💾 Archived View for calmwaters.xyz › 2021_04_06_gemlog.gmi captured on 2021-12-04 at 18:04:22. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
⬅️ Previous capture (2021-11-30)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
$$$\ $$$$\ $$$$\ $$$\ $$$$\ $$$\ $$$$\ $\ $$$\ $\ $\ $$$\ $\ $\ $$$\ $ __$\ $ _____|$ _____| $ __$\ $ __$\ \_$ _|$ __$\ $ | \_$ _|$ | $ |\_$ _|$$\ $ |$ __$\ $ / $ |$ | $ | $ / \__|$ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $$\ $ |$ / \__| $ | $ |$$$\ $$$\ $ |$$\ $$$$ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | \$\ $ | $ | $ $\$ |$ |$$\ $ | $ |$ __| $ __| $ |\_$ |$ __$< $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | \$\$ / $ | $ \$$ |$ |\_$ | $ | $ |$ | $ | $ | $ |$ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | \$$ / $ | $ |\$$ |$ | $ | $$$ |$ | $ | \$$$ |$ | $ |$$$\ $$$$ | $$$$\ $$$\ \$ / $$$\ $ | \$ |\$$$ | \______/ \__| \__| \______/ \__| \__|\______|\_______/ \________|\______| \_/ \______|\__| \__| \______/
This gem site, and my main website, will now be about, off grid living. Basically, how to cut (most) of your internet and online ties and start to be free again.
There are reasons for doing this, privacy is one, mental health is another. We can also include, self improvement, free up your time and interact more organically with the world around you.
None of this is to say that "online" is bad, is has it's place (after all here we are), but it should be a tool that you are in control of, not the other way round.
First steps:
Lose all but one of your social media accounts.
This means facebook, twitter, instagram, etc have to go. If you need to keep in touch with people try and move them to Signal, If this isn't possible, choose one of them, and use it only for the purpose of keeping in touch with friends. Do not engage with anything else on there, keep it simple and supply as little personal details as possible.
Buy only what you need.
This is a hard habit to break. We are bombarded all the time with adverts and social persuasion. That new console, car, computer, graphics card, bag, watch, whatever it may be, ask yourself first, "Do i need this, or do i just want it?"
Most of the time, it's want not need. If you can get in the habit of only buying what you need, not only will you have more money, you will also free yourself from the never ending loop of consumerism.
However, if something will truly make you happy, and you can afford it, then go for it, but this should be rare, after a while you'll realise you are only chasing the dopamine hit of "purchase" rather than anything that actually improves your life.
Own physical media.
Books, CD's, records, DVD's, games that don't need to be online, print out photos.
Why? Well, let's say you had no internet connection, or you suddenly lost your online accounts, what are you left with?
What if, you lose your phone, or your PC bursts into flames? What do you have left?
It's eye opening when you realise thatyour entire life is digital. Remember those old family photograph albums? That crazy uncle with huge racks of old records? You won't have any of that. What will you pass to future generations? Nothing.
Today's file systems can be gone tomorrow, that photo you saved in jpg might be obselete in 10 years, those album collections on spotify, all gone if spotify shuts down or decides to close your account.
All that money you spent on things you don't actually own, but rather rent, will be wasted.
I try to imagine, what if i moved into a cabin in the middle of nowhere with no internet, what would i actually want to have with me? The answer usually comes down to, things i can hold in my hand and touch and feel.
Communications.
This is the difficult one. I have a "dumb" phone, no internet, no data, all it does is make and recieve calls.
I also have a smart phone, but it's stripped down, as few apps as possible, no personal data (where possible), and only used for checking a few forums or chatting to friends i can't reach any other way.
For the most part, my smart phone stays at home, after all when im outside why do i need apps? In an emergency i have my dumb phone.
For GPS and maps i have an old style car sat nav and a hand held gps device. They work, they don't need an internet connection.
When i was younger, talking with my friends meant walking to their house or meeting them outside, so that's what i try and do now.
The problem then comes down to getting information. News, research, whatever. For that i use my PC, this is where the internet is a tool to use. I tend to go with podcasts and radio stations over clickbait news articles. As much as possible i try and avoid anything that is intended just to steal my attention with over the top headlines.
I do find this the most difficult thing to detach from. We are so used to the "easy" communcations of smart phones and the internet, it is a challenge, but if you do it bit by bit, then it will start to make sense.
What are the advantages?
For a start, you will find you have more time to do useful things. Learn something new, interact with people face to face, explore more.
The amount of time you suddenly find you have once you "de-internet" is crazy, almost to the point you will run out of ideas and get bored. This is where getting back into reading books and learning new hobbies takes over, and it's a great thing to feel you are improving yourself.
I bought lots of old retro games consoles, they keep me happy when i need a games fix. I made CD's (or USB sticks) full of music i actually own for the car and when going a walk or run.
I bought a bike, it's great for just going out and seeing new places or relaxing (and of course exercising).
Photography. Buy a proper camera, take lots of pictures, buy a printer, print them out. Or, get a fuji instax or Polaroid and print them as you take them.
Mental health. When you stop seeing the chatter and nothingness that fills up social media, when you stop being led into arguments, opinions, fear, confusion and misinformation that plagues these sites, you will feel free all of a sudden.
It's almost life changing on it's own. You can focus on yourself, your friends and family and work out your own opinions, what's important and what isn't.
Social Media by itself isn't evil, it has a place, but it becomes a trap, and too often manipulates you to become something that isn't you any more.
There is no harm in still using it, but try to see it for what it is and limit your exposure.
The worst thing is going for "likes", retweets, shares, followers etc. The mistaken belief that somehow this is your worth, this is what defines you. It's designed to be addictive, to make you chase popularity, and to feel good when you get likes and bad when you don't.
You are far more than a profile on an app, you aren't defined by a pre-determined set of criteria.
Of course, this is just stage one :)
Once you get over the "online all the time" hurdle, what next?
This is where we will start to look at being self sufficient. This is something i have only started to learn, so you can join my adventures.
Can i grow my own crops? Generate my own electriticy? Have my own way of getting around and live with people but still have my own space?
Hopefully this will be in a future blog, stay tuned :)