spider
Member
[context: am 25, have not yet participated in nomadic culture other than interacting with people who have, and lots of wandering but always returning to home to sleep, but have dreamed about this since I was a young teenager]
I grew up in an area where there is plenty of money, great schools, families have multiple cars, big houses, etc. Lots of parents with PhDs, awards, big fancy high-paying jobs. Not "private planes/yachts/mansions" money, but "expensive summer camps, can impulse buy a car, vacations to Hawaii" money, so pretty damn good.
I'm wondering what people's thoughts are on the choice to leave that kind of lifestyle behind, in favor of just carrying whatever you've got in a pack, hitchhiking, busking, camping, dumpster diving, etc.
I think personally for me, if I was given a list of options, no expectations from others, total freedom to choose, I'd either choose wandering, camping wherever I can find a spot, seeing the world, meeting tons of people & hopefully making the world a bit better somehow along the way, or, to be totally honest, I might choose to have so much fucking money that I could just do whatever I wanted, and I could give people tons of money whenever they needed.
But I don't think I'd choose the life I have now--financially secure, but not really doing much. Sleeping in the same room every night, feigning interest in college classes just to seem like I'm doing something with my life. Having the same discussions with the same people about how capitalism sucks etc etc. Because even when you have financial security, there's not much joy in it when you haven't found a way to use it so that others have the same. And when others don't have the same, every comfort comes with the awareness that others are suffering.
Even so, I know that my parents worked very hard so that I could have the financial stability I have today (I'm not naïve, though--it was hard work and also they didn't have to face a lot of the barriers other people have to face, and neither have I). I don't feel right just throwing that away. But I would feel even worse continuing on this path and hating it. And I've tried to find ways to use what I've got for good, and try to change the system where I can, but ultimately I'm just feeling stuck, restless, confused, trapped, angry, and lost.
Has anyone else here been in this predicament? How did you decide what to do?
(no one will make the decision for me on whether i do commit to nomadic living, if I commit to this it will be my own decision, but I want to learn more from others' experiences and thoughts, and not make uninformed decisions)
I am so grateful for everything I have. I have had my fair share of struggles like anyone does, but I've had so much support through them, which isn't true for a lot of people. I do everything I can to pay that forward. But I also have an itch to get out of this set path, it feels so stifling and trapped. I don't want to waste the years where my body hasnt deteriorated as much as it will. I want to experience more and do more. I think my life is a bit wasted, just trying to be content with being comfortable and doing the routine life. I feel like there is more I could be doing. And maybe getting out into the world will be my route to that.
Thank you for your feedback, hope I am using this right, new here.
TL;DR: What are people's views on the ethics of moving from high economic status to just being out in the world and living?
does it hurt people, help people, make no difference?
is it taking advantage in any way or being ungrateful? is it worth it?
should more people consider it, should more people reconsider and not do it?
I grew up in an area where there is plenty of money, great schools, families have multiple cars, big houses, etc. Lots of parents with PhDs, awards, big fancy high-paying jobs. Not "private planes/yachts/mansions" money, but "expensive summer camps, can impulse buy a car, vacations to Hawaii" money, so pretty damn good.
I'm wondering what people's thoughts are on the choice to leave that kind of lifestyle behind, in favor of just carrying whatever you've got in a pack, hitchhiking, busking, camping, dumpster diving, etc.
I think personally for me, if I was given a list of options, no expectations from others, total freedom to choose, I'd either choose wandering, camping wherever I can find a spot, seeing the world, meeting tons of people & hopefully making the world a bit better somehow along the way, or, to be totally honest, I might choose to have so much fucking money that I could just do whatever I wanted, and I could give people tons of money whenever they needed.
But I don't think I'd choose the life I have now--financially secure, but not really doing much. Sleeping in the same room every night, feigning interest in college classes just to seem like I'm doing something with my life. Having the same discussions with the same people about how capitalism sucks etc etc. Because even when you have financial security, there's not much joy in it when you haven't found a way to use it so that others have the same. And when others don't have the same, every comfort comes with the awareness that others are suffering.
Even so, I know that my parents worked very hard so that I could have the financial stability I have today (I'm not naïve, though--it was hard work and also they didn't have to face a lot of the barriers other people have to face, and neither have I). I don't feel right just throwing that away. But I would feel even worse continuing on this path and hating it. And I've tried to find ways to use what I've got for good, and try to change the system where I can, but ultimately I'm just feeling stuck, restless, confused, trapped, angry, and lost.
Has anyone else here been in this predicament? How did you decide what to do?
(no one will make the decision for me on whether i do commit to nomadic living, if I commit to this it will be my own decision, but I want to learn more from others' experiences and thoughts, and not make uninformed decisions)
I am so grateful for everything I have. I have had my fair share of struggles like anyone does, but I've had so much support through them, which isn't true for a lot of people. I do everything I can to pay that forward. But I also have an itch to get out of this set path, it feels so stifling and trapped. I don't want to waste the years where my body hasnt deteriorated as much as it will. I want to experience more and do more. I think my life is a bit wasted, just trying to be content with being comfortable and doing the routine life. I feel like there is more I could be doing. And maybe getting out into the world will be my route to that.
Thank you for your feedback, hope I am using this right, new here.
TL;DR: What are people's views on the ethics of moving from high economic status to just being out in the world and living?
does it hurt people, help people, make no difference?
is it taking advantage in any way or being ungrateful? is it worth it?
should more people consider it, should more people reconsider and not do it?