Living in isolation ????
 

Just got back from Spain on Monday night....17 glorious days, temperatures sometimes in the mid thirties, and even the strong Levante that blew for two and a half days couldn't spoil it... we just found a cove beneath some cliffs and were well protected.
The I logged on to BE and amidst all the useful info and discussion was all the usual moaning and groaning. Now we don't have a TV in Spain, never buy the English papers. Apart from our Spanish neighbout telling us about the controlled explosions in London and the very wet weather we ignore what's happening at home. Never even knew that GB was the new PM until the last day talking to some Swedes on the beach.
Can one sustain this long term if one is living over in Spain?? Would it make everyone happier and less moany ???

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Its very easy not to get too involved, just don't care. It is in the British blood to be political and talk about the weather, but its the measure a person if they allow what goes on to effect them in any way.

Just don't buy any papers if you don't want, but I bet it wont last, we are a nosy breed and you will need to know eventually.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

There's a big difference between being on holiday in a place and living there full time.

I wouldn't mind shutting the world off for a week, but wouldn't like to live 100% of the time in ignorance of what was happening in the world...

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

You can't avoid it ...... I was in Corfu when the twin towers went down. We walked into a coffee shop .... I looked up and I thought I was watching a film on the TV in there as there was no sound. It turned out not to be a film.

I agree, its noce to shut yourself off for a while, but you need to knwow ahts going on in the big bad world

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

But do we really ???? On a daily basis ?? I am not sure. If one is working, running a business etc then maybe.... Are we manipulated by the media into thinking we need to be kept informed, so they and the advertisers can manipulate us ??
Problem is that anyone who can offer us an opinion in support of my post is not likely to be logged into the BE forum, but is contemplating the sky and the sea as we sit in front of our PCs.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Its why we log on to this forum and the internet.

To see what's going on in your places of interest.

Having said that, I have been out of the country on many occassions and have been cut off from all contact with the UK for months at a time. You do get used to it.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

No, we don’t absolutely NEED to be kept informed. You won’t stop breathing!!

But it’s part of being a fully rounded, educated adult that you want to understand the world around you. I personally don’t want to live in ignorance.

And it's not an either or question. I like to read the paper. I also like to look at the sea and sky!!

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

what he said:thumbup:

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

......and after a while you start to take an interest in in what is going on in the country you live in & the rest of the world...........

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Well there is more than one way of taking an interest in the world around you.
Does not watching or caring about Big Brother denote a lack of interest in the world about you ?? Or the minutiae of the happenings in the various political parties ?? For two weeks I was mainly engrossed in the soil of my garden, the local food, the feeding habits of the owl who swooped on my neighbours gheckos. Do we really need to be continously updated with news reports ?? Leave ourselves open to the manipulation of advertisers??
I lived quite happily without the internet or television or radio or newspapers for a fortnight, and could have kept going for longer. I focused on different aspects of life. I am not proposing we all become total recluses and become hermits in a cave.. therein lies madness... but wonder how much we can do without. Weaning myself off BE forum, or rationing myself to dipping in once a week is my next objective...

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

[QUOTE=poollounger;5044227]Well there is more than one way of taking an interest in the world around you.
Does not watching or caring about Big Brother denote a lack of interest in the world about you ?? Or the minutiae of the happenings in the various political parties ?? For two weeks I was mainly engrossed in the soil of my garden, the local food, the feeding habits of the owl who swooped on my neighbours gheckos. Do we really need to be continously updated with news reports ?? Leave ourselves open to the manipulation of advertisers??
I lived quite happily without the internet or television or radio or newspapers for a fortnight, and could have kept going for longer. I focused on different aspects of life. I am not proposing we all become total recluses and become hermits in a cave.. therein lies madness... but wonder how much we can do without. Weaning myself off BE forum, or rationing myself to dipping in once a week is my next objective...[/QUOTE]


I think you should go cold turkey.:)

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

You know the next step is wearing sandals, smoking weed, selling all your worldly possessions and giving the money to the cat protection league and living in a dark cave eating grubs and berries.


It didn't work for Mitzy, wont work for you.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

No, we don’t, you’re right. Even less so with the obsessive, quick, let’s get information out as soon as possible before we have any idea what is happening – indicative of internet news and 24 hour news stations. Breaking News, We’ve no idea, let’s speculate!

How would you find out about what’s happening in the world (outside the 20 metres around you!) though if you didn’t pick up a newspaper, watch tv, listen to the radio or log on? Sometimes it just seems a blur, but there’s important things happening out there and we should know about it.

The best thing about the terrible quality of Spanish tv, is that I now watch considerably less! Stuff like big brother turns me off. And I’d far rather be off looking at owls eating geckos just now, unfortunately I have to be at my computer for work reasons! So, you’re stuck with my comments for today I’m afraid!!

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

well I practically lived in isolation for 2 years, maybe went to the shop/beach once a week. My weekly treat was a trip to mercadona...I found it messed with my brain and messed up my mental health.


But cool others may like that life!

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Think the OP was more talking about isolating oneself from the greater world, not just being isolated.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

I was isolated from the greater world, I had no electricty, internet, phone, newspapers, sometimes no car...pretty isolated from outside world

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Yeah OK.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Not surprised your name is glad 2 b back then!

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Seriously?

Can't imagine that wasn't self-imposed if it were the case. Unless of course you're Alan Johnstone?

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

It did get quite boring;) and it did mess up my mental health. I was always stressed out to the limit.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

but was that after a certain period of time - was it ok for a while?

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

No it wasn't self imposed, when we moved there we were told that there was electricity and shown underground cables to prove it!, then we noticed a telephone cable 50 metres away so thought no probs, called out telefonica they wouldn't connect as that line was for the 'outside' huh! never could undertand that one especially as my spanish neighbour had a landline.

I can't drive yet, so when OH was working I was stuck unless I ventured out to walk along the death trap road, which was quite scary and sometimes we had a lot of car trouble... a lot, my oh used to say we were the griswalds, I just put it down to plain old murphys law.

But then people think living in the country being at one with nature is so idylic, and it is for a while..I just found it boring in the end.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

we had a lot of ups and downs, sometimes I'd be on top of the world, loving it, country walks etc at other times I'd be in deep despair.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Research, research, research!;)

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

couldn't agree more............oh wait, its you.........................I don't agree!

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

I did plenty of that, I had already been living in Spain for 3 years before moving inland and had visited the area tons of times. We had friends who lived out there, who incidentely have left.

In the end it was fine, rd access is great, train nearby, electric connected, internet connected, At that stage I had just had enough.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

:D

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Ok one last reply then I am getting off here. I didn't mean isolation, as Rugby correctly says...just not being so involved with the minutiae of the news channels and popular television etc. After all how many of the British population really know what is going on in politics and the greater world??
They just get manipulated all the time. My semi-ignorance of the last two weeks was a welcome relief.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

I know just how you feel, every now and then I just don't have any contact at all with any news/currant affairs.

It gets me down sometimes, and I am the worse for hating consumerism.

Basically PL, if you don't want to be drawn into the whole ball game then just don't be, simple as.

You will be a better man for it in my opinion.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Sorry, I love it. I want to know what is going on in the world around me and I am a political animal. Would hate to be cut off and I am intelligent enough to know what is garbage or not. Mind you there is a lot of the latter at the end of the road today being blown around in the Levante! I have just written my first complaint letter to Sevillana in Spanish. Wonder if I will get a reply!

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

P.S. Can´t wait for the American elections. Brilliant fun.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

ooh when is that? (sorry:o) Can Bush be voted in for another term or is he only allowed 2, I hope he goes.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

No, HE'S OUT!!!!!!!!!!! Adios, cabron, hijoputaaaaaaa!

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

I think he will come to Spain after elections for a tour of conferences.. jajajajajaja

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Unfortunately, his little texan friend's party looks like it'll be back in in spain.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

I think PL would be proud of the ironic twist this thread has taken!

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Well I get caught up in it as well, but don't you think it is really an awful waste of time ??? Do we ever really know what is going on in the world of politics ?? Hell we do... I remember my mother in her seventies getting very animated about goings on.....she was so far removed and couldn't have any effect on what she was concerned with. Then I suppose they would get away with even more if they weren't being watched closely.
My point is that we spend two weeks away, not caring what was happening, and actually not very much has really changed in that time. Here at home it's let's have the news every night at 10, and I am beginning to wonder why.
Let's just have a precis of the previous five or so years just before election time so we know who to vote for.......and even that will be manipulated.

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

especially as most news reports are so focused on whats happening in the Capital anyway!if you don't live in London most of its not relevant

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Good for your Mother....remember it was only a short time ago that women got the vote and prior to that only land owning men. I also remember that it was only in the sixties (think I have got that right) that women were allowed to vote in Switzerland.

Mind you if I hear one more report about Posh & Becks arriving in Los Angeles I won´t be responsible for my actions!

Re: Living in isolation ????
 

Also Poollounger, I can understand you wanting to get away and communicate with nature for a couple of weeks but when you live here you do miss things like the theatre (okay so we have Chiclana theatre but NOT quite the same as the West End or equivalent), exhibitions, concerts, and of course SHOPPING!!!!!! Of course the best thing would be if you had the money to just jump on a plane and like a junkie "get your fix" but unfortunately it´s not that easy when on a fixed income. On a personal basis I would love to go back to the UK for a two or three months a year and have a job and then I believe I would appreciate more the "retirement life" I have here.