I speed-read through the thread.
@jeff's comments stood out. And I don't think either him or I really cares very much or takes exception to the profession you are in.
But, I essentially agree with the points he makes (Shoulder-to-shoulder and all that, @jeff). It reminded me of an old article I read about Hollywood style sex work on "The Grauniad" (Found it!). It was a very depressing read, for me at least.
Perhaps, if you/other people think I too overstepped the mark (like it was said of @jeff), then I too will apologise. But, I think that the points he/we make are valid. Again, I don't think either him or I are really "judging you" even an iota. But we are only trying to raise objective questions/points based on the reality (well, at least our understanding of reality) of the nature of the work based on other mainstream media reports (see link above).
Lastly, you are not the first one with this line of work on the Forums. There was one Micaela who went AWOL later.
Well, Take care, good luck with ERE, and once again, please be welcome.
Hi! Trying to apply ERE to my complicated simple life
@Slacker, oh thanks! I think participating in the corporatocracy via the stock market would be even eviler. It's hard being an anti-capitalist trying to invest in retirement.
I wasn't gonna tell you folks what a bad capitalist I am, but I was sort of hoping that I could eventually have like 3 rentals but only really need the income from one, so I'd be able to help people in a way that might balance out the evil. I dunno.
I set up an account (as yet unfunded) at lendingclub tho. I believe in people!
@Alex, thanks! My cabin was there when I bought the place, along with a sauna. It's not what I would have built (2x4 construction, a lot of issues) but it's got four walls and a roof. I boat in in the summer and walk in the winter. The closest neighbor is about 4 miles in one direction and 15 in the other. I have two solar panels which provide a lot of electricity in the summer and not much in the winter - it works out cause the only electrical things I own are my cell phone and laptop, both non essential (tho I did recently get a rechargeable drill which I can charge in town). I have running water - it runs right by, haha! There are no building codes, law enforcement, etc. Most of my diet is wild meat and fish, supplemented with wild greens and onions, garlic, and carrots from town.
@Surio, it's cool, I've read sad articles about people like you too.
If you did more than skim, I think you'd see that I have answered all the objective questions relating to my work and ERE. Thanks for the welcome!
@HSpencer, like I said upthread, I make hypnosis videos. It's just me talking to the camera, which is probably pretty boring unless you have a fetish for mind control or word art.
Soooo... I've been thinking about this A LOT (thanks you guys). While my expenses right now are $525/m, most of that is temporary. My dog is expensive right now because he's 16 and will be dead soon. I have a van (which gets free gas), but I only need it if I need to make money. My student loan is $300/month, but I think it might be possible to defer it indefinitely, pay it off, or something. All of which would bring my total expenses to less than the amount I get paid just to live in Alaska every year.
So, is it better to live on $1k/year and qualify economically for all sorts of emergency assistance if needed, or to set up income streams which are also liabilities and would prevent me from qualifying for emergency assistance, but would give me more money to live on?
I wasn't gonna tell you folks what a bad capitalist I am, but I was sort of hoping that I could eventually have like 3 rentals but only really need the income from one, so I'd be able to help people in a way that might balance out the evil. I dunno.
I set up an account (as yet unfunded) at lendingclub tho. I believe in people!
@Alex, thanks! My cabin was there when I bought the place, along with a sauna. It's not what I would have built (2x4 construction, a lot of issues) but it's got four walls and a roof. I boat in in the summer and walk in the winter. The closest neighbor is about 4 miles in one direction and 15 in the other. I have two solar panels which provide a lot of electricity in the summer and not much in the winter - it works out cause the only electrical things I own are my cell phone and laptop, both non essential (tho I did recently get a rechargeable drill which I can charge in town). I have running water - it runs right by, haha! There are no building codes, law enforcement, etc. Most of my diet is wild meat and fish, supplemented with wild greens and onions, garlic, and carrots from town.
@Surio, it's cool, I've read sad articles about people like you too.
If you did more than skim, I think you'd see that I have answered all the objective questions relating to my work and ERE. Thanks for the welcome!@HSpencer, like I said upthread, I make hypnosis videos. It's just me talking to the camera, which is probably pretty boring unless you have a fetish for mind control or word art.
Soooo... I've been thinking about this A LOT (thanks you guys). While my expenses right now are $525/m, most of that is temporary. My dog is expensive right now because he's 16 and will be dead soon. I have a van (which gets free gas), but I only need it if I need to make money. My student loan is $300/month, but I think it might be possible to defer it indefinitely, pay it off, or something. All of which would bring my total expenses to less than the amount I get paid just to live in Alaska every year.
So, is it better to live on $1k/year and qualify economically for all sorts of emergency assistance if needed, or to set up income streams which are also liabilities and would prevent me from qualifying for emergency assistance, but would give me more money to live on?
Hello,
I am fairly new here too. I think you certainly shatter all cliches about the sex industry (at least the ones in my mind from hollywood movies) - you hunt for food and gather wild vegetables, living in your cottage in the vastness of Alaska while making hypnotic erotica. Kinda cool.
Could you expand upon your anti-consumer views or point me to some pertinent links? I'm interested.
In regards to the last question - I think it is hard for anyone other than you to answer. Will $1000 a year afford you a life that you find satisfying and prove to be sustainable? You are essentially suggesting a return to a hunter/gatherer type existence. This is 100% possible, there are tribes in Papua, the Amazon, etc doing that right now. However, they are tribes, support groups if you will. If one hunter falls sick his/her slack will be taken up by another member of the group and they will be nursed back to health. In your lone wolf type scenario this would be impossible, although you do have a phone... but you have indicated that you might be willing to die if such a situation arose. This is also interesting, if you would like to expand upon that I would be grateful.
Those are my brief thoughts.
I am fairly new here too. I think you certainly shatter all cliches about the sex industry (at least the ones in my mind from hollywood movies) - you hunt for food and gather wild vegetables, living in your cottage in the vastness of Alaska while making hypnotic erotica. Kinda cool.
Could you expand upon your anti-consumer views or point me to some pertinent links? I'm interested.
In regards to the last question - I think it is hard for anyone other than you to answer. Will $1000 a year afford you a life that you find satisfying and prove to be sustainable? You are essentially suggesting a return to a hunter/gatherer type existence. This is 100% possible, there are tribes in Papua, the Amazon, etc doing that right now. However, they are tribes, support groups if you will. If one hunter falls sick his/her slack will be taken up by another member of the group and they will be nursed back to health. In your lone wolf type scenario this would be impossible, although you do have a phone... but you have indicated that you might be willing to die if such a situation arose. This is also interesting, if you would like to expand upon that I would be grateful.
Those are my brief thoughts.
"is it better to live on $1k/year and qualify economically for all sorts of emergency assistance"
I must admit I don't see how this is less "evil" than renting to someone. I would actually say it's more "evil" to rely on others when you don't have to.
Will you be getting another dog when this one passes (I might have missed this)? If so, make sure you factor in the cost. It might be really really small initially, but maybe your expenses jump every 12-16 years because you can't bear to euthanize your pet.
I must admit I don't see how this is less "evil" than renting to someone. I would actually say it's more "evil" to rely on others when you don't have to.
Will you be getting another dog when this one passes (I might have missed this)? If so, make sure you factor in the cost. It might be really really small initially, but maybe your expenses jump every 12-16 years because you can't bear to euthanize your pet.
@Stark, thanks!
Gosh, I think you'd have to read everything I ever have and think like me to understand my views. I'm not really anti-consumerist in that I think lifestyle activism is bullshit - in other words, me not buying an iphone is not going to affect Apple in the least. The amount that I feel good for not patronizing Apple then has to be compared to the amount that I am inconvenienced or whatever by not having an iphone. Same thing with plastic bags - if I wanted to actually make a difference, personally not using them will not be effective. I am anti-consumerist tho in that I'm pretty seriously into living for free. This is an issue of personal autonomy as well as ethics and politics. Freedom is very very important.
Living on $1k/yr wouldn't change my current standard of living, except that I wouldn't be going to town to make money all the time and spending money on that. I could still make money if I wanted some. I wish I were badass enough to be 100% primitive, but I'm totally not. I do have a loose tribe - like, if I broke my arm I would be okay, but if I fell through the river ice probably not. There are a lot of ways to die in the woods, but it's better to have lived and lost than to have never lived at all.
@Chad, that's a very interesting re-framing of my question. You seem to be saying that it's all well and good to rely on people who are forced to pay you every month in order to have a warm place to sleep, but evil to rely on your fellow citizens?
I will probably get another dog some day. Most of my dogs have eaten fish (free) and rice (cheap in bulk). It's possible that my expenses would rise because I take good care of my animal friends.
Gosh, I think you'd have to read everything I ever have and think like me to understand my views. I'm not really anti-consumerist in that I think lifestyle activism is bullshit - in other words, me not buying an iphone is not going to affect Apple in the least. The amount that I feel good for not patronizing Apple then has to be compared to the amount that I am inconvenienced or whatever by not having an iphone. Same thing with plastic bags - if I wanted to actually make a difference, personally not using them will not be effective. I am anti-consumerist tho in that I'm pretty seriously into living for free. This is an issue of personal autonomy as well as ethics and politics. Freedom is very very important.
Living on $1k/yr wouldn't change my current standard of living, except that I wouldn't be going to town to make money all the time and spending money on that. I could still make money if I wanted some. I wish I were badass enough to be 100% primitive, but I'm totally not. I do have a loose tribe - like, if I broke my arm I would be okay, but if I fell through the river ice probably not. There are a lot of ways to die in the woods, but it's better to have lived and lost than to have never lived at all.
@Chad, that's a very interesting re-framing of my question. You seem to be saying that it's all well and good to rely on people who are forced to pay you every month in order to have a warm place to sleep, but evil to rely on your fellow citizens?
I will probably get another dog some day. Most of my dogs have eaten fish (free) and rice (cheap in bulk). It's possible that my expenses would rise because I take good care of my animal friends.
> ...it's all well and good to rely on people who
> are forced to pay you every month in order to have
> a warm place to sleep, but evil to rely on your
> fellow citizens?
I agree with Chad. The people forced to pay you got a warm place to sleep in, in return.
But what about the fellow citizens forced to pay you? What will they get in return?
> are forced to pay you every month in order to have
> a warm place to sleep, but evil to rely on your
> fellow citizens?
I agree with Chad. The people forced to pay you got a warm place to sleep in, in return.
But what about the fellow citizens forced to pay you? What will they get in return?