeah, I really like a chainsaw vs. a saw ), a way to plough (horse or machine, I don't care), a refrigerator, oil lamps, flashlights, good tools and seed to sow. Oh, and matches! I definitely like matches! Toilet paper is good, but I've done without and a newspaper can do the job. The funnies are the softest, BTW!

 

[sweetproserpina]

pioneergirl, I think the show you were referring to at the beginning was called "1900 House" It was indeed about the Bowler family, who in 1999 went to live as middle class Britains in 1900. The house they moved into was completely refitted back to it's 1900 furnishings, stove etc. PBS ran the show too If anyone's curious, your library probably has a copy.

There were a number of these shows on all around the early 2000's. 1900 House, Pioneer Quest, Frontier House (not very good, sorry!), Quest for the Bay, Colonial House, Manor House etc.. They all picked people up and plunked them in a different time period. Some folks rose to the challenge, others complained and gave up, others just couldn't leave the modern mindset behind. They were all great to watch.

As a historic interpreter, I was often asked- Wouldn't you love to live back then?" by visitors. Now we were pretty authentic at work, did a lot of manual labour round the fort, and I wore my layers of petticoats even in the heat of summer but in having that experience, however small, I wouldn't want to go backwards in time. I might visit, but to give up all my modern conveniences- my running hot water especially? Nah. I could do without a lot, but not by choice.

The best bit was at the end of 1900 House. The mother survived the experience with a new appreciation for all the work women did back then, and by the end she was great at keeping the house clean with just a bit of soap and water. We see a clip of her in her house after the experience showing the camera an open cupboard full of modern cleaning chemicals and supplies and she says "I don't know why I went out and bought all these after I got back. I cleaned that old house just fine with what I had, we weren't living in filth or anything. Why do I need these?"

For me right there, that was worth the whole show. It was the realization that maybe we have too much stuff in the modern world that we don't really need. We're just told that we do and never really question it.

Now that I've written an essay here I think it's time for bedfordshire, but if anyone wants to watch another really great historic reality show, watch 1940's House set in Britain during the war. It's fantastic! The best of the bunch.

 

[FarmerChick]

What can I live without....I am sure tons of things if I HAD TO LIVE without them....but I prefer my modern conveniences and I am not truly going to give them up.

I do try to "use" my items smarter and more efficient etc. etc. I do try to be greener when doing things if I can, etc. etc.

But what can I live without....hmm...maybe jewelry which I don't care for except my wedding ring and Hmm....not much more. (I lose 2 diamonds from my wedding ring at the barns on two different occasions, now I don't wear my ring much..LOL--you can't win can ya! :{


I CAN live without duplicate items in my life....like who needs 2-3 tvs, who needs 2 blenders or 2 micros, or 3-4 cars or 2-3 drills, 3 lawnmowers, every kitchen gadget known to mankind, etc. etc.....so I guess scaling back to less stuff in general and taking care of maintenance for these things is more of a priority.

 

[pioneergirl]

Sweetproserpina...THAT WAS IT!! lol Thanx for expounding on it for me

Ok, there seems to be some confusion....it was just a question posed, and if the whole part of my post would have been read, the idea would have come across. That being said, I'll explain a bit further...

We all have gotten used to modern conveniences, and as many have said in this thread, its more of what would we be 'willing' to live without, or what could we get by with? The cleaning supplies, the electricity, etc. Beekissed said it best....replace my range with a woodburner, my lamps for kerosene, etc.

It wasn't about lifting up, or going down, per se....just a matter of how spoiled is our society? I apologize if this rubbed people the wrong way, or took them down some weird road and got them on a soap box. It was just a simple question, posed for fun reading, and maybe a chance to look around our houses and say "hhhmmm, do I really NEED that?"

No harm intended, just simple thinking, really.

*runs to PBS.org to find the videos and apologizes to Patandchickens for using the wrong 'term' when posting...should have said 'prefer' not 'can'.

 

[heatherv]

and maybe a chance to look around our houses and say "hhhmmm, do I really NEED that?"

If I had a dumpster, and a weekend w/out kids... I could toss probably 75%, well at least 50% of what's in this house! It would be so neat and tidy!

We want to put in a woodburning stove also... would use for heat and cooking in the winter months.

 

[pioneergirl]

I asked for a woodburner...was then told "if you cut the wood...." lol, I said of course I would!!

My BIL has a corn burner, and sometimes I think it gives him more fits than its worth. lol