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Indeed. While teaching myself web development I spent 4 months in a tent (Texas), then later 2 months in a tent (Alaska), and later 2 more months in a tent (Or

Indeed. While teaching myself web development I spent 4 months in a tent (Texas), then later 2 months in a tent (Alaska), and later 2 more months in a tent (Oregon). In the first two cases, I worked part time (event marketing; fish smokehouse) in order to focus on learning new skills rather than working dead-end jobs. If one is financially destitute though, definitely do research on skills which are in demand-- such a person can't afford to specialize in something which is financially unproductive. I learned software development primarily because I saw Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers showing its high demand and future growth. (Fortunately I found that it suits my personality and interests) But to live in a tent (or make lifestyle or financial sacrifices in general) as a PhD student studying something which doesn't have a high economic demand nor utility... To me is just unwise.

jwdunne 5y ago
Staying in a tent for 2 months in Alaska sounds extremely painful. How did you cope with that?
- japhyr 5y ago
  Alaska is huge, and has a wide variety of living conditions throughout the year. I live in southeast AK, and our winters are really mild because we're on the Pacific coast. Our summers are 50s and 60s, occasionally getting into the 70s (F). Our winters are 30s and 40s, occasionally dipping into the 20s. The hardest part about living in a tent here in the summer is the presence of brown bears, and the long periods of rainy days. In other parts of AK it regularly gets into the 80s in the summertime. In many of those parts one of the hardest parts about living in a tent is the bugs.
- vesuvianvenus 5y ago
  The summers in Juneau are super comfortable. In the area I set up my tent, I found many tents from previous campers-- transient laborers and fishermen I imagine. Meals: Had fridge space at company's lunch room. I'd arrive early and have breakfast there, and lunch as well. For dinner, a Trangia camping stove and simple meals (canned soup; mixed vegetable & sausage soup; instant noodles, etc.)... or sometimes splurge and buy decent fresh, ready-to-eat food at a grocery store (such as a chicken/vegetable meal). Showers: the local indoor public pool's locker room Bathroom: At work. Train yourself to systematically drop #2 in the morning like clockwork, and everything else is a breeze. Disposable wet-wipes to reduce the need to shower. Dating: I actually met a rock climbing/wilderness medicine instructor lady at a bar who was interested in checking out my tent and she even spent the night. Whereas, a different women, when she heard I was temporarily staying in a tent, lost all interest in me (I don't blame her-- totally normal). All in all, I suffered some depression, social isolation, and general lifestyle inconvenience. But looking back, it sure helped me get through my graduate statistics course! "If I can live in that tent in Juneau on the mountainside, I can get through this stats course"
HarryHirsch 5y ago
In other words: it's old news that only the wealthy can afford to study the arts and be productive as an artist. But the country doesn't have a workforce development policy either. You have to be independently wealthy to take a few years off to train for a career in a field that's actually in demand! That's not how it's supposed to be.
- vesuvianvenus 5y ago
  It's not "supposed to be" any way whatsoever-- Neither The Universe nor The Global Economy depend on human senses of fairness or opinions. >only the wealthy can afford to study the arts and be productive as an artist. "study", "afford", and "productive" to me sound vague and subjective. One needs only sources of knowledge (even if its simply experimentation), willpower, food, and water, in order to download knowledge into their brain (and then to apply that knowledge by building small projects to demonstrate skills to future employers). Nor does a person need to be independently wealthy to take time off. I was in debt $3000 on a credit card by the time I arrived in Juneau, Alaska and within two weeks started working at $13/hr at a fish smokehouse, while camping on a nearby mountainside. And I had a janky 2003 toyota corolla (trip was in 2015). From where in your mind do you generate these fearful presuppositions? Success is determined by many factors, but they include Strategy, Willpower, Resourcefulness, Willingness to fail. And sure, you can throw preexisting wealth into there and weight it however you want, in a predictive equation. But ultimately that is taking the accountability away from the individual and presenting a false dichotomy ("a premise that erroneously limits what options are available.") [1]. There's no rulebook that says "You have to be wealthy to study art" or "You have to pay money to study art" or "You can't take time off to study <thing>." You definitely can. You can live in a tent, you can use your company's lunchroom for breakfast and lunch, and cook dinner on your camping stove. You can find public bathroom facilities. All of this can be done. Is it inconvenient? Does it require sacrifice? Hence one should do so strategically, and only for goals with high ROI (such as investing in yourself by building skills that are in high demand). ____________ Heck, Wealth and Art is a conversation all its own. The value of artists and art is different in different cultures. And the utility of art, in most cases, is very low. Hence it is a "luxury pursuit" that even primitive tribes engaged in back in prehistory-- when they had the "luxury" of some ... "time off" :) Lastly, just using basic reasoning, I ask you this: Has Art not existed before wealth? Are art and poverty mutually exclusive? I think your argument is lacking, in addressing these two questions, especially given the amount of artists (especially in music) who arise from impoverished conditions. I would also encourage you to do some research on artists from unconvential backgrounds. Such as former boxer and world-renowned architect Tadao Ando. Do a quick online search for "Famous Artists Who Were Self-Taught" to find many more. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma

jwdunne 5y ago

Staying in a tent for 2 months in Alaska sounds extremely painful. How did you cope with that?

japhyr 5y ago
Alaska is huge, and has a wide variety of living conditions throughout the year. I live in southeast AK, and our winters are really mild because we're on the Pacific coast. Our summers are 50s and 60s, occasionally getting into the 70s (F). Our winters are 30s and 40s, occasionally dipping into the 20s. The hardest part about living in a tent here in the summer is the presence of brown bears, and the long periods of rainy days. In other parts of AK it regularly gets into the 80s in the summertime. In many of those parts one of the hardest parts about living in a tent is the bugs.
vesuvianvenus 5y ago
The summers in Juneau are super comfortable. In the area I set up my tent, I found many tents from previous campers-- transient laborers and fishermen I imagine. Meals: Had fridge space at company's lunch room. I'd arrive early and have breakfast there, and lunch as well. For dinner, a Trangia camping stove and simple meals (canned soup; mixed vegetable & sausage soup; instant noodles, etc.)... or sometimes splurge and buy decent fresh, ready-to-eat food at a grocery store (such as a chicken/vegetable meal). Showers: the local indoor public pool's locker room Bathroom: At work. Train yourself to systematically drop #2 in the morning like clockwork, and everything else is a breeze. Disposable wet-wipes to reduce the need to shower. Dating: I actually met a rock climbing/wilderness medicine instructor lady at a bar who was interested in checking out my tent and she even spent the night. Whereas, a different women, when she heard I was temporarily staying in a tent, lost all interest in me (I don't blame her-- totally normal). All in all, I suffered some depression, social isolation, and general lifestyle inconvenience. But looking back, it sure helped me get through my graduate statistics course! "If I can live in that tent in Juneau on the mountainside, I can get through this stats course"

HarryHirsch 5y ago

In other words: it's old news that only the wealthy can afford to study the arts and be productive as an artist. But the country doesn't have a workforce development policy either. You have to be independently wealthy to take a few years off to train for a career in a field that's actually in demand! That's not how it's supposed to be.

vesuvianvenus 5y ago
It's not "supposed to be" any way whatsoever-- Neither The Universe nor The Global Economy depend on human senses of fairness or opinions. >only the wealthy can afford to study the arts and be productive as an artist. "study", "afford", and "productive" to me sound vague and subjective. One needs only sources of knowledge (even if its simply experimentation), willpower, food, and water, in order to download knowledge into their brain (and then to apply that knowledge by building small projects to demonstrate skills to future employers). Nor does a person need to be independently wealthy to take time off. I was in debt $3000 on a credit card by the time I arrived in Juneau, Alaska and within two weeks started working at $13/hr at a fish smokehouse, while camping on a nearby mountainside. And I had a janky 2003 toyota corolla (trip was in 2015). From where in your mind do you generate these fearful presuppositions? Success is determined by many factors, but they include Strategy, Willpower, Resourcefulness, Willingness to fail. And sure, you can throw preexisting wealth into there and weight it however you want, in a predictive equation. But ultimately that is taking the accountability away from the individual and presenting a false dichotomy ("a premise that erroneously limits what options are available.") [1]. There's no rulebook that says "You have to be wealthy to study art" or "You have to pay money to study art" or "You can't take time off to study <thing>." You definitely can. You can live in a tent, you can use your company's lunchroom for breakfast and lunch, and cook dinner on your camping stove. You can find public bathroom facilities. All of this can be done. Is it inconvenient? Does it require sacrifice? Hence one should do so strategically, and only for goals with high ROI (such as investing in yourself by building skills that are in high demand). ____________ Heck, Wealth and Art is a conversation all its own. The value of artists and art is different in different cultures. And the utility of art, in most cases, is very low. Hence it is a "luxury pursuit" that even primitive tribes engaged in back in prehistory-- when they had the "luxury" of some ... "time off" :) Lastly, just using basic reasoning, I ask you this: Has Art not existed before wealth? Are art and poverty mutually exclusive? I think your argument is lacking, in addressing these two questions, especially given the amount of artists (especially in music) who arise from impoverished conditions. I would also encourage you to do some research on artists from unconvential backgrounds. Such as former boxer and world-renowned architect Tadao Ando. Do a quick online search for "Famous Artists Who Were Self-Taught" to find many more. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma