Surfer Dude is absolutely obsessed with a show called The Alaska Experiment on Discovery. We watch this over and over on on-demand, and he is fascinated by the entire concept. I'll admit that it's intriguing. They took four groups of people (two youngish married couples, a father and two twenty something daughters, and a group of three friends - two men and a woman- who had known each other for a long time) and they forced them to survive in the wilds of Alaska for ninety days.
The show starts with them being flown into some of the most desolate terrain I've ever seen, and from there each group hikes to their roughly 200 square foot cabin. When they arrive they find a modest amount of food staples, but they are responsible for hunting or fishing for their very necessary protein. They have no electricity, no running water and not much else of note. They appear to be outnumbered by about 100 to 1 by all of the bears on a feeding frenzy before their winter hibernation. These bears, by the way, bear no relation to Yogi. These bears look like Yogi's inner city cousins.
Game on.
Watching this has made me think of how critical it would be in something like this to be with the right person (or persons). Much like the fabulous friend you have who turns into a side show horror when you take a trip together, it all comes down to getting along. And the show is a wonderful view into how people do - and don't - get along constructively. Sure, there's a lot of work and a lot of angst (and more than a fair amount of deprivation), but it all boils down to communication.
So I started thinking. Who would I want to do this with? Who could I do this with? And this leads me to this question:
If you were signing up to spend three months in very close quarters with one or two other people, three months of hard work and lots of uncertainty, three months of totally depending on those other people (or person) to help get you all through...
Who would it be?
Would it be your other half? A family member? A friend? And why?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
the RC experiment
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16 comments:
You pose such challenging questions for the second day of my vacation.
I would probably starve. Picky eater that I am. I have never had any desire to do those sorts of things.
I don't eat meat! I wouldn't go hunting! So I wouldn't be much use to any one. I would NEVER do a thing like that! But do like watching that kind of programme.
My other half would not be the right choice to be cooped up with!
I think a stranger might get on better with me. They wouldn't know what they were in for, until it was too late!
I can understand SD being obsessed, I used to be obsessed with Pioneer House, it was the same sort of thing.
No, that's not right, the one I liked was Frontier House, Pioneer house is the one that Oprah and Gayle spent the night at.
RC, I watched 30 Days of Night with Mr B last night (a bit cheesy but ok in a 'needing an easy film to watch that might make me jump a bit and vampires are sometimes kind of sexy' way. NB The vampires ion this film aren't sexy, in fact some of them are downright gormless.
So why am I telling you this? Well it was based in Alaska. So, I'd have Mr B with me as we tend to work well together even though we drive each other mad. My mates Lu and Pod as they're very chilled out and would be good company, my kids for the cuddles and a big cuddly dog. Can I borrow one of yours?
The Boyfriend. I'd need somebody else to do all of the 'dirty' work.
Well, much as we would probably kill each other before the bears got a chance, I would still choose the Father of This Lot. He would be excellent at killing to eat and would probably be quite good on things to do with shelter, water and all those other details which I wouldn't even think of.
If it were possible, I would choose my dad, who I always hoped would still be around when the big bomb drops, on the grounds that I believe he could have re-established civilisation with two bits of wood and a coathanger...
I'm on catch up mode, Happy belated birthday, and yes, it is true, Sagittarius's adore you.
You couldn't get me into the Alaskan wild for a million dollars. I would love to watch someone else do it though.
Definitely hubby. He's dependable, reliable, clever and strong. He would whine a bit too much about all the hard work, but he'd keep me in protein!
It would definitely be my brother, The Man and my nephew. Safe safe safe.
My husband, no doubt. We work very well together, travel well together, love well together, and never get sick of each other. Except when I have to poop. Then I want to be alone, thanks.
Well, I am so hoping that you would pick me, of course...as I would pick you and my son. He knows how to work a compass and stuff...
If we can survive Andy Cox as a toddler...screw the bears!!!
"Can you help me remember how to smile?"
first of all, no WAY would i do this.
but if i HAD to? it would totally be wonderhubby. even if we drove each other nuts, he is the handiest guy ever. he can fix, build or scavange ANYTHING.
no contest.
WOW. The bears would keep me inside, I would not be very good at this. I would want to be with my brother Andy. He is one of my three brothers, but is such a worker, thinks outside the box and is a risk taker. Plus, I just enjoy his company. I would even work for him, just to try to keep up. Where do I sign up?
Peter, definitely. The hard part would be choosing other people beyond him. Nope, can't think of anyone I'd want to spend that much time with.
I'm a fairly fussy eater, but I think if the choices are survive or eat fish, I'd finally learn to eat fish. I draw the line at mushrooms, however.
I would probably be a candidate for that show...
I would absolutely take my family - my Mom, Dad and both of my brothers would be invaluable in those circumstances. I would not take my hubby (or the baby for that matter).
I've decided to do a post on the question rather than kidnap your comments. I seem to have a lot to say on the subject. :)
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