[Pistias]

Granted. But there seems to me a strange charm (and I assume competence enough not to starve half the year) in such a life in the wild, as opposed to stultifying in urbanity. A free life, wandering with one's family and friends, with no needs but the barest and a life where people sing and death means nothing.

But I have never starved for a week on the hunt, either. But such disregard for pain, and such revelry! It seems as though, despite all the benefits of our way of life, we lose something. To me, anyhow.

[another cricket]

The starving part is the big part and as you learn more about these societies you learn that at least one moon a year was referred to as "Starvation moon" Everybody got very hungry although not all died.

A free life, wandering with one's family and friends, with no needs but the barest and a life where people sing and death means nothing.

I think you have the gypsies confused with the Indians. And there was no more revelry then usual and as for the disregard for pain, get real. No one likes to be hurt. Things like the sun dance were meant to remove the weak and useless from the tribe because one non-producing person could mean the death of all. Death did not mean nothing.

I wonder if you would find it so appealing the first time you had a child born with a handicap and you had to take him out into the forest to die?

Life it what you make of it. If you are "stultifying in urbanity" it is by your choice and you would soon do the same in the wild. If you find moments of happiness and joy now then you would out there too. And moments are all we have.

I would bet however that you are a guy and so your viewpoint of this lifestyle is going to be a lot rosier then mine. Also you haven't seen and lived a subsistence lifestyle.

a.cricket