When the movie Castaway came out, I watched a TV program that discussed what Chuck Noland did right to survive such as have a volleyball to talk to. What I want to discuss is that Chuck did not open the last package. The fact he decided to deliver that package in person upped his level of motivation, maybe even gave him more of a reason to survive.

Has anyone heard of this before or something similar? How can this be applied to a real-life situation?

Jeanette Isabelle

A good many commentators on the phenomenon of survival mention that 'will to survive" is the most important factor in eventual success, often citing examples of both success and failure.

Whatever circumstance motivates one to survive can possibly work, but there are no guarantees. It might not be a good idea to sleep below deck on a dive boat, for instance.

Do not confuse techniques with principles. Principles always apply, but there are many techniques to apply a principle. As Hikermor said, the principle was will to survive, or purpose. The box was the technique.

Maybe what I am going to say is "awkwardly" close. Whatever that means. There were times of extreme pressure , anxiety, and depression. Add disappointments in the mix, plus a few health issues that makes a person even doubts himself and his abilities to face stuff when no one around was caring enough or knowledgeable enough to be helpful enough.

Well, believe it or not, my EDC bag became the 'volleyball' of my life for that period. It was the only thing that I would be confident enough to have what it needs to get sh*t done. Well, everyone of the EDC folks can say that , but in times of extreme psychological pressures, you may just have a bit more attachment to that "thing" than merely a container for useful stuff. Indeed , I call it now "companion bag" since it has become my companion ( and to a lesser extent, the EDC culture is not known in my corner of the world).

Yep. My companion bag is so close to me that I was saddened to see a few marks of aging, and was upset that I didn't buy all 4 similar bags I saw in a store a few years back. It's nothing fancy. Price is equivalent to U.S.$ 5-6, but really really worth it.

Perhaps now is the right time to get to my motivation for the original post. I don't need a volleyball. I have people in my life.

What I need is a package to deliver in person or a similar goal. For me, it's passing my story down to the next person, whatever time and plain of existence he or she may be. To do so, I need a story to pass down. I have one; I have not updated it in ten years. In any case, updated or not, I believe the desire to achieve that goal will help me through difficult times.

Jeanette Isabelle

Castaway - what's in the box?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyp5UQdtQGw

What if you were stranded in Antartica and your only companion was a robot rather than on a deserted island with a volleyball for a companion? Could you survive? If you are a climatologist who knows how to MacGuiver an endothermic blaster, then yes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tjcm_kI0n0

Jeanette Isabelle

If we are talking about Antarctica, there is no need to resort to fantasy. Just look at the expeditions of Robert Scott and Ernest Shackelton for real life examples, one successful and the other not so much...

"Scott for scientific method, Amundsen for speed and efficiency but when disaster strikes and all hope is gone, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton" (from Wikipedia)

Andof course there are many more real life examples

Hmmm...guess I've never actually seen the movie. Sounds like an interesting film.

I too thought this was a movie. No, it's a game.

Jeanette Isabelle