Reflecting today during a discussion that I came across a interesting though. A person that lives on a farm in an agrarian society would completely laugh at my 365 Commitment. This is a problem that only an urban lifestyle would have. When you live on a ranch, and your life depends on the health of the land then you wake up before 5am and you automatically do good habits – because if you do not – you do not eat!
The cows will not get fed if you sleep in. The water will not turn itself on, unless you are a rich farmer (which I have never met one of those). Rich farmers are usually in debt farmers and it is never good to be a in debt farmer. Living where you work has a tremendous impact on habit, you are automatically depending on your ability to maintain your environment and survive on what limited resources you have.
The concept of forcing oneself to prioritize the day is laughable, because it that type of society the land and basic necessity set the priority. You have to be nice to your neighbors because to survive you need help, and they need yours. Spending a month living on a functioning organic farm would probably establish a world of very curious habits that you would never get while living in a urban tract home.
Interesting concept. Perhaps that is why backpacking has always appealed to me, the call back to primitive living recalls this deep remembrance of habits of previous generation that I do not use all that often. Hmm. Not that I am going to sell all I have and go live on a ranch, but something to think about. Perhaps spending a few days without a bunch of material things is good for the soul now and then.
Guy Reams (276)
365 Member