Being a hermit has become a major societal problem in Japan, where millions of young Japanese men (and some women!) hold up in their room and never come out, doing whatever they can in their room like surfing the internet, reading books, etc. (Depicted in one of my favorite Japanese dramas when learning Japanese, called “Date.”) the real “Hikikomori”s, as they are called, is no laughing matter, as these people never get any exercise, don’t go to a job, don’t do anything except their own thing in their room. Hopefully they shower once in a while? Not sure. And their parents have to send them food to their room.
“Stranger in the woods” is an book about a real hermit, Chris Thomas Knight, a legendary hermit at that called the North Pond Hermit who roamed around the Maine wilderness area for almost 30 years! Just living by himself in the woods, not talking to anybody. He still had some connection to society with a radio and reading books, but never interacted with any real people. He stole food and supplies from local camps and trailers so he could survive the winters and difficult times. Finally he was caught in 2013 when his burglarizing ways became so famous in the area that the police force focused on him.
What his motivation for becoming a hermit was interesting: he just didn’t feel like he belonged as part of society. Never got along with people, and the more he drifted away from society the more he felt at peace, more comfortable. I can certainly sympathize with how he is, there are times when I feel like only I understand myself, or I can just be alone with my thoughts, and not worry about the people I talk to. (For example, this past weekend I went to Durham, NC to go apartment hunting for apartments for MJ and me, I had food conversations with all the agents but it was artificial conversation, where they have an incentive to keep the conversation going, to try to get on my good side. And I’m trying to keep the conversation going to learn more about the place, ask more questions to see if they are omitting something important on purpose. Totally artificial.
What his motivation for becoming a hermit was interesting: he just didn’t feel like he belonged as part of society. Never got along with people, and the more he drifted away from society the more he felt at peace, more comfortable. I can certainly sympathize with how he is, there are times when I feel like only I understand myself, or I can just be alone with my thoughts, and not worry about the people I talk to. (For example, this past weekend I went to Durham, NC to go apartment hunting for apartments for MJ and me, I had food conversations with all the agents but it was artificial conversation, where they have an incentive to keep the conversation going, to try to get on my good side. And I’m trying to keep the conversation going to learn more about the place, ask more questions to see if they are omitting something important on purpose. Totally artificial.
Several years ago I started a trend of going on vacations on my own, just wandering cities and countries by myself, listening to podcasts or music but generally taking in everything by myself, doing a solo adventure. I think that’s my version of being a hermit, to be in middle of civilization and lots of people but still being alone, being a hermit lost in the crowds of people. At those times I’m just as isolated as Thomas knight in the forest in the sense that no one knows I’m there, no one knows who I am.
But then I met MJ and visiting places together and having something to discuss while walking is pretty cool too. So not a total hermit, I just like different experiences and internalize thoughts quite a bit.
Ultimately, I don’t think being a hermit is a bad thing! Wise people in ancient Chinese “dynasties” used to go off into rural areas and just be by themselves, and they’d often be consulted for advice by kings who’d try to coax them out of retirement and hermitude to come advise them. There’s definitely something to be said for not being lulled into conforming to social norms and what other people think and just having your own way of life, own thoughts on life.
Just as long as I don’t rely on my parents to send me food all the time. That’s just leeching.
No comments:
Post a Comment