BBC has published a remarkable photo essay on an American family living in the Alaskan wilderness a looong way from civilization.
In the US state of Alaska, the Atchley family are the only people who live anywhere along the 250-mile (400km) length of the Nowitna River. Over the past 18 years, only a handful of people have ever visited them in their remote location, 100 miles from the nearest town, Ruby.
Photographer Ed Gold went to meet the Atchleys, who spend 11 months of the year in isolation.
It’s a challenging and rewarding way of life. For a family it would, of course, require full buy-in from every member to work. A way of life that requires 100 percent commitment — and in a way the very act of it is an exercise in constant creativity. Admirable.
Matthew says
I like how the wife mentioned she had to shoot and skin a bear by herself.
I admire them for doing it, but I wouldn’t want to do it myself. As I said of the Greatest Generation, I admire people who do what I don’t want to do. I never understood admiring people who have wealth or status or whatever. Though, I would like to have those things.
JimC says
I admire doers and creators and adventurers. Wealth and status by themselves are not worthy of admiration.
Wealth is good for a level of security and independence and to allow for more doing and creating — not as an object for itself. As for status, I’m only interested in being worthy of the respect of my peers and tribe.
Matthew says
I’ve been reading about Stoicism (that is the ancient Greek/Roman philosophy not being unemotional). There’s “preferred indifferents” that are probably better to have than not, but aren’t really that important. Wealth, status, et cetera are these.
Breaker Morant says
Cool for the guy and the wife. I am not so enamored of the idea for the son. He will have the social skills of a flea-through no choice of his own.
I assume that the parents grew up with at least some social interactions in their life.
JimC says
I kinda had the same thought. At some point he’ll need to get out in it a bit. Then maybe go back…