A Philosopher’s Adventure #7

Episode #7 - Early Steps of the Longest Road

The episode opens with Martijn trying to make a coffee for breakfast. There is snow on the ground. The pipes appear to be frozen, so the only solution is to melt some snow on the camp stovetop. Moments like that give this story life, humanity, and realism. These are humble beginnings and solution-based moments that are so different from my lived experience. There is a philosophical lesson about finding solutions but sometimes we must enjoy the moment for its own hilarity. Once you get past the fun of trying to make coffee and you get into the process of making his coffee, it is a calming collection of actions on its own. I love this journey.

The basement debris clear-out has hit rock bottom. The first time I watched this, I was in the moment, not thinking about what this will become. Knowing now, where this renovation is going, this is a fun moment to look at where this basement came from. It was an accomplishment for Martijn to stand tall in the basement.

Now that we are to the stones on the floor, we see the clever construction of the original builders. This place was meant for cattle and that means muck is created in enclosed spaces. The original builders used vertical stones to create channels. Those channels fed a gutter in the middle of the floor. It is such a clever use of material and space. It’s also possible this was used for slaughter and blood drainage, but that’s not how the history of this place is ever presented.

Something I greatly appreciate over the course of this tale is the regular dulling of the power tool usage. The sound of power tools can be jarring when you are drinking your morning coffee, and the consideration of the audience is added to the list of reasons why I like this series so much.

Johannes stops by, and a fascinating interaction occurs. Listening to relaxed conversations between friends and neighbors makes you believe in the best parts of humanity. At one point, Martijn must be checking the battery on the camera, and Johannes tries to step out of frame, apologizing for getting in the way. Martijn says, “No, no. Come into the shop. It’s real life. My neighbor is stopping by.” This is the kind of reality TV I enjoy. However, there are some interesting human tidbits here that need some context. The way Johannes moves is the same way I move when I don’t want to be on camera. The irony is that he has a YouTube channel, and in recent months, he has released a whole series that covers a year of living on the mountain. Then Martijn says, “This is all going on YouTube.” Knowing how many episodes and the size of the audience there is now, it’s weird to think that at the time, how many followers did he have at the time? Of course, we know this is all going on YouTube; you’re Martijn Doolaard, providing coffee cup philosophy to 677k people. The next thing is Johannes making a joke to the camera that “you should not believe anything on YouTube.” I know it’s a joke, and the irony is that he has a channel of his own, AND the content on this platform I believe in the most is the channel I spend my weekend mornings writing philosophy and life lesson essays. I am here because I believe in the message. However, I think this speaks more to human conversation norms that almost require jokes like this to be made. In the same way, “case of the Mondays” or “halfway to Friday” have become staples of office culture. These canned jokes find their way in and never really go away. Which is why I love the real conversations so much. What do people really sound like, and how do they really interact? We see that from time to time as we follow this story, and I love it.

Another thing I like about this story is the constant backdrop that allows for small changes to be so visible. We see a green thermometer being added to a small stone shelf on the side of the big cabin. To me, this is a sign that the space is lived in, and it’s a small comfort having that information at hand. A little signature of this space is Martijn’s and is being improved.

We see the thermostat while a window frame is being built, and I take away the idea that the building doesn’t look that scary. Something about watching experienced builders is that there is no struggle, and the solution is always at hand. Watching Martijn, he struggles with not having the right tools and he struggles with one of the pieces having a visible error. He simply says, “Maybe I will remake that piece”. We even hear a rare burst of frustration about the batteries going dead from the cold. I think that is important for teachers to know that learning how to navigate errors is just as important as how to do the process in the correct way. It’s all fun and games until something goes wrong, and the only way I know how to do something is when everything runs smoothly.

Of course, that is all part of the learning process, but it is nice to see the process in front of us. We know that when we get to a finished cabin, there are hiccups along the way that make this relatable to the broader audience.

Wood Shipment

Please see the flying chunk of wood

A giant wood pile is delivered to the bottom of the mountain. One of my favorite characters in this story so far is about to have a moment. The little trailer that has followed Martijn around Europe is going to carry several loads of wood up the mountain. I sometimes think about the idea of making “characters” of inanimate objects. My thinking is that I need to prepare myself for the day someone asks me why I apply awareness characteristics to objects. I think it makes me want to be more aware of what’s happening to and around the objects I care about. This theory is reinforced when the car takes damage from one of the planks, and Martijn takes the time to understand what happened and develops a solution.

When you know you made an oops

It’s not clear if Martijn worked through the night to get the wood pile moved up the mountain. He does allude to the fact that the wood pile would be safe at the bottom of the mountain. We also find out during the outro it took two days to move the entire pile but that doesn’t mean he didn’t work all night long. Regardless, there are times in life when we must put in the effort that it takes all night. The reward, in this case, is a visit from our favorite neighbor, Johannes. We also get to see our first of what I’m sure would be an OSHA violation. It involves flying lumber and power tools, what could possibly go wrong? The best part is Martijn’s expression as the piece of wood goes flying. For someone who carries a calm yet monotone look most of the time, expressions like these are a treat when they happen.

As we reach the end of the episode, there is a cinematic shot of the car moving up the mountain road. There is something about these shots that takes me there. The angle is so different from what I’m used to seeing anywhere else. No, this isn’t the first time we have seen drone footage, but this is the first time I feel like drone footage adds culture to what we are viewing. This is the character of the mountain. There is a path that has been cut that allows people to get where they live, but the mountain still grows around. There are rules that come with this road. We will learn these rules over time, but that is what culture is. The give-and-take of relationships between people and their surroundings. The long-term symbiosis that forms around the rules of the road, wind, and the rest of nature.

I love this story because there is meaning and connection to be found where you need to find it. My interpretations are not the same as yours, but the pieces are in front of us. Those pieces are so deeply rooted in peace, calm, and a personal journey that we can draw our own conclusions and share from the perspective of slow yet positive growth rather than a singular and staunch support of “my conclusion is the only and right conclusion.”

Thanks for reading, see you next time.

CHR;)