These times are causing many people to rethink the way we live. It’s no coincidence that the number of land purchases on the outskirts of large cities has increased. A large portion of society, on the one hand, cannot afford the cost of living in cities, and on the other, seeks more peace and respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life. This is somewhat what happened to a 26-year-old who bought a plot of land and is documenting his life on the r/offgrid subreddit.
His lifestyle is certainly striking, but so is the fact that he’s only 26 years old
In the young man’s post, the protagonist of his story shows off several photos of the land he owns, the exterior of the cabin where he lives, and his life with just enough to survive. The post is titled, “26 yrs old, two years ago bought just shy of 5 acres for 12k.” His lifestyle is certainly striking, but so is the fact that he’s only 26 years old.
And this is probably the most notable thing because today, with social media and the internet, young people spend a lot of their time watching reels, videos on YouTube, or TikTok—it’s a reality. Statistics show that young people are developing in a completely different way than other generations. The fact of being constantly connected is in itself an idea that might have seemed futuristic just 25 years ago. Instant video calls, complex information on all kinds of topics just a click away, live viewing of NASA’s newest discovery… The list of things you can do today is endless.
There are people who have decided to live with the bare minimum and head to the countryside
For this reason, it’s particularly striking that a 26-year-old young man has decided to leave the cosmopolitan, hyper-connected world to live his own life so ‘Into the wild’. “It’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere and not easily found/accessible,” is how the protagonist describes his life. He has been sharing photos, of rather low quality, we might add, of his life in the wild. They show the cabin he lives in, the campfire he makes to keep warm or cook, a photo of his dog… What is now his daily life. And it’s important to note that this is not an isolated case.
And following this story on Reddit, many people have commented on how they know someone doing the same thing, or how they themselves are living a similar life. Around the world, there are people who have decided to live with the bare minimum and head to the countryside, living like their ancestors, with just enough to eat and simply living.
It seems that freedom remains the most precious asset of humankind
It may seem idyllic to some and extreme to many, but it’s something we’re seeing more and more. On the internet, there are all kinds of people documenting their lives. For some not-so-obscure reason, morbid curiosity and seeing what people’s lives are like is something that sells and attracts many people. So it doesn’t matter if the video is about how someone does their makeup in the morning, what time they go to the bathroom, how many hours a day they play video games, what books they read, or what they eat each day—users are hooked. As you can see, the content is broad and there’s room for absolutely any idea, no matter how bizarre it may seem.
In this sense, this young man’s life has gained relevance for the simplicity and drastic nature of his decision, which, as he himself says, involves living in a practically inaccessible place with virtually no luxuries. What’s clear is that the affordability of this lifestyle is what people tired of paying huge bills and unaffordable rents most enjoy. “This is exactly the kind of life style I want to live,” says one user. It seems that freedom remains the most precious asset of humankind.
