survival and a book suggestion
I try to stay away from fiction for the most part because i get sucked into it and i try to read as much to learn as well for entertainment and above that I really try to read my textbooks because i'm supposed to do that.
i am not by any means saying you can't learn from fiction--you definitely can--i meant i try to stay away from purely entertainment fiction.
ANYWAYS. I recommend you read Footprints of God by Greg Iles. while fiction, there is definitely something to be learned here. I had a hard time picking it up (because of school-guilt) but as soon as i did, i had a hard time putting it down and i finished it last night. its a philosophical quick read that will get your mind going. If you've read it, i'd love to hear what you thought, and if you haven't... read it and then tell me if you could wrap your mind around those concepts and then tell me what you thought.
On top of the artificial intelligence subject matter--the book (and watching cast away...) got me thinking on how incredibly connected our world is by technology and how reliant we really are on that technology. If some disaster were to befall our world, how many of us could really survive out in the middle of a forest or island. How many of us have what it takes, could do without the internet, supercenters and perfectly prepared food? how many of us can make a fire out of soggy wood? tie knots strong enough to land a 50 pound fish, or anything else you might need a knot that strong for... how many of us can filter water or know what plants are poisonous and which are safe? these questions go on a while... even if (i.e. 2000 crisis) someone were to "stock up" on batteries, etc... how long would that really last, and how much better off would that person be once they were gone? how would you deal with injury? i have dedicated this last summer to learning some techniques that would be necessary in any situation--not on purpose at first, but i'm leaning more towards that now. I am sure that something big is going to change in our world soon, and unless i get killed instantly by some nuclear bomb... i plan on surviving. It might actually be peaceful and rewarding to go live out in the middle of nowhere and use my own skills to survive.
i'm not some crazy end-o-the-world nut... nor am i anti-modern-commodities... i am very close to my feather-bed AND my blackberry. i AM considering going on survival trips... short ones... where i can obviously get back to society... just to learn, test, and work on my skills. they're important to have. i don't ever want to be a helpless person nor do i want to be someone that gives up. I want to be someone that knows they can rely on themselves, and that others can rely on--in any situation.
i am not by any means saying you can't learn from fiction--you definitely can--i meant i try to stay away from purely entertainment fiction.
ANYWAYS. I recommend you read Footprints of God by Greg Iles. while fiction, there is definitely something to be learned here. I had a hard time picking it up (because of school-guilt) but as soon as i did, i had a hard time putting it down and i finished it last night. its a philosophical quick read that will get your mind going. If you've read it, i'd love to hear what you thought, and if you haven't... read it and then tell me if you could wrap your mind around those concepts and then tell me what you thought.
On top of the artificial intelligence subject matter--the book (and watching cast away...) got me thinking on how incredibly connected our world is by technology and how reliant we really are on that technology. If some disaster were to befall our world, how many of us could really survive out in the middle of a forest or island. How many of us have what it takes, could do without the internet, supercenters and perfectly prepared food? how many of us can make a fire out of soggy wood? tie knots strong enough to land a 50 pound fish, or anything else you might need a knot that strong for... how many of us can filter water or know what plants are poisonous and which are safe? these questions go on a while... even if (i.e. 2000 crisis) someone were to "stock up" on batteries, etc... how long would that really last, and how much better off would that person be once they were gone? how would you deal with injury? i have dedicated this last summer to learning some techniques that would be necessary in any situation--not on purpose at first, but i'm leaning more towards that now. I am sure that something big is going to change in our world soon, and unless i get killed instantly by some nuclear bomb... i plan on surviving. It might actually be peaceful and rewarding to go live out in the middle of nowhere and use my own skills to survive.
i'm not some crazy end-o-the-world nut... nor am i anti-modern-commodities... i am very close to my feather-bed AND my blackberry. i AM considering going on survival trips... short ones... where i can obviously get back to society... just to learn, test, and work on my skills. they're important to have. i don't ever want to be a helpless person nor do i want to be someone that gives up. I want to be someone that knows they can rely on themselves, and that others can rely on--in any situation.
posted by bitterhoney at 7:08 PM
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