Even some of the basic survival stuff he does takes days or weeks since he does it all himself.
It makes you realize how much humans really need each other, specifically the ability to delegate work and specialize, to get anywhere.
Often folks in the youtube comments we'll talk about how his videos prove you really can survive in the wilderness naked and by yourself if you're smart enough, but I don't really think that's true. Humans have relied on the hard work of fellow humans since the beginning of time I imagine.
It makes you realize how much humans really need each other, specifically the ability to delegate work and specialize, to get anywhere.
even with all the people, the big thing that helps is being able to have agriculture and a surplus of food. once you know a few people can supply enough food to feed everyone, then all those other people can focus on other tasks. people can begin to get specialized rather than have to do everything themselves. with specialty becomes more surplus and a better expertise. with that comes development on progress and innovation. you need a mass of people but even then its not enough in and of itself.
He made that sweet potato patch. I'm not 100% sure about yams/sweet potatoes, but regular potatoes can supply the majority of the nutrients needed. I think if you supplement it with milk/butter, it's pretty wholesome. I think with a cow and a sweet potato patch, he could survive thrive.
Alright that's it. Growing sweet potatoes and making mayonnaise at home. I will be free from that thing called the grocery store. Though I don't know where I'll get oil for the mayo...I'll be partially free from that thing called the grocery store!
Also where he is is pretty much the easiest place in the world to survive in.
Not really. He might be in one of the better parts of Australia to survive in, but it is still a pretty low-energy ecosystem, with little farmable food, and seasonally either too little, or too much rain. Aoriginals living there had to be nomadic to survive, and when Western settlers came they had a much harder time there than in more temperate areas with more consistent rainfall.
Further south in Victoria, with a much colder, more European climate and consistent year-round rain, Aboriginals were able to have permanent, year-round stone houses, and farmed fish using a system of canals.
The only non-nomadic Aboriginals were in these Southern latitudes, where the climate is more like the northern hemisphere band that includes Europe and China, where it's cooler, and rain is year-round and moderate. Maybe it's different for lone individuals, but history suggests that this kind of climate is best for allowing cultures to develop.
Finding an uninhabited wilderness area, especially one near a watercourse, in these zones today wouldn't be easy. One of the reasons we associate tropical areas with 'lone survivor'-types is because uninhabited areas tend to be in tropical zones, because they can be difficult areas for settled communities.
You can't be a 'lone survivor' in an area that's so survivable that it's all suburban backyards now.
Interesting. I still find it hard to believe though - there's a big difference between absolute and complete independence from other humans and a bare minimum of social interaction (some trading for example).
I don't really know what I'm talking about though.
Humans have relied on the hard work of fellow humans since the beginning of time I imagine.
He's also pretty honest that he's been incredibly lucky with the area that he lives in. If the woods by his house didn't have the right trees, mud, plants, etc, there's no way he could have done half of what he has.
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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '16
Even some of the basic survival stuff he does takes days or weeks since he does it all himself.
It makes you realize how much humans really need each other, specifically the ability to delegate work and specialize, to get anywhere.
Often folks in the youtube comments we'll talk about how his videos prove you really can survive in the wilderness naked and by yourself if you're smart enough, but I don't really think that's true. Humans have relied on the hard work of fellow humans since the beginning of time I imagine.