I really dislike modern life and would like to return to the natural world. How can I do it?

Question

Yes I know that I would be giving up a lot of "luxuries" of the modern world but when I am in the natural world, things are SO much more satisfying and fulfilling to me. I currently live in an urban area of the USA. Is there anywhere I can go in the world and just take care of myself without having to deal with the social constructs of the modern world? Thanks! :)

Answer 1

Move to northern Canada or Alaska

Answer 2

Well, if you are truly serious about this I have a few suggestions. First you will need to learn the basics about where you want to "return to the natural world." For instance, how much will it cost to travel there, what kind of supplies will I need, what kind of food can I eat there, where are the water sources, etc. These basics will allow you to have a better idea of what to expect from living in the wilderness. Second, I would suggest staying in long increments in this wilderness area, taking fewer and fewer supplies as you go, and extend your stays for longer durations. If this is too expensive find a similar climate nearby and "practice" there. Because you live in an urban area it is very likely you may not know what to expect in the wilderness, or survival techniques. So another consideration is to learn survival- first by reading then by practicing. The practice sessions in the similar climate will allow you to test the waters and to hone your survival knowledge and techniques before diving in head first. You may find that after a few weeks of constant near starvation that living in the wild is something you do not desire. This is why it may be best to try it out first.

But if after all this you find that you love it and you want to move away from society, I would say that you have quite a few options available at hand. The first would be Alaska. Alaska has some of the richest natural resources available- if you can survive the harsh winters. Another option would be Mongolia, Tibet, Australia, The Amazon, the Congo Forests of Africa, New Guinea, the Northern Rocky Mountains (British Columbia), or the Sundarbans in Bangladesh, India. These remote areas of the world offer decent resources away from modern society. If you do your homework your likelyhood of surviving in these regions will greatly increase.

So, good journeys and best of luck! I wish I could go with you!

Answer 3

Okay, it is possible, but I suggest that you take a 'vacation' while living this lifestyle for two weeks, before you actually start 'cutting the ties' to live your whole life that way.
What you are talking about is a type of 'hermitism' ... and hermitism is practiced in relgions all over the world. In the Catholic (western) church, some hermits actually lived in 'small holes' at the edges of the church floor, where they could hear the Masses and 'see' only the 'religious icons' ... and they were fed by 'anonymous donations' brought by the worshippers to the Masses.
In the east, there are several types of hermitism ... generally, these are 'monks' who own only the clothes on their backs (a 'robe' or a wrapping of cloth) and a wooden bowl ... they stand near the street and 'beg' ... many don't even TALK, they just 'show you their empty bowl' ... Americans think they want 'money' but these people are actually begging for 'cooked food' so they can eat ... and it must be something made so they don't have to use even a spoon, or 'take bites' ... they simply put the bowl up to their mouths and scoop with their lips or pour it into their mouths.
Okay, I seriously doubt that you have 'thought this through completely.' To say that you don't want to have to deal with the social constructs of the modern world' is FINE, but WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Do you want to live without 'woven or knit clothing', do you want to live without 'constructed shoes', do you want to live without the 'printed word'?
Or do you simply want a lifestyle where you don't have to get up every morning and go to a job you don't really like, and eat 'processed food' from the grocery store?
I suggest that you get in touch with a Monastery (Catholic, but you don't have to be Catholic to go on a 'retreat') and sign up for at two week or month long 'full retreat.' Your 'regular clothes' and even your shoes, socks, and underwear will be 'stored' and you'll be given a monk's robe and sandals. You'll sleep in a 'cell' with a bed and a crucifix (and possibly a small chair or bench). You won't be allowed to 'speak' and you must 'work' ... tending the garden, picking fruit, cooking, etc. ... and you must 'pray the hours' ... there is a 'set schedule' of prayers that you 'must do' ... getting up in the middle of the night to go into the church or chapel and 'praying' according to the 'set prayers' ...
This will help you see just how much of our 'social constructs' you are willing to give up. You may want this type of lifestyle, or you may prefer to go live in a cave and hunt your own food. You are certainly 'allowed' to do just that ... all I am saying is that there are many 'different ways' that you can 'return to the natural world' but ALL of them require different skills and mind-sets, and you would be BEST off if you did some 'serious exploring' before choosing whether to take one on as your 'lifestyle' or just 'doing this for X amount of time every year' to 'refresh and rejuventate' yourself.

Answer 4

You can strip down naked and run into the desert or forest in Alabama, never to be hear of nor see of again. Once in the desert you most likely will not find much clothing but shelter in the rocks and sand, along with learning the joys of eating rodents, snakes and scorpions

The other (forest) however you might find a little more appealing. You most likely, could from just what you have learned up to now find food, shelter and clothing, plenty to eat as long as you don't pick the wrong thing and eat it and die, then you become food for everything else out there, ......one thing however, I learned from the hills of Arkansas, those back woods boys can be pretty darn nasty and down right scary. Have fun...once you've drop out, drop back in to say howdy. Good luck

Answer 5

The Amish reject some modern things, but might be a sort of social thing you may not be into.

I think the Catholics may support hermits, and not care so much about you attending services or socializing.

Some *countries* (Poland springs to mind) are rumored to support travellers who may 'glean' crops at the road (or path)-side. This is also supported by Old Testament (Orthodox Jewish) law, so hypothetically, one might find it in Isreal. Speaking from personal experience in the USA, farmers seem to use machines called "supergleaners" to harvest, and not leave much behind. You can ask ask at the farm-house, but in some states these seem to be situated far from the road.

Answer 6

There is no why to take modern world out of your life. it's every where. This website will take you from medicinal to natural healing http://www.healyourself.com Start here and then research more.

EDit. I'm sorry they must have shut that website down or something becuase it nolonger exsists. Let me find you a different one. http://www.drweil.com/drw/ecs/index.html this one should help you, he explains about herbology and living naturally.

Answer 7

Pull a Ralph Waldo Emerson and go live in a cabin in the middle of the woods. Make sure to keep a journal of your philosophical ramblings, it might just make you famous.

Answer 8

There are still primitive cultures living in South America and the Australian Outback. I can't think of a lifestyle more natural than those.

Answer 9

Ah! A "Deep Woods Off" question...(I just love your question, because we all feel that way from time to time, and now it's "time" to come back down to "reality...")

(...and I'm a MASTER at doing that to people by pointing out the overlooked "obviously ludicrous" aspects of their premise and argumentative "fallacies..." )

I'm drunk right now...

1. The very "reason" we invented "modern life" was because we got tired of dealing with mosquitos, armpit air on women, "killing-to-survive-and-reproduce," rain, snow, and sleet coming down on us 'cause we hadn't invented "modern life" yet, disease, pestulance, roaving bands of flesh-eating zombies (people in advertising), inequality among all, no hope for tomorrow except a bone or two, no progression toward "ultimate human goodness," or even "mundanely pathetic human goodness," no NFL on Sunday, no Ben & Jerry's, no Jimi Hendrix, no making cosmic love in the balcony of a rock concert, no fun of any kind (except skinning your enemy), no sophisticatedly fun women, just female savages with PMS and very sharp teeth...

Need I go on...?!?

Okay...hot showers, cooked food that tastes good, movies, rock bands playing before a sea of bouncing boobs (who doesn't like that)...

Hope this helped "bring ya' back" to us, Tarzan..

Answer 10

Move out into the sticks and live off the land. Try the sticks of Idaho or Washington.