saw this article... and I don't think I'd go to his extreme but he does have good points

http://men.style.com/details/features/landing?id=content_9817

This guy and people like him intrigue me. My youngest son could slip over to this lifestyle very easily and be happy as a clam. One has to remember his experiences in third world countries and his degree in Anthropology made it easier for him to make this transition. This lifestyle isn't for everyone but it goes to show the rest of us that it is possible to do with a lot less.

I agree, very intriguing.  Interesting article~

I definitely could not do it.

I really like the idea of not being chained to the system of money earned, money spent on a never ending cycle.  And he does make some good points about that and mindless consumption and spending.

But at the end of the day, I definitely like having the comforts that money can buy . . . I don't even like to camp!!!  Think I'll stick with the goal of financial independence as being discussed in other threads and let the more adventurous (like him) take on leaving the entire system behind!

He has a good basic philosophy, I think, and the courage to see it through.I admire him for doing what he feels is right. 

I'm not sure I could go that far, but I could be a lot less materialistic than I am now and not be unhappy.

 I couldn't give up air conditioning. Not unless I was living somewhere that it wasn't needed. Maybe his cave stays cool; I hope so, Utah can be hot in the summer.  Edey

you'd have to be very practiced at this lifestyle to enjoy it.

I have days I'd love to go unplugged and off grid! Then I have days when I just feel like watching a dvd and ordering online. LOL

Dh would love to live like the Amish....right up until he wants to drive a tractor or watch TV.

This man is living off the remains of others who are still on the "money" system - without the leavings he finds he'd have a lot more problems.  It's interesting, but I am not interested in trying it myself.

karenteacher:

This man is living off the remains of others who are still on the "money" system - without the leavings he finds he'd have a lot more problems.

 

That is something that occured to me later after reading it. I guess he does do some gathering though and eats natural (bugs). But I suppose there are limits on what he can do for food with hunting rules and regulations. 

karenteacher:

This man is living off the remains of others who are still on the "money" system - without the leavings he finds he'd have a lot more problems.

I don't see anything wrong with that as he apparently saves a lot from landfills. It's a sad commentarly on our society that a people can live on our trash. I didn't see in the article that he was philosophically opposed to "the system," but I know they don't report everything.

Pat:

karenteacher:

This man is living off the remains of others who are still on the "money" system - without the leavings he finds he'd have a lot more problems.

I don't see anything wrong with that as he apparently saves a lot from landfills. It's a sad commentarly on our society that a people can live on our trash. I didn't see in the article that he was philosophically opposed to "the system," but I know they don't report everything.

 

I didn't say it was good or bad - I was trying to point out that without the leavings of others he wouldn't be surviving the way he does; he may not be using money, which is what the article focused on, but would he be able to survive without friends who occasionally feed him, people who watch him when he's sick, or things he finds around the streets?  I don't know, and the article doesn't specify.  I don't see how what he's doing is significantly different from any other homeless person; the cave is a little farther away than an underpass or an alley, but other than that, it looks pretty much the same.  For now, it appears he's doing okay as he is, but when he gets sick, or old, or injured, then what?  Who will pay for him then?  He won't... which means we (the taxpayers) will - and probably at the high rates charged for emergency care.  I'm much more impressed by people who live off the grid than I am with this man and his moneyless system.  For example, I have friends who bought a farm, built a house, have a septic system and solar power (they are too far out in the boonies to have sewer or be connected to power lines), who buy everything they need with proceeds from the farm, hire local labor when they need help, and are saving for their future at the same time.  Moneyless?  Hardly... Self-sufficient?  Definitely.

As to saving things from land fills, do I find the amount of "leavings" disturbing?  Of course I do... and towards doing my part, I recycle (which, thankfully, Denver picks up for free - glass, paper, plastic, and metal, along with giving usuable stuff to Goodwill, or through freecycle.org) and compost - to the extent that neighbors are constantly asking if they can borrow space in my trash can; the recyling bin is usually full, mostly of packaging materials (although I try to keep buying stuff in lots of packaging to a minimum), but the trash can generally only has 1 half-empty bag of trash - every few months I have some shredded stuff with non-paper in it (plastic coated pages, envelopes with plastic windows, etc.) that can't be recycled or composted, but that's about it

EDITED TO ADD:   If this man is happy, more power to him... I'm just not nearly as impressed with his "moneyless" life style as the author of the article seems to be.