Introducing Suelo

[misterhorsey]

Have people heard of Suelo?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxN74kyZO3c

https://sites.google.com/site/livingwithoutmoney/

He makes MMM and Jacob ERE look like consumer suckas.  He's the stereotypical dumpster diving cave dweller that all those who question your frugal ways think you want to become.

It's not unusual in certain spiritual traditions for individuals to disavow the material world and spend their time in contemplating, accompanied by a bowl and a mat, but it's quite jarring to see someone do it in one of the richest and most materialistic nations on earth.

He seems quite content. Or alternatively, perhaps other lifestyles proved disatisfying to him and he had little choice.

I don't wish to follow his lifestyle but I do find his example inspiring. Mainly because it provides an opportunity to question what I need and what I don't and helps me prioritise what I want out of life.  Certainly I'd rather be out riding a bike tending to a cave than currently sitting in my office.  Whether i could do it all the time however....

My one key critique where I don't agree with him is that I don't think Money is actually that bad. It's just a facilitator.

[bacchi]

He's not 100% living in his cave and dumpster diving for food. He does go to meals often with visitors and friends, similar to Thoreau (the meals are paid for, naturally, by the other party).

[misterhorsey]

Yes, agree.  I perhaps didn't word my comment carefully about him being a 'stereotypical dumpster diving cave dweller'.

I meant that he looks like the stereotype of the extremely frugal person that people who are threatened by frugality tend to think of when they think of frugality. 

I don't think he adheres to that stereotype of course. I don't think anyone does. 

[arebelspy]

Holy 90s Batman, that site design.

I expect to see www.geocities.com in the URL.

Interesting fellow though.  :)

[RedwoodDreams]

I'd heard of him here and there over the years, but thanks for this reminder. I just put the book about him on hold at the library.

I'm always curious about the ways different people approach money/living. Guys like this seem less and less crazy to me, the older I get. :-)

[Metric Mouse]

Have people heard of Suelo?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxN74kyZO3c

https://sites.google.com/site/livingwithoutmoney/

He makes MMM and Jacob ERE look like consumer suckas.  He's the stereotypical dumpster diving cave dweller that all those who question your frugal ways think you want to become.

It's not unusual in certain spiritual traditions for individuals to disavow the material world and spend their time in contemplating, accompanied by a bowl and a mat, but it's quite jarring to see someone do it in one of the richest and most materialistic nations on earth.

He seems quite content. Or alternatively, perhaps other lifestyles proved disatisfying to him and he had little choice.

I don't wish to follow his lifestyle but I do find his example inspiring. Mainly because it provides an opportunity to question what I need and what I don't and helps me prioritise what I want out of life.  Certainly I'd rather be out riding a bike tending to a cave than currently sitting in my office.  Whether i could do it all the time however....

My one key critique where I don't agree with him is that I don't think Money is actually that bad. It's just a facilitator.

I wonder, without money, who hosts his website?

[misterhorsey]

https://sites.google.com/site/livingwithoutmoney/

the address is a clue.

https://www.google.com/sites/help/intl/en_GB/overview.html

[arebelspy]

I wonder, without money, who hosts his website?

https://sites.google.com/site/livingwithoutmoney/

the address is a clue.

https://www.google.com/sites/help/intl/en_GB/overview.html

The illuminati!

[Metric Mouse]

I wonder, without money, who hosts his website?

https://sites.google.com/site/livingwithoutmoney/

the address is a clue.

https://www.google.com/sites/help/intl/en_GB/overview.html

Iseewhatyoudidthere.... I should have been more accurate in my question.

[misterhorsey]

What is your question Metric Mouse?

Are you curious how he can be a freeloader who doesn't seem to contribute to society, but is happy to utilise the complex technological infrastructure that taxes and investments have built? 

Have a read of his FAQ. It gives some interesting insights into his rationale and justifications.

Personally I think there are similarities with his mooching lifestyle and the idea of building up enough investments to live off passive income, and then travelling or enjoying life at leisure.  Both are taking advantages of the excess wealth created by and spun off by society. But obviously to dramatically different degrees.

I'm not endorsing his lifestyle. But I think he's seeing an opportunity that affords him a lifestyle that corresponds to his convictions.  I don't think everyone could do it but I think that is so unlikely it's not really worth thinking about.

But one thing I do take away from it. Even if I disagree with him about the utility of money, I can see how it can tend to turn many human relationships into overt transactions.  Sure, in a bartering economy you could start seeing people as possible providers or takers of goods and services - but these transactions need to be mediated by social relationships and community = rather than amoral, freely exchangable currency.

[Metric Mouse]

What is your question Metric Mouse?

Are you curious how he can be a freeloader who doesn't seem to contribute to society, but is happy to utilise the complex technological infrastructure that taxes and investments have built? 

Have a read of his FAQ. It gives some interesting insights into his rationale and justifications.

Personally I think there are similarities with his mooching lifestyle and the idea of building up enough investments to live off passive income, and then travelling or enjoying life at leisure.  Both are taking advantages of the excess wealth created by and spun off by society. But obviously to dramatically different degrees.

I'm not endorsing his lifestyle. But I think he's seeing an opportunity that affords him a lifestyle that corresponds to his convictions.  I don't think everyone could do it but I think that is so unlikely it's not really worth thinking about.

But one thing I do take away from it. Even if I disagree with him about the utility of money, I can see how it can tend to turn many human relationships into overt transactions.  Sure, in a bartering economy you could start seeing people as possible providers or takers of goods and services - but these transactions need to be mediated by social relationships and community = rather than amoral, freely exchangable currency.

No, I was just imagining it costs money to host his website on some server space, and thus someone would have to pay for it, using money. I have read his justifications and this is one of the things that seems to not align; I could see how he could use the internet, and computers as they exist independent of him, but to create a website seems just one step too far, considering his stated philosophies.

No thoughts on him 'freeloading' whatsoever; sounds like he's happy doin' him.

[misterhorsey]

Ah I se

What is your question Metric Mouse?

Are you curious how he can be a freeloader who doesn't seem to contribute to society, but is happy to utilise the complex technological infrastructure that taxes and investments have built? 

Have a read of his FAQ. It gives some interesting insights into his rationale and justifications.

Personally I think there are similarities with his mooching lifestyle and the idea of building up enough investments to live off passive income, and then travelling or enjoying life at leisure.  Both are taking advantages of the excess wealth created by and spun off by society. But obviously to dramatically different degrees.

I'm not endorsing his lifestyle. But I think he's seeing an opportunity that affords him a lifestyle that corresponds to his convictions.  I don't think everyone could do it but I think that is so unlikely it's not really worth thinking about.

But one thing I do take away from it. Even if I disagree with him about the utility of money, I can see how it can tend to turn many human relationships into overt transactions.  Sure, in a bartering economy you could start seeing people as possible providers or takers of goods and services - but these transactions need to be mediated by social relationships and community = rather than amoral, freely exchangable currency.

No, I was just imagining it costs money to host his website on some server space, and thus someone would have to pay for it, using money. I have read his justifications and this is one of the things that seems to not align; I could see how he could use the internet, and computers as they exist independent of him, but to create a website seems just one step too far, considering his stated philosophies.

No thoughts on him 'freeloading' whatsoever; sounds like he's happy doin' him.

Ah I see. 

I am both inspired and skeptical about his choices.  I don't think his life philosophy is as entirely consistent as he thinks it is. But I'm not sure that anyone's is.

Somewhere he writes how he cut his hand badly and was cajoled by his sister in law to go to hospital.  They asked him questions to determine whether he would qualify for assistance, and he refused any financial aide which landed him with a $1,000 bill - which he then paid half off by earning money by working at a homeless shelter - until he wrote to the hospital explaining his circumstances and they wrote off the rest of the bill. 

I would have taken the assistance.  Even Ayn Rand availed herself of government assistance near the end of her life.

But I guess no-one has to live with him other then himself - so it made sense to him.