A Philosopher’s Adventure #22
Episode #22 - Different Journeys Meeting on a Common Path
The Meaning of This Life
This journey is largely about the journey of an individual living a peaceful life on a mountainside. We all have our reasons for watching. I watch for the philosophy, the application of lessons learned in my own life, and the witnessing of a human experience that appeals to a deep pool of inner self. This is not an exhaustive list, but three of the bigger points. This journey involves a lot of soul-searching on an individual level, but something special happens when people visit the mountain. We get to see people's interaction without society's pollution looming in the air. There are no brand names, 9-5 jobs, or expectations. The methods of travel people use to get to the mountain vary as much as the stages of self-discovery these people find themselves. Watching the groups interact and work together is endlessly fascinating because the method of travel these individuals have been so different. Yet, this mountainside gives the space for people to make their trek however they choose. It demonstrates that the life Martijn leads can apply to a large swath of the population, assuming they have the support system to manage this life. The different flavors of humanity can fit together. We see humanity coming together to be a better version of what we see on the news. These are the seeds of hope for humanity and yet another reason I watch this journey.
The Americans
Now that we’ve set all this up, a group of travelers from the States, specifically Alabama, make it to the mountainside. They put in a ton of work over the week. They dig out the basement and help move some of the larger stones around the property while Martijn finishes the deck. It’s fascinating watching this group work together. There is constant communication as if they are trying to confirm that they are always thinking about the work. I think that is the residue of living close to modern working culture. The aura of constant supervision and the need to be productive produces individuals who always need to prove themselves. That might be reading too much of the tea leaves, but the Americans work louder when I think about these young American kids compared to European citizens who drop by over time. This isn’t good or bad. It is an interesting contrast.
Think about when Martijn's brother was here; they were so quiet together. The pace of interaction is slower. Obviously, they have a lifetime of experience laced into and out of their shared familial existence, but I don’t believe that has to be limited to blood family. Individuals with a base set of interactive ideas and expectations of a situation can create a space that almost immediately leads to a slower and more meaningful pace of life.
The group has dinner at the campfire, and we hear the conversation. I appreciate how aware they are of their new surroundings. One of them asks about the view of the stars. It’s like our base setting as humans is to look at the stars, yet the cities we’ve built for ourselves have polluted that out of our existence. The conversation leads to Martijn's channel's growth and storytelling method. The juxtaposition of long-form videos against the “quick and snappy” recommendation is discussed over the campfire. Martijn points out that there is a draw to slower loving, and the travelers confirm that sentiment when talking about the appeal of this life. They refer to Martijn’s life as “the dream.” They are “hesitant to call it an escape,” but I would argue that is exactly why many of us are here. I think we feel locked in the lives we were sold. I think we prefer to build a life that includes the people we love but doesn’t carry the baggage of “adulting.” I know that is a catch-all term, but I feel like I am on the verge of a soapbox and don’t want to do that this morning.
There is a moment where Martijn interacts with one of the quieter Americans. The kid is digging a hole, and Martijn asks how progress is coming. So focused on his task, the kid doesn’t seem to hear Martin and turns in the wrong direction, then needs to think about his answer. His expression almost looks like, “Huh, you’re talking to me?” This is 100% me imprinting on the scenario because I identify with this kid. I am the friend who is happy to go along on the trip and experience it with everyone else. I am happy to go unnoticed but play my part. Once the kid gets his thoughts organized, he gets into the situation's specifics and sounds very knowledgeable about what’s happening with the wall. When I watch this, I see another personality type who has taken this journey in life and finds themselves on the mountain and blending into the lifestyle seamlessly, in their way. Human groups are self-stabilizing. People will find their place if you let them, but I don’t think modern life allows for much of that. Some of us find our place, but not enough.
When the travelers are having their last dinner on the mountain, they share cheers, and there is a reminder of a life we all lived: COVID. “We Cheers, but we don’t touch,” one of the travelers says. It’s mid-2024 as I write this, and we live in a post-vaccine world, but hearing this line spoken reminds us of “that feeling” living in a pre-vaccine world.
Outro
I will leave you today with two moments I enjoyed from the episode. The first are Martijn’s breakfasts. His meals always look amazing, and there is something special about the breakfast he makes early in the episode. He eats better than me, and I have umpteen supermarkets near my home. I guess that’s the punishment of choice. I can be lazy with my meals; his meals need to be hearty and filling for the day. Also, if you have eaten as much as I think Martijn has in his lifetime, it will be easier to eat the kinds of meals he does regularly.
The other moment I enjoyed was the next episode of “Dudes moving heavy objects”! I enjoyed the moment Martijn was happy to let the young guys do the work. He gets in there, but as a man of similar age to Martijn, I can appreciate the concept of letting the young guys “carry the load” on this one.
This was a moving episode. Humanity has a knack for leaving me disappointed, and this episode showed me that people are thoughtful while demonstrating what the combined efforts of like-minded individuals can accomplish. I even saw myself in part of the episode, unlike anything I’ve experienced in the previous 21 episodes.
Thanks for reading, see you next time.
CHR;)
