“Primitive Technology is a hobby where you make things in the wild completely from scratch using no modern tools or materials. This is the strict rule. If you want a fire — use fire sticks, an axe — pick up a stone and shape it, a hut — build one from trees, mud, rocks etc. The challenge is seeing how far you can go without modern technology. If this hobby interests you then this blog might be what you are looking for.”
Taken from the Primitive Technology website
And the 350 million views on his youtube channel clearly show that it does interest a lot of people. I was baffled that such unusual content draws an audience like this. What is it that makes this man’s unlikely hobby so fascinating? It’s obviously not for practical reasons. The craftsmanship on display is truly superb but the real draw runs much deeper. Watching this man quietly go about his work is therapy. In our exhausting world everything screams for your attention, but these videos are a haven of tranquility and connectedness. They don’t try to lure you into the all too known vortex of dullness. The strict no-bullshit approach offers relief for modern primates who live in a world beyond comprehension. Here everything is so relatable, the challenge so easy to understand, the result a serene feeling of satisfaction.
Make sure to revisit these two posts if you like this kind of experiments:
Henry David Thoreau’s Walden / Alone in the Wilderness
Forge BLower
Tiled Roof Hut
Woven bark fiber
