Fern also experienced vicious cyberbullying for most of her internet life, with trolls on Twitter relentlessly sending her hate comments and threats. Just a few examples of the hundreds of messages written include: ‘I know where you live, I’m coming to find you’, or ‘delete your account you ugly cow’. This sent Fern into a state of depression – which only a radical move could cure. 

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Enter…disconnection. After enduring years of internet addiction and hate mail, Fern decided to cut technology completely out of her life. And this doesn’t just mean her phone. Her laptop, Tv, headphones, Hairdryer, electric toothbrush etc all slowly started being phased out – Fern wanting nothing to do with any of it. She describes her parents immediate reaction as being ‘relieved to see me happier, but also incredibly confused and frustrated. Because I cut out many of the things that made life easier, it took me hours to get ready for school in the morning, and I often missed the bus. I don’t like technological transport anyway…I don’t even use it now!’ Fern’s parents questioned the extreme measures that she implemented, but they hadn’t seen anything yet…

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Slowly Fern started to adapt to the ‘wild lifestyle’ or as wild as we can call it considering she still lived in a house. This included making her own clothes (Knitting and sewing them…by HAND!), not using the oven, not using the dishwasher, and trying to connect with herself more away from ‘all the corruptive technology’. ‘This was very easy for me…which is why I decided to move out of my house all together and live in a forest. I wanted to be completely disconnected’. She made the move two years ago – building a shelter using hand carved wood and woven leaves – one that’s surprisingly sturdy and dependable. Fern uses the stream behind her house to provide water, and purifies it everyday, whilst living off natural food sources such as berries and corn. This may sound like a strange lifestyle to you, (it certainly does for her parents who come to visit her once a week) but Fern insists it’s the best decision she’s ever made. ‘There’s a whole group of us all living like this around the UK. Obviously we all lead very separate lives, but I know of a few clusters of ‘off-gridders’ who live together. Many of those clusters perform cult activities though – like worshiping sacred goats and tree’s. I've also heard that one of the most prominent clusters performed a human sacrifice before, covering the body in pigs blood before offering it to the Gods…’

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Fern urges all readers here at Being to consider trying to cut down on Internet usage – stating that were in an ‘epidemic of internet addiction’. This has been reflected in many DM’s sent to our Instagram page (@beingmagazine), readers stating that on average they spend about 9 hours a day on their phones. ‘technology is a big part of my life, however sometimes I wish it never even existed’ one reader summarising. The growth in Internet usage has only been worsened by lockdown, with screens often acting as the only mode of connection for months at a time.

 

 

Obviously, there is no need to go to Fern’s extremes. Her methods of foraging for food aren’t for everyone… however, she raises some important and interesting points when discussing this problem that’s widely affecting our young readership. Later on in our correspondence with Fern, she even went as far to say that most people SHOULD try to live by her standards! We certainly wouldn’t want to live in a forest, so we created an Insta poll to gain our followers opinions.

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The majority replied that they would under no circumstances like to live self-sufficiently and off the grid, one reader stating ‘It would be WAY to hard, I need my phone and car etc to connect with my friends!’. Others wondered about the practicality of living like this – a few having new-born children and new jobs to attend to.

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However, about 10 replies stated that they wouldn’t mind the lifestyle, due to its disconnection and tranquillity. The peaceful nature of Fern’s life and the lack of ‘normal’ responsibilities seemed to offer an escape for some readers, many of whom are dealing with exam stress and graduation pressure.

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So we’ll leave it up to you! Do you think Fern’s lifestyle sounds appealing – or would you avoid it at all costs. She states her shelter is ‘everything I need’ – a humble message that perhaps doesn’t align with many aspects of our modern lives.

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