So glad you're featuring this. I was so sad to miss it at the cinema... really wanted to go and support it, but will satisfy myself with streaming as I haven't seen it still, but would love to.
Your observation that a middle class existence can be destroyed overnight is absolutely spot on. When I was served a Clause 21 eviction notice 2 1/2 years ago, along with 40% of all renters in the UK, following the interest rate hikes, I found it nigh on impossible to find another house to rent, due to abject housing shortages in the private rental sector.
I was solvent, never having missed a rent payment in my life, running a flourishing small business, (a cottage industry, as I run it from home), and, as I entered the period where I imminently had to provide vacant possession on the house I was being evicted from, my heart was in my gut. I realised that I could switch from being an upstanding contributor to society, to a vagrant, OVERNIGHT, thereby being deprived of the means to run my business... a burden to the state, instead of someone who was supporting it.
This is all just so wrong!
Thankfully, the Universe came through for me with about 10 days to go... but the stress was awful.
I remember that Rachel and awful it was for you. That you were made homeless through no fault of yours.
I was surprised to find England has more homeless people per ratio of population …around 345 K in 2024 , compared with approx 770k in the US. Of course these figures are arbitrary as how do they possibly count them ?
I just feel in England the homeless are a lot more invisible….and veiled in silence. I loved that in the book Raynor Winn wrote about this.
I have been homeless twice , once when pregnant and then with a 10 years old, so I know how easily it can happen. Fortunately the universe came through on both occasions for me, but only after some heavy lifting 💪
As someone who works every day with migrants, in the main some of the very poorest people here in Ireland, where I work and live, they definitely make me more collapse aware. People hanging on by mere threads to a roof and basic necessities and sometimes not even that. I sometimes reflect that they are ‘canaries in the coal mine’ for what is hurtling at speed towards more of us. Their creativity, dignity and resilience is remarkable , just like Raynor and Moth
I agree with you Josh, the chaos is deliberate and we do need to find ways to work together. I am encouraged that many are exploring alternatives and walking away from “Empire “.
Having these conversations is one of the ways we create and hone new thought directions so , thank you for dropping by, best wishes to you x
Thanks for your service. Surplus energy economics and Involuntary De-growth are interesting angles to explore to make sense of difficult decisions of resource allocation in the context of $$ trillions in unfunded entitlements/liabilities, immigration/demographic shift, nativism/national sovereignty and the move to the multipolar world order with a global governance model. Debt is providing cover for the increasing energy cost of energy and complexity. How long can this last? Migrants and their allies and the "native" working class are caught in the middle. While the powers that be are busy creating chaos and transformation playing on populist hopes and fears this predicament reminds us that we need to find ways to work together beyond identity politics which is the currency of the oligarchs. New thought direction is away from relentless technological progress and the landfill economy towards voluntary relationships, re-localization and a great simplification and is attracting independents, healers and helpers. Best wishes, Josh.
Thank you Susan. I have neither seen the film nor read the book, though I was aware of both, and had hoped to catch it at the cinema (I think I’m too late). I am fortunate that I have never been homeless, albeit painfully aware that it’s only a few missed payments away for any of us. Your one foot in front of another resonated; it’s relevant for any stressful situation in life (serious illness for example), when it’s both the only thing you can do, and a coping strategy in one. And as you say, the mental part is so under-valued, but utterly essential.
Hi Ben, the film is still in some cinema’s in the UK, not sure about anywhere else.
We are all just one disaster , accident or illness away from our lives being upturned. Being aware of our vulnerabilities can make life sweeter in so many ways.
Your right its good to have strategies on how to cope , even if it’s as simple as one foot in front of the other…and we have all had days like that. 💗Thanks for your response.
I listened to the audio book last year and LOVED this story for its raw truth. A tent city has spring up at the end of my street and it's teaching me new levels of compassion and understanding.
I’ve seen the movie, read the book and (over a period of 10 years) walked the whole of the path. It is tough going, even with the comforts of B&Bs, luggage transfer and adequate food. But I will always consider it to be the best experience of my life, and I felt a sense of great sadness on watching the film because it’s unlikely I’ll have the stamina to tackle it again. I’m glad the movie didn’t glass over an important face - the Path is tough, potentially dangerous and deserves a cool head and the utmost respect.
On a different note, are you aware of the corporate take-over of the arts... all akin to the hostile take-over of family businesses and the RSB scandal etc...? They are asset stripping our heritage, and wrenching the beating heart out of the living body of culture and care for humanity that still remains in the UK... what is apparently happening at the RSA is utterly shameful: Society Subverted: How the RSA Is Being Dismantled by Its Own Leaders: https://www.ukcolumn.org/video/society-subverted-how-the-rsa-is-being-dismantled-by-its-own-leaders
Maybe this is a subject you would like to tackle? x x x x
If more people realised and could cope with the fact that this is all deliberate we would have the change needed. Yeah, to a bombardment of LOVE, KINDNESS And ART, every act is making a difference. 💖
Looking forward to seeing the film! Love the freedom they found in "losing" everything! And your reminder that all the "prepping for the apocalypse" we need is practising adaptability and creativity! 🙏🏼🙌🏽
Adaptability and creativity... And at least a week's supply of food & water, cos the adaptability and creativity can take a while to kick in, and you don't want to die if thirst and starvation in the mean time...
Thanks Renaee, I was sent the observer article yesterday, it is so disappointing.
I would say still watch the film as a fiction, but am not sure how much this information colours it for you.
My reflection , is this is another lesson for the Collapse aware , about trust and truth. Another reason to strengthen our inner clarity, values and trust in oneself. 💗 Because we are swamped in a world of deception, propaganda and lies.
It is sad if The Salt Path’s fundamental premise is also built on a lie. I would still take away the message of their love for each other and them raising awareness of the homeless.
After I watched both the YouTube and read the Ob article, it does color it a lot for sure. Most of all I would not want to support it financially! My partner is a full on movie buff and writes film reviews for a hobby, and we talked about the tendency, even with great movies based on true stories, for this kind of suspicion to come out after the fact, once they are successful. Greenbook is an example (a film i really love) where people claimed the truth was embellished and not accurate, once it won academy awards. I hear what you say about the film still having value, and its interesting to reflect on our morality and judgements about such things. The way I see it is that we are all operating according to our conditioning and doing our best, even if this is so called criminal behaviour, I wonder what the real REAL story is behind her difficulties from earlier life of material precarity perhaps, that made them able to do such a crime and not feel any guilt about it, and go on to profit from it.
Interesting, I agree Renaee, I believe we are all doing our best, with the options we have, based on our conditioning. We don’t know the background , reasons or truth. It’s interesting that these revelations only come out when the film is successful. The Salt Path book has been out for about 10years, but no one challenged it..Did the film company not do their research ?
Am going to look up Greenbook on your recommendation, thanks 🙏🏻
I loved the film. And enjoyed your piece from a collapse perspective.
Another aspect of The Salt Path in contrast to many of us in our modern life is how their bodies (and mind) adapted and 'movement is medicine' - Moth's health improved when doctors predicted otherwise. Their experience on The Salt Path was extreme (hunger and stress) and yet they were determined to keep going with the physical challenge - buf was that determination as it was the only thing they could now control in life (keep walking) and the need to work towards accomplishing a goal?
You raise an interesting point Alex, about Moth’s health and how it improved. There is the part where he comes off his meds and has bad withdrawal symptoms.
I saw it as a ‘rejection “ of allopathic medicine, as it was dumbing his mind and symptoms , but was not a cure.
I agree determination and will power played a huge part, as it often does in illness and life. I did not see it as the only thing they could control until you pointed it out…their determination to just keep moving. That must have played a huge part.
Personally I find it a challenge to have goals, but when I do it’s very motivational.
what about you ?
Thanks for this thoughtful comment and for reading my post 🙏🏻
What a great read! I came here via Sarah Wilson’s substack. I really enjoyed your take on this film in relation to collapse. I also recently published my own substack article after being inspired by seeing the film. I come at it from a different angle, but what both of our articles touch on is the importance of human connection in the face of adversity, whether it is something you choose or whether it is thrust upon you. Relationships are what will be most important as things start to fall apart.
Thanks Susan! I love films - especially ones which explore a utopian or dystopian/post-apocalyptic speculative futures. I enjoy experiencing different world-building and seeing how other people imagine these futures. One that comes to mind is 'The Survivalist'(2015). I've only seen it once, but it's worth a watch. I should probably start compiling a list of ones that I have seen - could be a good project.
I haven’t see The Survivalists, so am going to add it to my list. Thanks Sarah, I love good films, not sure if I love dystopian/post apocalyptic , but I do find them very interesting.
I did do a post about how watching one told me all the things not to do….I might revisit it !
Let me know if you have any other suggestions 🙏🏻 I keep imaging futures which a full of peace and abundance but it’s getting harder …
My reflection on stories such as this: if the experience is so enriching and wonderful and human and loving and romantic… why not remain living that way? Why do they seek some other way to live?
There was a similar paradoxical theme when I read the book ‘Poverty Safari’ about the real life of growing up in poverty, with abuse, addiction and all of the judgement that comes from that world. But then when he manages to ‘escape’ that world into a ‘better’ life there’s a certain kind of nostalgia and yearning for the past life in some ways and a real struggle with guilt of almost abandoning all those still living in that world.
Life on the edge like in the Salt Path is painted as a wholistic experience and people reading and watching it almost feel like they want this to happen to them too, to feel that reconnection with ‘real life’ with ‘nature’ and to get back to their true self and rediscover their soul… but do they really? Do they want that life on the edge, or do they just want to have a little romantic holiday into this world to feel better about themselves?
Thanks for sharing your perspective Mark and I have not read the book “Poverty Safari’.
You pose an interesting question ..what do people want or how do we want to live ?
For me The Salt Path is a story of redemption and love , of loss and finding freedom. Maybe it’s the freedom that people desire , away from all the shackles and weight of modern life ?
I did not hanker for The Salt Path experience it came over as gruelling and hard in the film and particularly in the book. That’s why I agree with your conclusion, there are few who can even face our current realities, truthfully.
What do you think of the “marketing” of finding your true selves, connecting with nature etc that seems to be promoted as the cure to everything ?
I agree, I think people do desire this kind of ‘freedom’ and escapism from modern life but I think people also forget that this modern life is a real privilege for us to have access to and I think this idea of ‘van life’ and the great outdoors camping etc is all a little too romanticised in a way. As you say its marketed to us all as some sort of ‘cure’… a cure to what though? Comfort? Security of a roof over your head, access to clean water and quality food etc.
I wonder how many people would desire to live a homeless life really? There are many unfortunately experiencing this and many refugees etc stuck in camps etc.
I find this rise in marketing of outdoor experiences and the trend of like more and more extreme achievement like ultra runs, bike packing on extremely long trips, wild camping etc. i get it, I love these things myself but everytime i do it I question why? Is everyday life too bad to need to escape the shackles, or is it infact that everyday life is too comfortable and easy thesedays so we want to experience hardship, minimilism, going back to basics, some form of ‘punishment’ and discomfort… to begin to feel ‘human’ again, reconnect to our roots and so on… is there perhaps some guilt thrown into the mix too, guilt around the privilege of a comfortable life so we go on these ‘tough’ adventures to have some sort of shared experience, some empathy maybe? I don’t know. It’s a curious thing.
Mark, you pose more interesting thoughts and questions to ponder.
I agree this life is a privilege , especially for those of us who are “comfortable”. Maybe the comforts numb us ? They certainly weaken us in our resilience and creativity .
Maybe people like the extreme activities, because they are tested and feel more alive…
I am not sure about the guilt, I feel compassion for those struggling. I recognise that it could easily be me, if I was born in the wrong place or had some bad luck or bad decisions. I can use my privileges to help in some ways , if possible.
Shared experiences , tales to tell is definitely something I can relate to in seeking adventure.
What are your motivations for the seeking out long trips, wild camping etc ?
I follow another substack called ‘two percent’ by Michael Easter. He has written some good stuff about the need to embrace discomfort for strength, resiliance etc and I really take on board that sort of outlook, it keeps us agile and able to adapt to the ever changing world.
We need to accept that nothing in life is a given, and once you find peace with that, then everything is easier and you are able to roll with the flow without resisting because something happened that you didn’t want ir expect to happen.
I like alot of the stoicts work too. About remaining humble etc but it does take work and constant re-assessment because modern day society sweeps you up into its arms of ‘comfort’ and the individualistic world of self belief, confidence and what you personally ‘deserve’ - usually around this idea that we all deserve a good life, even things like the human rights movement etc… we all ‘deserve’ these basic rights… but I always wonder why?
I do not feel I deserve anything more or less than any other person or animal.
My motivations for adventure are definitely partly driven by cultural pressure and the marketing of such activities to become ‘free’ to fight depression, to be fit and active and to ‘escape’ the shitty modern traps of life and the ‘system’. I’m more aware of that being an influence on me now. I don’t buy into that marketing now though, I don’t think this is a fix all solution that it’s painted as being, romantically exploring and getting out in nature. Often it’s crap and awful and doesn’t help my mental health at all, but it’s like a secret l, cos you can’t tell people that, it will undo the code of nature being awesome and great.
My other motivation is mainly based around fear. Fear of being unfit, unhealthy and turning out like family members who are immobile, on endless medication, have diabetes etc. I also have a fear of comfort and being too sucked up into that, becoming complacent, so adventure and long forms of exercise etc are often used as a sort of ‘punishment’ to experience that pain and suffering and build mental strength to cope and overcome those hurdles.
There is also a desire for peace… but ironically I have found many times searching for peace in nature doesn’t exist… it’s just filled with other noises like animals and the brutal white noise of wind as you cycle or walk in barron landscapes or up mountains. That is not peaceful.
Mark, every response you make is like an essay in its own right. Thank you for the consideration you are giving these questions.
I am going to look up Michael Easter, appreciate that recommendation.
Life is not a given, we are not entitled or deserving , nor is life fair.
To live in acceptance of these truths is liberating and can give peace.
Byron Katies, says you can’t fight reality, it always win’s.
Interesting the Declaration of Human rights, is to protect us from other humans..such is the brutality, mistreatment and lack of trust in our species.
The Same in nature, it is a tough place of survival, that has somehow become a playground for us. It is not peaceful, predictable of there just for us. I agree it can be stressful and is not the panacea for everyone.
Where does “nature” start and finish ?
Are we not nature ? Is not the city and suburbs nature ?
Is anywhere truly untouched/unaltered by humans , making it pure nature ?
What complicated myths and fantasies we create , probably mostly for escapism, that is now commodified and sold.
Everything that was once free is now a product….
As to motivation , do I exercise out of fear of a decrepit old age or because I enjoy it ? To be honest , it is probably mostly the former and sometimes the latter. Like you I have seen the results if you don’t take care of yourself.
That’s my random thoughts, prompted by your very thoughtful response 🙏🏻
I just finished the book and absolutely adored it! I see us collapse-aware folk as lightly salted blackberries. A little crusty and weather-beaten but beautiful and thriving all the same.
I’ve been working in ecology and biodiversity preservation for a long time, so in some capacity, collapse has been something I’ve always been aware of.
But it all clicked for me in the broader and interconnected sense of collapse in the last 6 months. Sarah Wilson’s book certainly helped with that!
How interesting and great that you are working in preservation. Where are you based ?
I have been collapse aware for over 20 years and have loved how Sarah has approached such a massive subject. I am sure the book will help a lot more people to come to terms with the realities of Collapse.
A classic in the 'woefully unprepared adventure' genre ... alongside Wild, A Walk in the Park, and Into the Wild. I love them all. Must say though, that in reading The Salt Path, what struck me was that while Raynor and Moth certainly had each other (the romanic idyll), they didn't seem to have anyone outside their nuclear relationship. Their so-called friends didn't offer to take them in, and even their own children failed to rise to the occasion. Like so many, they had bought into the illusion of self-reliance, and when that failed they had no one to fall back on. They were forced to rely on the kindness of strangers because their nuclear family structure, and their own private kingdom, had collapsed. Marriage is finite but community is infinite.
How to create "good community" around you ... that is a great inquiry! Diversifying your communities is a good tactic, I can't imagine feeling fully supported with just one. I have many circles of relationship: geographic, interest-based, work-related, advocacy, religious, creative, social (and mostly IRL, not online!). Some intersect, but not all. Some are more stable than others. Blood family is possibly the smallest and weakest of the circles, and in the case of the Wynn's, way too much focus was placed on that one. Blood can be thinner than water.
I cannot guarantee that I will be cared for when I am no longer able to care for myself, and I can't say I never worry. In the dead of night, I worry. But I try to extend care to the people I love. I have had offers of long-term care (eg, "you can move in with me") explicity offered to me. I have vowed the same in return. I just try to keep putting it out there, extending generosity – one might say, love – to people with whom I share neither bed nor blood. I have invited complete strangers to stay the night on my couch. I can only hope such offers will come back to me as needed ... I hope, without expectation. So far the generosity I have received has been massive, it brings me to my knees. Community is a leap of faith.
Thanks Carmen, I think I will often be returning to this question on how you create good community around you ?
You are right diversification is the key, to so many things in life.
You are wise and fortunate to have many circles and for them to be IRL. In terms of karma your generosity will be returned.
Like you my blood family is the weakest and I have no expectation of support there.
My local community is where the care will be. I have set a Solstice intention do more here and as generously as possible.
Community is a leap of faith and I hold to the belief that as the adversity increases so will the resilience. Please share any learnings or insights , on this vital and life enhancing topic. Thank you 🙏🏻
So glad you're featuring this. I was so sad to miss it at the cinema... really wanted to go and support it, but will satisfy myself with streaming as I haven't seen it still, but would love to.
Your observation that a middle class existence can be destroyed overnight is absolutely spot on. When I was served a Clause 21 eviction notice 2 1/2 years ago, along with 40% of all renters in the UK, following the interest rate hikes, I found it nigh on impossible to find another house to rent, due to abject housing shortages in the private rental sector.
I was solvent, never having missed a rent payment in my life, running a flourishing small business, (a cottage industry, as I run it from home), and, as I entered the period where I imminently had to provide vacant possession on the house I was being evicted from, my heart was in my gut. I realised that I could switch from being an upstanding contributor to society, to a vagrant, OVERNIGHT, thereby being deprived of the means to run my business... a burden to the state, instead of someone who was supporting it.
This is all just so wrong!
Thankfully, the Universe came through for me with about 10 days to go... but the stress was awful.
I remember that Rachel and awful it was for you. That you were made homeless through no fault of yours.
I was surprised to find England has more homeless people per ratio of population …around 345 K in 2024 , compared with approx 770k in the US. Of course these figures are arbitrary as how do they possibly count them ?
I just feel in England the homeless are a lot more invisible….and veiled in silence. I loved that in the book Raynor Winn wrote about this.
I have been homeless twice , once when pregnant and then with a 10 years old, so I know how easily it can happen. Fortunately the universe came through on both occasions for me, but only after some heavy lifting 💪
You rock, that's why. ^_^ xo xo Here's some HUGGAGE!
Thanks for the HUGGAGE, what a great word and vibe…here’s some back to you with a HUGE WOOOF x
Yay! Woof!
How awful to be homeless when pregnant! I am very sorry you had to go through that. x x x
I can relate! And three years on, I'm still trying to find the BOAT instead of the life preserver... So glad you're doing alright. xo
You my Dear, sadly have lots of experience of uncertainty, homelessness and all the stress that goes with it.
I admire your resolve and fortitude to not only fight for your survival , but also in the big fight for us all.
You are a true warrior of the heart ♥️, may you find sanctuary and peace. X
Wow, thank you, lovely one. That is a gift and I feel it right here…♥️
There’s one thing that can never be taken away. I do believe that That which is what our hearts are made of, and created for, Never Dies. xo
As someone who works every day with migrants, in the main some of the very poorest people here in Ireland, where I work and live, they definitely make me more collapse aware. People hanging on by mere threads to a roof and basic necessities and sometimes not even that. I sometimes reflect that they are ‘canaries in the coal mine’ for what is hurtling at speed towards more of us. Their creativity, dignity and resilience is remarkable , just like Raynor and Moth
I agree with you Josh, the chaos is deliberate and we do need to find ways to work together. I am encouraged that many are exploring alternatives and walking away from “Empire “.
Having these conversations is one of the ways we create and hone new thought directions so , thank you for dropping by, best wishes to you x
I agree Amanda they are the “canaries” and we could learn so much from them.
Your work must be so helpful to them & to you. Resilience like that found by Raynor & Moth comes from struggle & is found inside.
I thank you and wish you joy this Monday x
Thanks for your service. Surplus energy economics and Involuntary De-growth are interesting angles to explore to make sense of difficult decisions of resource allocation in the context of $$ trillions in unfunded entitlements/liabilities, immigration/demographic shift, nativism/national sovereignty and the move to the multipolar world order with a global governance model. Debt is providing cover for the increasing energy cost of energy and complexity. How long can this last? Migrants and their allies and the "native" working class are caught in the middle. While the powers that be are busy creating chaos and transformation playing on populist hopes and fears this predicament reminds us that we need to find ways to work together beyond identity politics which is the currency of the oligarchs. New thought direction is away from relentless technological progress and the landfill economy towards voluntary relationships, re-localization and a great simplification and is attracting independents, healers and helpers. Best wishes, Josh.
Thank you Susan. I have neither seen the film nor read the book, though I was aware of both, and had hoped to catch it at the cinema (I think I’m too late). I am fortunate that I have never been homeless, albeit painfully aware that it’s only a few missed payments away for any of us. Your one foot in front of another resonated; it’s relevant for any stressful situation in life (serious illness for example), when it’s both the only thing you can do, and a coping strategy in one. And as you say, the mental part is so under-valued, but utterly essential.
Hi Ben, the film is still in some cinema’s in the UK, not sure about anywhere else.
We are all just one disaster , accident or illness away from our lives being upturned. Being aware of our vulnerabilities can make life sweeter in so many ways.
Your right its good to have strategies on how to cope , even if it’s as simple as one foot in front of the other…and we have all had days like that. 💗Thanks for your response.
Thank you Susan. Having just finished a book I bought it to read first. Harrowing from the off, but beautifully written.
I listened to the audio book last year and LOVED this story for its raw truth. A tent city has spring up at the end of my street and it's teaching me new levels of compassion and understanding.
The Salt Path is a raw truth and must have been beautifully told on Audio.
Sadly there will be more homelessness and we will be tested on how we manage that, especially if it’s at the end of our street.
I commend you for being open to new levels of compassion and understanding.
That is what our world need now 💗
I’ve seen the movie, read the book and (over a period of 10 years) walked the whole of the path. It is tough going, even with the comforts of B&Bs, luggage transfer and adequate food. But I will always consider it to be the best experience of my life, and I felt a sense of great sadness on watching the film because it’s unlikely I’ll have the stamina to tackle it again. I’m glad the movie didn’t glass over an important face - the Path is tough, potentially dangerous and deserves a cool head and the utmost respect.
How amazing Miranda and that it was the best experience of your life.
I have path envy !
The film is inspiring and I would love to walk the “Path”.
Living in Devon I know the challenges of the hills and my limitations , so that is not going to be a reality.
When I was reading the book, I kept thinking they are doing all this and mostly eating spaghetti and crackers .
Bravo to you for succeeding and having those memories. 👏
On a different note, are you aware of the corporate take-over of the arts... all akin to the hostile take-over of family businesses and the RSB scandal etc...? They are asset stripping our heritage, and wrenching the beating heart out of the living body of culture and care for humanity that still remains in the UK... what is apparently happening at the RSA is utterly shameful: Society Subverted: How the RSA Is Being Dismantled by Its Own Leaders: https://www.ukcolumn.org/video/society-subverted-how-the-rsa-is-being-dismantled-by-its-own-leaders
Maybe this is a subject you would like to tackle? x x x x
That does look interesting and alarming, when pos I will listen as I admire the work of Ben Rubin. Thanks x
Psychopaths/Sociopaths enjoy torture and murder.
That's where we are, and we can stop this hell, but it takes us getting to the Tipping Point.
This is NOT "accidental" or "how things have gone," but deliberate. Fight back with love, kindness, and ART.
If more people realised and could cope with the fact that this is all deliberate we would have the change needed. Yeah, to a bombardment of LOVE, KINDNESS And ART, every act is making a difference. 💖
I have not read the book, but I will now. Thank you, Susan, for consistently great recommendations.
A pleasure my dear, it’s a wonderful love story and saga of what happens when life gets very messy 💗
Looking forward to seeing the film! Love the freedom they found in "losing" everything! And your reminder that all the "prepping for the apocalypse" we need is practising adaptability and creativity! 🙏🏼🙌🏽
“The freedom they found in losing everything” , that sums it all up beautifully 💗.
I think you will like the Film , it’s a terrific love story, for each other, for the wilds and for freedom.
It shows how resourceful we can be when pushed , if we adapt and create now we will be so resourceful 💪🏽
Adaptability and creativity... And at least a week's supply of food & water, cos the adaptability and creativity can take a while to kick in, and you don't want to die if thirst and starvation in the mean time...
You are right Stephen , that is the priority . It was amazing in the book/film/story how the Winns lacked water and often food.
The collapse aware will have the advantage of not going into shock or despair.
Practising creativity and adaptability now will also help. Thanks for dropping in 🙏🏻
I am, again, contemplating "losing everything," as the saga, for me, continues.
Hi Susan, oh my - this just dropped about the Salt Path!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY2ivdm9obY
We have been waiting for it to come onto streaming service in Oz, but now - not quite so keen.
Thanks Renaee, I was sent the observer article yesterday, it is so disappointing.
I would say still watch the film as a fiction, but am not sure how much this information colours it for you.
My reflection , is this is another lesson for the Collapse aware , about trust and truth. Another reason to strengthen our inner clarity, values and trust in oneself. 💗 Because we are swamped in a world of deception, propaganda and lies.
It is sad if The Salt Path’s fundamental premise is also built on a lie. I would still take away the message of their love for each other and them raising awareness of the homeless.
Let me know what you decide to do 🤔
After I watched both the YouTube and read the Ob article, it does color it a lot for sure. Most of all I would not want to support it financially! My partner is a full on movie buff and writes film reviews for a hobby, and we talked about the tendency, even with great movies based on true stories, for this kind of suspicion to come out after the fact, once they are successful. Greenbook is an example (a film i really love) where people claimed the truth was embellished and not accurate, once it won academy awards. I hear what you say about the film still having value, and its interesting to reflect on our morality and judgements about such things. The way I see it is that we are all operating according to our conditioning and doing our best, even if this is so called criminal behaviour, I wonder what the real REAL story is behind her difficulties from earlier life of material precarity perhaps, that made them able to do such a crime and not feel any guilt about it, and go on to profit from it.
Interesting, I agree Renaee, I believe we are all doing our best, with the options we have, based on our conditioning. We don’t know the background , reasons or truth. It’s interesting that these revelations only come out when the film is successful. The Salt Path book has been out for about 10years, but no one challenged it..Did the film company not do their research ?
Am going to look up Greenbook on your recommendation, thanks 🙏🏻
Seems the Salt Path may soon be refiled under fiction. See this brilliant scoop just published. https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/the-real-salt-path-how-the-couple-behind-a-bestseller-left-a-trail-of-debt-and-deceit
That is truly astounding Mark, thank you for bringing this article to my attention. I need to reflect and consider how best to respond .
You have a list of 'collapse films' but what about TV? Station Eleven is fantastic if you haven't seen.
Thanks again Alex, I have heard of Station Eleven am going to search it out now .
I loved the film. And enjoyed your piece from a collapse perspective.
Another aspect of The Salt Path in contrast to many of us in our modern life is how their bodies (and mind) adapted and 'movement is medicine' - Moth's health improved when doctors predicted otherwise. Their experience on The Salt Path was extreme (hunger and stress) and yet they were determined to keep going with the physical challenge - buf was that determination as it was the only thing they could now control in life (keep walking) and the need to work towards accomplishing a goal?
You raise an interesting point Alex, about Moth’s health and how it improved. There is the part where he comes off his meds and has bad withdrawal symptoms.
I saw it as a ‘rejection “ of allopathic medicine, as it was dumbing his mind and symptoms , but was not a cure.
I agree determination and will power played a huge part, as it often does in illness and life. I did not see it as the only thing they could control until you pointed it out…their determination to just keep moving. That must have played a huge part.
Personally I find it a challenge to have goals, but when I do it’s very motivational.
what about you ?
Thanks for this thoughtful comment and for reading my post 🙏🏻
What a great read! I came here via Sarah Wilson’s substack. I really enjoyed your take on this film in relation to collapse. I also recently published my own substack article after being inspired by seeing the film. I come at it from a different angle, but what both of our articles touch on is the importance of human connection in the face of adversity, whether it is something you choose or whether it is thrust upon you. Relationships are what will be most important as things start to fall apart.
https://open.substack.com/pub/sljohnstone/p/the-simpler-path?r=8p86k&utm_medium=ios
Thank you Sarah, I enjoyed what you have written about the different films and your own experiences of walking in the wilds.
Your right relationships are and will be even more important , now things are falling apart.
You have good recall on films , are there any others you would recommend ?
Thanks Susan! I love films - especially ones which explore a utopian or dystopian/post-apocalyptic speculative futures. I enjoy experiencing different world-building and seeing how other people imagine these futures. One that comes to mind is 'The Survivalist'(2015). I've only seen it once, but it's worth a watch. I should probably start compiling a list of ones that I have seen - could be a good project.
I haven’t see The Survivalists, so am going to add it to my list. Thanks Sarah, I love good films, not sure if I love dystopian/post apocalyptic , but I do find them very interesting.
I did do a post about how watching one told me all the things not to do….I might revisit it !
Let me know if you have any other suggestions 🙏🏻 I keep imaging futures which a full of peace and abundance but it’s getting harder …
My reflection on stories such as this: if the experience is so enriching and wonderful and human and loving and romantic… why not remain living that way? Why do they seek some other way to live?
There was a similar paradoxical theme when I read the book ‘Poverty Safari’ about the real life of growing up in poverty, with abuse, addiction and all of the judgement that comes from that world. But then when he manages to ‘escape’ that world into a ‘better’ life there’s a certain kind of nostalgia and yearning for the past life in some ways and a real struggle with guilt of almost abandoning all those still living in that world.
Life on the edge like in the Salt Path is painted as a wholistic experience and people reading and watching it almost feel like they want this to happen to them too, to feel that reconnection with ‘real life’ with ‘nature’ and to get back to their true self and rediscover their soul… but do they really? Do they want that life on the edge, or do they just want to have a little romantic holiday into this world to feel better about themselves?
Thanks for sharing your perspective Mark and I have not read the book “Poverty Safari’.
You pose an interesting question ..what do people want or how do we want to live ?
For me The Salt Path is a story of redemption and love , of loss and finding freedom. Maybe it’s the freedom that people desire , away from all the shackles and weight of modern life ?
I did not hanker for The Salt Path experience it came over as gruelling and hard in the film and particularly in the book. That’s why I agree with your conclusion, there are few who can even face our current realities, truthfully.
What do you think of the “marketing” of finding your true selves, connecting with nature etc that seems to be promoted as the cure to everything ?
I agree, I think people do desire this kind of ‘freedom’ and escapism from modern life but I think people also forget that this modern life is a real privilege for us to have access to and I think this idea of ‘van life’ and the great outdoors camping etc is all a little too romanticised in a way. As you say its marketed to us all as some sort of ‘cure’… a cure to what though? Comfort? Security of a roof over your head, access to clean water and quality food etc.
I wonder how many people would desire to live a homeless life really? There are many unfortunately experiencing this and many refugees etc stuck in camps etc.
I find this rise in marketing of outdoor experiences and the trend of like more and more extreme achievement like ultra runs, bike packing on extremely long trips, wild camping etc. i get it, I love these things myself but everytime i do it I question why? Is everyday life too bad to need to escape the shackles, or is it infact that everyday life is too comfortable and easy thesedays so we want to experience hardship, minimilism, going back to basics, some form of ‘punishment’ and discomfort… to begin to feel ‘human’ again, reconnect to our roots and so on… is there perhaps some guilt thrown into the mix too, guilt around the privilege of a comfortable life so we go on these ‘tough’ adventures to have some sort of shared experience, some empathy maybe? I don’t know. It’s a curious thing.
Mark, you pose more interesting thoughts and questions to ponder.
I agree this life is a privilege , especially for those of us who are “comfortable”. Maybe the comforts numb us ? They certainly weaken us in our resilience and creativity .
Maybe people like the extreme activities, because they are tested and feel more alive…
I am not sure about the guilt, I feel compassion for those struggling. I recognise that it could easily be me, if I was born in the wrong place or had some bad luck or bad decisions. I can use my privileges to help in some ways , if possible.
Shared experiences , tales to tell is definitely something I can relate to in seeking adventure.
What are your motivations for the seeking out long trips, wild camping etc ?
I do think comfort can numb us yes.
I follow another substack called ‘two percent’ by Michael Easter. He has written some good stuff about the need to embrace discomfort for strength, resiliance etc and I really take on board that sort of outlook, it keeps us agile and able to adapt to the ever changing world.
We need to accept that nothing in life is a given, and once you find peace with that, then everything is easier and you are able to roll with the flow without resisting because something happened that you didn’t want ir expect to happen.
I like alot of the stoicts work too. About remaining humble etc but it does take work and constant re-assessment because modern day society sweeps you up into its arms of ‘comfort’ and the individualistic world of self belief, confidence and what you personally ‘deserve’ - usually around this idea that we all deserve a good life, even things like the human rights movement etc… we all ‘deserve’ these basic rights… but I always wonder why?
I do not feel I deserve anything more or less than any other person or animal.
My motivations for adventure are definitely partly driven by cultural pressure and the marketing of such activities to become ‘free’ to fight depression, to be fit and active and to ‘escape’ the shitty modern traps of life and the ‘system’. I’m more aware of that being an influence on me now. I don’t buy into that marketing now though, I don’t think this is a fix all solution that it’s painted as being, romantically exploring and getting out in nature. Often it’s crap and awful and doesn’t help my mental health at all, but it’s like a secret l, cos you can’t tell people that, it will undo the code of nature being awesome and great.
My other motivation is mainly based around fear. Fear of being unfit, unhealthy and turning out like family members who are immobile, on endless medication, have diabetes etc. I also have a fear of comfort and being too sucked up into that, becoming complacent, so adventure and long forms of exercise etc are often used as a sort of ‘punishment’ to experience that pain and suffering and build mental strength to cope and overcome those hurdles.
There is also a desire for peace… but ironically I have found many times searching for peace in nature doesn’t exist… it’s just filled with other noises like animals and the brutal white noise of wind as you cycle or walk in barron landscapes or up mountains. That is not peaceful.
Mark, every response you make is like an essay in its own right. Thank you for the consideration you are giving these questions.
I am going to look up Michael Easter, appreciate that recommendation.
Life is not a given, we are not entitled or deserving , nor is life fair.
To live in acceptance of these truths is liberating and can give peace.
Byron Katies, says you can’t fight reality, it always win’s.
Interesting the Declaration of Human rights, is to protect us from other humans..such is the brutality, mistreatment and lack of trust in our species.
The Same in nature, it is a tough place of survival, that has somehow become a playground for us. It is not peaceful, predictable of there just for us. I agree it can be stressful and is not the panacea for everyone.
Where does “nature” start and finish ?
Are we not nature ? Is not the city and suburbs nature ?
Is anywhere truly untouched/unaltered by humans , making it pure nature ?
What complicated myths and fantasies we create , probably mostly for escapism, that is now commodified and sold.
Everything that was once free is now a product….
As to motivation , do I exercise out of fear of a decrepit old age or because I enjoy it ? To be honest , it is probably mostly the former and sometimes the latter. Like you I have seen the results if you don’t take care of yourself.
That’s my random thoughts, prompted by your very thoughtful response 🙏🏻
I just finished the book and absolutely adored it! I see us collapse-aware folk as lightly salted blackberries. A little crusty and weather-beaten but beautiful and thriving all the same.
Oh thanks Jada, I love the idea of being a lightly salted blackberry , this is a perfect description.
How long have you been collapse aware ?
I’ve been working in ecology and biodiversity preservation for a long time, so in some capacity, collapse has been something I’ve always been aware of.
But it all clicked for me in the broader and interconnected sense of collapse in the last 6 months. Sarah Wilson’s book certainly helped with that!
How interesting and great that you are working in preservation. Where are you based ?
I have been collapse aware for over 20 years and have loved how Sarah has approached such a massive subject. I am sure the book will help a lot more people to come to terms with the realities of Collapse.
I’m based in Sydney, Australia!
As Sarah’s said previously, there certainly seems to be a lot of people here with the ‘she’ll be right, mate’ attitude.
That’s great Jada, good to have a lot of people around you with that attitude 👏
A classic in the 'woefully unprepared adventure' genre ... alongside Wild, A Walk in the Park, and Into the Wild. I love them all. Must say though, that in reading The Salt Path, what struck me was that while Raynor and Moth certainly had each other (the romanic idyll), they didn't seem to have anyone outside their nuclear relationship. Their so-called friends didn't offer to take them in, and even their own children failed to rise to the occasion. Like so many, they had bought into the illusion of self-reliance, and when that failed they had no one to fall back on. They were forced to rely on the kindness of strangers because their nuclear family structure, and their own private kingdom, had collapsed. Marriage is finite but community is infinite.
That is an important observation Carmen about the Wynn’s lack of support. The only ‘friend’ who offered a place to stay , just seemed to exploit them.
Self Reliance is an illusion and community is infinite and the ideal . But how many of us feel we have a safety net of relationships ?
After years of community building activities, my experience is it largely fell away when I stopped making the effort.
I have not given up and am now am clearer about the community I want to participate in.
Have you created a good community round you ?
How to create "good community" around you ... that is a great inquiry! Diversifying your communities is a good tactic, I can't imagine feeling fully supported with just one. I have many circles of relationship: geographic, interest-based, work-related, advocacy, religious, creative, social (and mostly IRL, not online!). Some intersect, but not all. Some are more stable than others. Blood family is possibly the smallest and weakest of the circles, and in the case of the Wynn's, way too much focus was placed on that one. Blood can be thinner than water.
I cannot guarantee that I will be cared for when I am no longer able to care for myself, and I can't say I never worry. In the dead of night, I worry. But I try to extend care to the people I love. I have had offers of long-term care (eg, "you can move in with me") explicity offered to me. I have vowed the same in return. I just try to keep putting it out there, extending generosity – one might say, love – to people with whom I share neither bed nor blood. I have invited complete strangers to stay the night on my couch. I can only hope such offers will come back to me as needed ... I hope, without expectation. So far the generosity I have received has been massive, it brings me to my knees. Community is a leap of faith.
Thanks Carmen, I think I will often be returning to this question on how you create good community around you ?
You are right diversification is the key, to so many things in life.
You are wise and fortunate to have many circles and for them to be IRL. In terms of karma your generosity will be returned.
Like you my blood family is the weakest and I have no expectation of support there.
My local community is where the care will be. I have set a Solstice intention do more here and as generously as possible.
Community is a leap of faith and I hold to the belief that as the adversity increases so will the resilience. Please share any learnings or insights , on this vital and life enhancing topic. Thank you 🙏🏻
Solstice blessings!
And too you Carmen 🙏