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Why Are Nomad Videos Popular?

It seems odd that videos by "nomads" are so plentiful and popular on places like yoob toob, (aka, You Tube.) It is easy to explain why they are produced: for advertising income.

But why would anyone want to watch this drivel? The videos are amateurish -- the makers don't even understand the medium of video. They shouldn't just sit in their car, and give the viewer a talking head to look at.

Or they talk about their rig -- which is only interesting to the 0.1% of the audience that has the same rig, accessory, or problem.

Or they show themselves heating water or talking about whether their breakfast will be porridge or corn flakes.

Many viewers are armchair travelers who like romantic escapism about pretty scenery. Many nomad vloggers have drones that show the van sauntering down a curvy road, with mountains and lakes in the background. That is quite engaging to the viewer because it helps them think, "Ahh, I too could be doing that." That's fine, but they should really go to old-fashioned 'text and postcard' blogs, rather than vlogs. (The photography is better in the old-style blogs.)

And why all endless harping about converting a van? Hasn't that been vlogged about, to death, by now?

Is there a modern bourgeois fascination -- bordering on voyeurism -- with down-and-outers?  It is possible that the interest in 'nomads' in vans is similar to our interest in survival stories, war stories, historical novels about perilous times, or Jack London stories about nature 'red in tooth and claw.'


Perhaps the viewer suspects something important missing in their life and searches to clarify it. If so, this seems healthy and admirable.

From “A Krutch Omnibus,”  page 31, 

when all men are as materially comfortable as some few men are today, then the comfortable masses will discover what the comfortable few have discovered already, which is of course, that comfort seems enough only when one happens not to have it.

Here is another quote from Joseph Wood Krutch, this time from his biography, "Johnson": 

Many men, oppressed with a sense that most of life is [mere illusion] and trivial, have sought in various ways to make contact with 'reality'.  To some, that has meant hardship in remote places; to some, as to Thoreau, solitude and simplicity; to still others, it has meant the search for God in mystical experience.  To Johnson it meant reminding himself of the struggle for existence on the most elementary level, refreshing association with people who knew, as he did, what it was to be close to illness and to want.

Therefore I hope people peeking in on the down-and-out in their converted vans will recognize the value of what they are looking for, and will branch out into a wider search which does them or somebody else more good.

Comments

XXXXX said…


Oh my goodness gracious. KC, you are one in a million.

Totally right on.

George
"KC" left an excellent comment that George (above) commented on. Then I had an internet connectivity problem that erased KC's comment. After relocating camp and spending an hour on resurrecting KC's comment, this is the best I can come up with:

"All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Many of us suffer with escapism, only to find that we are trying to escape ourselves. Comfort. Pleasure... pain... If we are not driven by something greater than momentary impulses, than we are reduced to creatures who are never satisfied. The body requires the nourishment of food and with it temporary satiety and respite of weariness, but the soul longs to draw from the true source of living water in which one will never thirst again."

And thank you KC. This is not a frequent problem on my blog.

KC has left a new comment on your post "Why Are Nomad Videos Popular?":

All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not
satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done
is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Many of us suffer with escapism, only to find that we are trying to escape
ourselves. Comfort. Pleasure... pain... If we are not driven by something
greater than momentary impulses, than we are reduced to creatures who are
never satisfied. The body requires the nourishment of food and with it
temporary satiety and respite of weariness, but the soul longs to draw from
the true source of living water in which one will never thirst again.
XXXXX said…

I'm curious if KC is quoting from somewhere, at least the first two paragraphs. We don't usually go around using the word "hath" anymore. (I should have paid more attention to that clue.)

I'm always drawn to symbolic language and 'living water' is quite interesting. However, upon doing research, apparently it is from John 4:10 so I must withdraw my enthusiastic support for the comment if one presumes that I am endorsing the bible or JC.

I heartily agree that there is more to life than another round of escapism and do agree with KC's comments regarding that. What we find beyond that, whether the 'living water' is JC or something else, is for everyone to decide for themselves.

Thanks, KB, for resurrecting the quote. 'Resurrecting'...no pun intended.

George

George, since I am notorious about quotes from significant books of the past, I won't fault KC if they want to quote from the Bible!
KC said…
Hi George,

Thanks for your kind remarks and comments. I see you found what I was referencing. Ecclesiastes has made a profound impact in my life as I first read it in my early 20's while seeking to understand life and my place in it (I'm still learning everyday). As you pointed out I expect that some may not share my enthusiasm for such texts as the Bible or have the same beliefs. I found this This blog randomly and it certainly spoke to me as reminder that my futile attempts to escape is a reminder to question what am I running from and running toward. There is never a neutral.

Either way it's good to know that I'm in good company.


KC
XXXXX said…
Hi KC

Quite a pleasure to receive a reply from you. Thank you.
I actually do refer to bible passages as they come up in my readings as I am quite drawn to a study of meaningful thoughts (i.e. 'spirituality'; i.e. 'non-material' or simply not about the world of matter) as they were experienced in both the ancient world and modernity. It is a rich history. I suspect we would agree on much in terms of how we would define what is not worth our while or our thoughts and, in fact, does us harm; likewise, what is worthy of our contemplations, tends to straighten out confusion and points our nose in a better direction. It all gets pretty clear after that although, you are right, we are all learning everyday.
It is always hard to put the most profound and most meaningful of our intuitions into words. Others seem to be able to capture the beauty so much better than I can so I often use quotes from other people as well.
My best to you.

George
Anonymous said…
Yes I miss the old style blogs. Most vanners jumped on YouTube for the bucks but
there is little to be made these days and ya have to watch what you say because of
the damn fact checkers!
Anonymous, old style blogs are still out there for READING. You needn't VIEW yoob toobs.

Yes, the censorship can only get worse on You Tube. When they decide they are losing too many viewers, the censorship might ease off a little.