I remember years ago there was a brief discussion with someone who discovered my blog and was curious to hear how I managed to establish my life outside the monetary system. Huh. I'd guess this pattern of perception works both ways; we see something which seems a bit different from our own ordinary sphere of life, and we immediately assume it must be something totally different (either in good or bad - I've also had a number of discussions with people who are convinced that I'm totally brainwashed by some evil propaganda, simply because in their own sphere someone influential said that European people are like that, not like us, but totally different, brainwashed non-persons). Or, seeing an idyllic picture of producing food and firewood by manual labor, and instantly assuming "wow! this person does not need any money!". And the other way is some people presenting their own life as romanticized idyll of Shangri-La - because that is how you get followers? Or it somehow boosts your ego to feel admired by a mass of random spectators? I don't know, I really don't know. See, my life is pretty ordinary, and today it meant working at the office to earn money to pay bills, feeling slightly bored yet at the same time thankful that I have work for otherwise I'd be deep in trouble. For the most part, life is shades or common-place, mixed with various elements of normality, a hint of boredom with occasional trace of excitement, sometimes a moderate mess of conflicting emotions - and I have feeling that it is probably like this for most of us?