Alone Season 2

"We reproduce catastrophe because we ourselves are traumatized - both as a species and individually, beginning at birth. Because we are wounded, we have put up psychic defenses against reality and have become so cut off from direct participation in the multidimensional wilderness in which we are embedded that all we can do is to navigate our way cautiously through a humanly designed day-to-day substitute world of symbols - a world of dollars, minutes, numbers, images and words that are constantly being manipulated to wring the most possible profit from every conceivable circumstance. The body and spirit both rebel."

~David Watson (The Pathology of Civilization)
 
I wish the show would reveal more about the contestants inner journey.

The name and premise of the show, that they are alone, or even could be alone, is a religious or philosophical assertion we shouldn't accept blindly.

As Earnest Becker has been pointing out, the idea that we are autonomous individuals is rooted in modern philosophy associated with the Enlightenment through the 20th century. It is an idea so pervasive in the modern Western world, that it is nearly impossible to talk about alternatives with any credibility. When you marry the autonomous self with the ideas of the godless atheism or the equally cold Deism of Evangelical Calvism, which puts us in here and leaves God out there, then we get a show like this where the people are truly alone. The natural world is an inanimate clockwork machine and God is somewhere but not here.

I've come out of the Evangelical background hinted at by both Mike and David. A friend and backpacking buddy of mine is an Old Testement scolar. He notes that in the ancient Hebrew mind, one can't conceive of a self outside of their relationship to a) the divine, b) the people, and c) the rest of Creation. The pattern shown in personal retreats to wild places in the Old Testement is a time when a person encounters the divine in a deep manner.

My sense is that Nicole is functionally closer to this ancient Hebrew understanding, even if she doesn't use that language to describe it.

My hope for David, and for the other contestants, and for all people is that they would know they are never truly alone.
 
Was part of a great discussion yesterday that was hosted by John McCann on aroundthecabin.com with Nicole. She was even gracious enough to answer all my food questions. Very informative conversation going into many of the details of being on the show, skip to 6:00 minutes in the video where it really starts. I hope she won. :thumbup:

[video=youtube;QgGbnM0YCNA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgGbnM0YCNA[/video]
 
I hope she won.
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She certainly has the most extensive website right now as compared to the others contestants, especially in the area of public speaking and public appearances.
 
[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kynEyqYh7OA[/video]

I wonder if this video will help support the big knife camp when people say you need a smaller knife to do delicate work like fillet a fish in these survival situations :)

No finger chiol!! Absurd
 
mgray34 said:
She certainly has the most extensive website right now as compared to the others contestants, especially in the area of public speaking and public appearances.
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Given that she's an academic, I'm not surprised, in fact, I'd be shocked if she didn't have at least a little running start when it comes to public speaking, she seems like she's done a lot of classes and conferences. That skill-set bleeds over, and opens a lot of doors that others don't necessarily know are not even locked.


As for the big knife, yeah he knows how to use it, and those are thick looking frames. To each their own. With practice anything can be done. There is a technique for cutting a tomato paper thin with a dull knife. Its used to sell those super-knives on TV and at markets. Skill and tool are both part of the equation, add to one, and the other is less important. Carry whatever you want, my pack is heavy enough.
 
I was very interested to hear her comments concerning "culture shock" as she returned from Vancouver Island and comparing to the culture shock she experienced when returning from the Peace Corps. As a returned Peace Corps volunteer myself, I know that the culture shock when returning to the USA can be real. It is fun at first to chase after every brand of fast food imaginable, but after a while a person begins to wonder "do I really NEED a choice of 25 brands of toothpaste?". My personal belief is that an experience like that of living on Vancouver Island for while can be a good experience for anyone.;)
 
interesting episode- didn't see the tap coming

looks like resources are starting to thin a bit and colder/wetter weather setting in- this will accelerate things in my estimation
 
mtwarden said:
interesting episode- didn't see the tap coming

looks like resources are starting to thin a bit and colder/wetter weather setting in- this will accelerate things in my estimation
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Likewise. We are nearing or at last year's longevity. And things are obviously wearing thin for the three remaining participants. Or so the editing dramatized. Kudos on Dave for finding and utilizing the spruce resins.
 
i wanted to see nicole win this but nothing stronger than a mothers instinct,hope everything is ok with her family.
jose stated he has already accomplished what he came here to do and he is pining for his wife,i think he taps next.
hard to choose but here goes.
i bleep bleep XXXXXX bleep want XXXXXX bleep bleep bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep to see xxxxxxxxx bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep xxxxx larry take it.bleep
 
fz1boxer - Thanks for the website information, that is exactly what I was wondering about.

Sorry to see Dr. Nicole bow out due to "Motherly instinct" but can totally understand; she is truly an amazing person. I really enjoyed her informative talks about "being part of the ecosystem" and feeling the "vibes" of nature (my quotes, not Nicole's).

Larry and Jose are having major issues with missing their wives and that may play a major role with them tapping out.

I'm hoping Dave makes it to the very end and comes out the winner.

Kudos to ALL of the Alone contestants!
 
I was surprised by Jose's success with his kayak. I noted that he added outrigger floats to preclude flipping it. Luck of the draw on locations seems to be a big factor for all participants. Amazing how different the environment is only a few miles apart.
 
And David for the win!

Lots of foreshadowing happening in this latest episode in my opinion.

David was the only one who never mentions giving up. He does say he misses his kids, but his children are the motivation keeping him there.

Nicole's super down-to-Earth attitude will be missed.
 
heefageLA said:
And David for the win!

Lots of foreshadowing happening in this latest episode in my opinion.

David was the only one who never mentions giving up. He does say he misses his kids, but his children are the motivation keeping him there.

Nicole's super down-to-Earth attitude will be missed.
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Her knowledge of wild edibles too. I was rather surprised that she didn't move to other plant sources which weren't frost killed. Also I continue to be struck by the common cord most use to rationalize their tapping, missing family. I understand that factor but it almost seems like it is being used as an excuse, not a reason. Back to signing up in the first place, surely all of them considered the separation and discussed it with their wives and families at length. The separation could not have been a surprise. Though maybe their individual capacity to deal with it was?
 
Nicole was a great participant. Her tapping out really happened quickly but she touched on the missing the family early in the show a bit more strongly than in the past. I ignored it as just what it is rather than a prelude to tapping out. I wish her well.
 
I visited her site briefly and it was sad to see that she has broken up with her "significant other". No hint whether or not her absence had anything to do with it and I suppose none of my/our business.
 
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