I had a friend of mine make a gift for you from me and my wife. I was going to keep it a secret until I sent it to you but it turned out to be so funny I thought I would share it with you now. I had him make a sign that said if the van is a Rockin don't come a-knockin which was really funny but then he added your motto on to the bottom of it that says love yourself so...... so I'm guessing you can see the problem with the wording on that sign LOL.... after it's finished I'll mail it out to you....
Really cool! (I need to stop reading the comments, people obsess over the most trivial stuff) I really didn't think you could come up with a better design than your last but this looks great!
You have that van thing going on good, I am starting to feel guilty for throwing Astro's and Safari's out of the fleet pool. But on the other hand maybe they end up going to good owners also. Nice work!
Hey Man! You could wire up the lights to the USB power next to the cigarette sockets as it is also 5V. Either do this by soldering it on or cutting open an old USB cable and connecting the Ground and Neutral. Hope this helped! Loving the videos dude, Peace!
Looks like a really nice wire job, though the fairly loose battery is a concern. Why not build a box to hold it in place...maybe attach the box to the floor with L brackets that can be unscrewed easily if you need to service the battery.
Which battery did you go with and why did you choose that one? Does it give off any toxic fumes etc? Trying to do my electric this week and I can't decide on the battery type and safety
I had those lights once and they quit on me after a few days. I think it was my fault though. I think I pinched the wire in two trying to hang them. I have some new ones that stay on constant but haven't gotten around to installing them yet.
You should also put an on/off switch to the aux battery in case there is a short/fire or for trouble-shooting. I highly recommend this one: amzn.to/2j3uSP0
What happens to that 70 pound battery if you are in an accident? You should bolt it down through the floor at the minimum. I have seen what happens and it is a bad thing trust me. It is real important.
I saw a little 6 pound cooler become a cannon ball, my son had a small cooler with a bottle of water and sandwich in it, it went through the front window. Almost took his head off!
Linemen for 12 years and Electrician for 6. Almost everything you did looks sound from what I could tell (obvious limited). The reason it appears you connectors look like they are sliding down (or up) is they are "growing" as in when you crimp it pushes the copper or whatever metal it is away from the squeeze. Very common. One I thing I do often in boats is toss a quick connect / disconnect on your ground side so you can rapidly disconnect the circuit but usually those things were running 3-4 big batteries with a ton of solar and stuff I doubt you got or need. Anyone love the content and the van. Live free.
Static electricity from the carpet generates upwards of 50,000 volts; there is not enough amperage to kill you though. It is not voltage (electrical pressure) that kills, but amperage (electrical quantity or current). It is a good rule of thumb that half an amp can kill you so it is good practice to work with only one hand at a time so the current doesn't travel across the heart if both hands are used thereby completing the electrical circuit. There isn't much more one needs to know when simply working with power that is relatively safe other than a few useful formulas for calculating what kinds of factors are in the given electrical scenario. As for the 12V to 5V conversion, you'll need to consult Ohm's law to determine how big of a resistor you need. Keep in mind that if the current (amperage from the power supply) ever changes, then you will need to recalculate at that time. I also recommend you look into voltage regulators because they will help give you a cleaner solution. Keep it simple, and keep exploring the mystery...that's where all the answers reside.
Most things I can find by doing a few Google searches and watching a few UA-cam videos. But I'm left with no choice here: Do battery isolators naturally prevent batteries from overcharging? If not, how do you prevent that from happening? I've been trying to figure out how to safely wire my solar battery to the alternator for a verrry long time. This is the final question I need to answer before I go for it. Crossing my fingers now.
+Aaron the Anarchist the voltage regulator does that. Most newer vehicles its built into the alternator. Isolators have nothing to do with regulation, they only open and close circuits
That's sooooo good to read. For a while there, I was worried that I might have to get a 2nd charge controller or something weird like that. AwesomeSauce. Then it's decided. I'm making it happen! Thx for the info m8. I also enjoyed your new conversion series. Lots of helpful content in there. Keep on rockin' in the free world & delving into the mystery.
+Mike Haverstick I believe you. It has three meanings. First I left on my original trip on Friday the 13th, secondly into the mystery was already taken, third it was an ironic take on 14 being unlucky and proven it wrong by taking control of my own destiny
+wojtek0000 so that it's hidden. Be careful that it doesn't get damaged and short out. Proper fusing should prevent that. You'll still have to pull your floor to fix the problem
Most of the power outlets I will have will be sticking out from the bed frame and counters. I don't see how I would be running wires on the floor. Most outlets will be coming out of the walls and so wiring will only run behind the walls and ceilings. I have yet to draw out where everything will go so maybe that's why I'm still 'in the dark' about this;)
All wires I will have I was going to run through the inside of my walls or through the bed frame and counters/tables. Do wires have to run under the floor? Maybe I'm missing something.
That's a parallel circuit you wired the outlets in, not series. This appears to be common mistake on UA-cam videos. Components of an electrical circuit or electronic circuit can be connected in many different ways. The two simplest of these are called series and parallel and occur frequently. Components connected in series are connected along a single path, so the same current flows through all of the components.[1][2] Components connected in parallel are connected along multiple paths, so the same voltage is applied to each component.[
@Into_The_Mystery_13 right, that's why they make 100 different types of auto crimps & tons of "variety terminal kits". I think "heat shrink tubing" might be considered the soldering equivalent in vehicles, though not literally. That would be a good idear here though, for sure.
+RippSnortin' not this design, yet. I want to see how it holds up first. The other designs are good to go though and available on my website www.intothemystery13.com/shop
Love your channel but this video was not much help at all. Although I know how to wire the isolator etc. this would not be much help to a newbie. You talked a lot and crimped a couple of connectors. Maybe showing more of the actual components and a wiring diagram would offer much more clarity. Just a friendly suggestion. Again, I enjoy your channel. ✌🏼️
Have you seen what PC builders are doing for sleeving? If you have any wiring that will be visible, it'd make it look great. Pic here: img.techpowerup.org/121031/Capture199.jpg (or google 'pc sleeving'). Don't need much more than some 550 paracord (really cheap), some shrink wrap, a razor blade and a lighter.
It should be in an isolated area or in a box just in case something metal like a tray or pole is put on top of the battery and short it out. Also, please tell us you did a better job of securing it, like bolting it down through the floor of the van.
Still should use a plastic battery box, with venting, even though it is AGM. Plastic battery boxes prevent acid from getting onto your van if the battery pops. Venting the battery box prevent the battery box popping when your battery does.
Dear Jed, You ask advice: ah, what a very human and very dangerous thing to do! For to give advice to a man who asks what to do with his life implies something very close to egomania. To presume to point a man to the right and ultimate goal - to point with a trembling finger in the RIGHT direction is something only a fool would take upon himself. I am not a fool, but I respect your sincerity in asking my advice. I ask you though, in listening to what I say, to remember that all advice can only be a product of the man who gives it. What is truth to one may be disaster to another. I do not see life through your eyes, nor you through mine. If I were to attempt to give you specific advice, it would be too much like the blind leading the blind. “To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles … ” (Shakespeare) And indeed, that IS the question: whether to float with the tide, or to swim for a goal. It is a choice we must all make consciously or unconsciously at one time in our lives. So few people understand this! Think of any decision you’ve ever made which had a bearing on your future: I may be wrong, but I don’t see how it could have been anything but a choice however indirect - between the two things I’ve mentioned: the floating or the swimming. But why not float if you have no goal? That is another question. It is unquestionably better to enjoy the floating than to swim in uncertainty. So how does a man find a goal? Not a castle in the stars, but a real and tangible thing. How can a man be sure he’s not after the “big rock candy mountain,” the enticing sugar-candy goal that has little taste and no substance? The answer - and, in a sense, the tragedy of life - is that we seek to understand the goal and not the man. We set up a goal which demands of us certain things: and we do these things. We adjust to the demands of a concept which CANNOT be valid. When you were young, let us say that you wanted to be a fireman. I feel reasonably safe in saying that you no longer want to be a fireman. Why? Because your perspective has changed. It’s not the fireman who has changed, but you. Every man is the sum total of his reactions to experience. As your experiences differ and multiply, you become a different man, and hence your perspective changes. This goes on and on. Every reaction is a learning process; every significant experience alters your perspective. So it would seem foolish, would it not, to adjust our lives to the demands of a goal we see from a different angle every day? How could we ever hope to accomplish anything other than galloping neurosis? The answer, then, must not deal with goals at all, or not with tangible goals, anyway. It would take reams of paper to develop this subject to fulfillment. God only knows how many books have been written on “the meaning of man” and that sort of thing, and god only knows how many people have pondered the subject. (I use the term “god only knows” purely as an expression.) There’s very little sense in my trying to give it up to you in the proverbial nutshell, because I’m the first to admit my absolute lack of qualifications for reducing the meaning of life to one or two paragraphs. I’m going to steer clear of the word “existentialism,” but you might keep it in mind as a key of sorts. You might also try something called “Being and Nothingness” by Jean-Paul Sartre, and another little thing called “Existentialism: From Dostoyevsky to Sartre.” These are merely suggestions. If you’re genuinely satisfied with what you are and what you’re doing, then give those books a wide berth. (Let sleeping dogs lie.) But back to the answer. As I said, to put our faith in tangible goals would seem to be, at best, unwise. So we do not strive to be firemen, we do not strive to be bankers, nor policemen, nor doctors.WE STRIVE TO BE OURSELVES. But don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean that we can’t BE firemen, bankers, or doctors - but that we must make the goal conform to the individual, rather than make the individual conform to the goal. In every man, heredity and environment have combined to produce a creature of certain abilities and desires - including a deeply ingrained need to function in such a way that his life will be MEANINGFUL. A man has to BE something; he has to matter. As I see it then, the formula runs something like this: a man must choose a path which will let his ABILITIES function at maximum efficiency toward the gratification of his DESIRES. In doing this, he is fulfilling a need (giving himself identity by functioning in a set pattern toward a set goal), he avoids frustrating his potential (choosing a path which puts no limit on his self-development), and he avoids the terror of seeing his goal wilt or lose its charm as he draws closer to it (rather than bending himself to meet the demands of that which he seeks, he has bent his goal to conform to his own abilities and desires). In short, he has not dedicated his life to reaching a pre-defined goal, but he has rather chosen a way of life he KNOWS he will enjoy. The goal is absolutely secondary: it is the functioning toward the goal which is important. And it seems almost ridiculous to say that a man MUST function in a pattern of his own choosing; for to let another man define your own goals is to give up one of the most meaningful aspects of life - the definitive act of will which makes a man an individual. Let’s assume that you think you have a choice of eight paths to follow (all pre-defined paths, of course). And let’s assume that you can’t see any real purpose in any of the eight. THEN - and here is the essence of all I’ve said - you MUST FIND A NINTH PATH. Naturally, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. You’ve lived a relatively narrow life, a vertical rather than a horizontal existence. So it isn’t any too difficult to understand why you seem to feel the way you do. But a man who procrastinates in his CHOOSING will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance. So if you now number yourself among the disenchanted, then you have no choice but to accept things as they are, or to seriously seek something else. But beware of looking for goals: look for a way of life. Decide how you want to live and then see what you can do to make a living WITHIN that way of life. But you say, “I don’t know where to look; I don’t know what to look for.” And there’s the crux. Is it worth giving up what I have to look for something better? I don’t know - is it? Who can make that decision but you? But even by DECIDING TO LOOK, you go a long way toward making the choice. If I don’t call this to a halt, I’m going to find myself writing a book. I hope it’s not as confusing as it looks at first glance. Keep in mind, of course, that this is MY WAY of looking at things. I happen to think that it’s pretty generally applicable, but you may not. Each of us has to create our own credo - this merely happens to be mine. If any part of it doesn’t seem to make sense, by all means call it to my attention. I’m not trying to send you out “on the road” in search of Valhalla, but merely pointing out that it is not necessary to accept the choices handed down to you by life as you know it. There is more to it than that - no one HAS to do something he doesn’t want to do for the rest of his life. But then again, if that’s what you wind up doing, by all means convince yourself that you HAD to do it. You’ll have lots of company. And that’s it for now. Until I hear from you again, I remain, Your friend, Hunter S. Thompson
Interesting timing! Swimming or floating has been a major theme in my life lately. I think there is a balance between the two that can be achieved. In my life, I am faced with this decision constantly rather than once you as you said. Sometimes it's more of an emergency, other times I forget it's even there. I appreciate how you elaborated on the goal of being authentic versus sacrificing authenticity to mold yourself to a goal. What you are pointing to is exactly what this channel is a manifestation of. Let me know when you're done with this book, I'd be happy to read it.
The work he remains best known for, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream (1971), constitutes a rumination on the failure of the 1960s counterculture movement. It was first serialized in Rolling Stone, a magazine with which Thompson would be long associated, and was released as a film starring Johnny Depp and directed by Terry Gilliam in 1998.
You can use a 5volt voltage regulator to convert your 12volt source down to 5volts www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/How-to-connect-a-voltage-regulator-in-a-circuit
need some help this is the first time im doing this i been doing alot of research and need help figuring this out how big of a battery bank "ah" wise ill be using a isolator due to me driving almost every day ill be putting in my van some led lights i have my laptop to charge my cell phone, maybe a drill battery to charge maybe a jump pack also to charge but i want to put in the smallest microwave i can find witch walmart has a 700 watt and a plug in cooler like this www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-40-Quart-PowerChill-Thermoelectric-Cooler-with-Power-Cord-Black-Silver/21156022#read-more , im very knowledgeable in soldering and wiring but never done something this big before but once i figure out witch inverter and battery or batteries i need ill probably start on it, so any help will be very helpful
Thanks for this video! I am thinking about doing this in my van and I cant decide if I want to us the blue sea ACR and switch or the battery isolator and switch like you have. Can you tell me what made you choose the Stinger Battery Isolator over a VSR or ACR? Here's the ACR I mentioned: smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RZNP5K/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1YUR915BM42I1 Here is the VSR I am also looking at: www.amazon.com/Battery-Smart-Isolator-KeyLine-Chargers/dp/B00WTAFR84/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487800084&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=VSR&psc=1
I had a friend of mine make a gift for you from me and my wife. I was going to keep it a secret until I sent it to you but it turned out to be so funny I thought I would share it with you now. I had him make a sign that said if the van is a Rockin don't come a-knockin which was really funny but then he added your motto on to the bottom of it that says love yourself so...... so I'm guessing you can see the problem with the wording on that sign LOL.... after it's finished I'll mail it out to you....
+Carl Freeman hahahahahahahahaha that's awesome!
Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!
Lights look great! I watched your Q&A earlier in the week and they added superb mood lighting. Very warm feeling.
I really like the vibe you got going in the van now dude! Really chill.
Really cool! (I need to stop reading the comments, people obsess over the most trivial stuff) I really didn't think you could come up with a better design than your last but this looks great!
Thanks for this video. I am running an isolator from now on!
great I've learned a few things middle of converting my iveco daily into a motor caravan thank you keep up the videos:-)
You have that van thing going on good, I am starting to feel guilty for throwing Astro's and Safari's out of the fleet pool. But on the other hand maybe they end up going to good owners also. Nice work!
Hey Man! You could wire up the lights to the USB power next to the cigarette sockets as it is also 5V. Either do this by soldering it on or cutting open an old USB cable and connecting the Ground and Neutral. Hope this helped! Loving the videos dude, Peace!
Down here in the South, when we don't know the name of something, we just call it a doo-hickey !!!!Thanks for the video !!!
Awesome. I'm gonna need this video in a few days...oh I like this color shirt better than yesterdays. Nice merchandise!
Looks like a really nice wire job, though the fairly loose battery is a concern. Why not build a box to hold it in place...maybe attach the box to the floor with L brackets that can be unscrewed easily if you need to service the battery.
yes. need to secure the battery. box it and lock it!
Which battery did you go with and why did you choose that one? Does it give off any toxic fumes etc? Trying to do my electric this week and I can't decide on the battery type and safety
What size fuse did you use for the wire that goes from the isolator to the battery?
Thanks for the attempt. good luck
I had those lights once and they quit on me after a few days. I think it was my fault though. I think I pinched the wire in two trying to hang them. I have some new ones that stay on constant but haven't gotten around to installing them yet.
You should also put an on/off switch to the aux battery in case there is a short/fire or for trouble-shooting. I highly recommend this one: amzn.to/2j3uSP0
What happens to that 70 pound battery if you are in an accident? You should bolt it down through the floor at the minimum. I have seen what happens and it is a bad thing trust me. It is real important.
I saw a little 6 pound cooler become a cannon ball, my son had a small cooler with a bottle of water and sandwich in it, it went through the front window. Almost took his head off!
Linemen for 12 years and Electrician for 6. Almost everything you did looks sound from what I could tell (obvious limited). The reason it appears you connectors look like they are sliding down (or up) is they are "growing" as in when you crimp it pushes the copper or whatever metal it is away from the squeeze. Very common. One I thing I do often in boats is toss a quick connect / disconnect on your ground side so you can rapidly disconnect the circuit but usually those things were running 3-4 big batteries with a ton of solar and stuff I doubt you got or need.
Anyone love the content and the van. Live free.
I want to buy a Ford Transit-350 High Roof Ext Cab and live in there full time. How much would you charge for wiring for my TV and playstation 4?
Are you in San Diego county?
very good vid man thanks
looks good!
Static electricity from the carpet generates upwards of 50,000 volts; there is not enough amperage to kill you though. It is not voltage (electrical pressure) that kills, but amperage (electrical quantity or current). It is a good rule of thumb that half an amp can kill you so it is good practice to work with only one hand at a time so the current doesn't travel across the heart if both hands are used thereby completing the electrical circuit. There isn't much more one needs to know when simply working with power that is relatively safe other than a few useful formulas for calculating what kinds of factors are in the given electrical scenario. As for the 12V to 5V conversion, you'll need to consult Ohm's law to determine how big of a resistor you need. Keep in mind that if the current (amperage from the power supply) ever changes, then you will need to recalculate at that time. I also recommend you look into voltage regulators because they will help give you a cleaner solution. Keep it simple, and keep exploring the mystery...that's where all the answers reside.
yes. my electrician friend told me to keep one hand in your pocket.
Most things I can find by doing a few Google searches and watching a few UA-cam videos. But I'm left with no choice here: Do battery isolators naturally prevent batteries from overcharging? If not, how do you prevent that from happening? I've been trying to figure out how to safely wire my solar battery to the alternator for a verrry long time. This is the final question I need to answer before I go for it. Crossing my fingers now.
+Aaron the Anarchist the voltage regulator does that. Most newer vehicles its built into the alternator. Isolators have nothing to do with regulation, they only open and close circuits
That's sooooo good to read. For a while there, I was worried that I might have to get a 2nd charge controller or something weird like that. AwesomeSauce. Then it's decided. I'm making it happen! Thx for the info m8. I also enjoyed your new conversion series. Lots of helpful content in there. Keep on rockin' in the free world & delving into the mystery.
+Aaron the Anarchist hell yeah man!
Awesome! (And I have a lot to learn). hehe
+George McVlog we all do :)
hi on the light what are 5v just put a usb plug on them
what dose the 13 stand for and I'm not stupid.
+Mike Haverstick I believe you. It has three meanings. First I left on my original trip on Friday the 13th, secondly into the mystery was already taken, third it was an ironic take on 14 being unlucky and proven it wrong by taking control of my own destiny
I heard some people say to do wiring before you lay floor down. Why would I want to put wires under plywood?
+wojtek0000 so that it's hidden. Be careful that it doesn't get damaged and short out. Proper fusing should prevent that. You'll still have to pull your floor to fix the problem
Most of the power outlets I will have will be sticking out from the bed frame and counters. I don't see how I would be running wires on the floor. Most outlets will be coming out of the walls and so wiring will only run behind the walls and ceilings. I have yet to draw out where everything will go so maybe that's why I'm still 'in the dark' about this;)
+wojtek0000 it's more for "fixed" wires, like from the fuse box to lights or fans or something on the other side of the van
All wires I will have I was going to run through the inside of my walls or through the bed frame and counters/tables. Do wires have to run under the floor? Maybe I'm missing something.
Love it thanks
That's a parallel circuit you wired the outlets in, not series. This appears to be common mistake on UA-cam videos. Components of an electrical circuit or electronic circuit can be connected in many different ways. The two simplest of these are called series and parallel and occur frequently. Components connected in series are connected along a single path, so the same current flows through all of the components.[1][2] Components connected in parallel are connected along multiple paths, so the same voltage is applied to each component.[
great videoooo
+MC ME thanks mang!
you should always solder the electrical connections
Not in a vehicle. Crimps resist vibration much better
@Into_The_Mystery_13 right, that's why they make 100 different types of auto crimps & tons of "variety terminal kits". I think "heat shrink tubing" might be considered the soldering equivalent in vehicles, though not literally. That would be a good idear here though, for sure.
Solder and dielectric grease are your friends Bro
I think if you run it through the USB port
it will knock it down to 5 volts
just guessing
dig the shirt. hook a brotha up lol
+RippSnortin' not this design, yet. I want to see how it holds up first. The other designs are good to go though and available on my website www.intothemystery13.com/shop
+Into The Mystery 13 lmk the verdict. if it passes I want one
Will do!
hot glue goes a long ways with them lights
Thanks for that idea. I was wondering how to rehang my led lights after they have been removed. :-)
Love your channel but this video was not much help at all. Although I know how to wire the isolator etc. this would not be much help to a newbie. You talked a lot and crimped a couple of connectors. Maybe showing more of the actual components and a wiring diagram would offer much more clarity. Just a friendly suggestion. Again, I enjoy your channel. ✌🏼️
I know more about diy from Avasva handbooks!
Have you seen what PC builders are doing for sleeving? If you have any wiring that will be visible, it'd make it look great. Pic here: img.techpowerup.org/121031/Capture199.jpg (or google 'pc sleeving'). Don't need much more than some 550 paracord (really cheap), some shrink wrap, a razor blade and a lighter.
USB is 5vdc get a 12vdc to usb adaptor
You should put it in a battery box and vent it :(
+George farnsworth its agm, not ventilation needed.
Oh that's good it looked like a car battery to me.
It should be in an isolated area or in a box just in case something metal like a tray or pole is put on top of the battery and short it out. Also, please tell us you did a better job of securing it, like bolting it down through the floor of the van.
Still should use a plastic battery box, with venting, even though it is AGM. Plastic battery boxes prevent acid from getting onto your van if the battery pops. Venting the battery box prevent the battery box popping when your battery does.
George farnsworth how to vent a house battery in a camper SUV
Dear Jed,
You ask advice: ah, what a very human and very dangerous thing to do! For to give advice to a man who asks what to do with his life implies something very close to egomania. To presume to point a man to the right and ultimate goal - to point with a trembling finger in the RIGHT direction is something only a fool would take upon himself.
I am not a fool, but I respect your sincerity in asking my advice. I ask you though, in listening to what I say, to remember that all advice can only be a product of the man who gives it. What is truth to one may be disaster to another. I do not see life through your eyes, nor you through mine. If I were to attempt to give you specific advice, it would be too much like the blind leading the blind.
“To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles … ” (Shakespeare)
And indeed, that IS the question: whether to float with the tide, or to swim for a goal. It is a choice we must all make consciously or unconsciously at one time in our lives. So few people understand this! Think of any decision you’ve ever made which had a bearing on your future: I may be wrong, but I don’t see how it could have been anything but a choice however indirect - between the two things I’ve mentioned: the floating or the swimming.
But why not float if you have no goal? That is another question. It is unquestionably better to enjoy the floating than to swim in uncertainty. So how does a man find a goal? Not a castle in the stars, but a real and tangible thing. How can a man be sure he’s not after the “big rock candy mountain,” the enticing sugar-candy goal that has little taste and no substance?
The answer - and, in a sense, the tragedy of life - is that we seek to understand the goal and not the man. We set up a goal which demands of us certain things: and we do these things. We adjust to the demands of a concept which CANNOT be valid. When you were young, let us say that you wanted to be a fireman. I feel reasonably safe in saying that you no longer want to be a fireman. Why? Because your perspective has changed. It’s not the fireman who has changed, but you. Every man is the sum total of his reactions to experience. As your experiences differ and multiply, you become a different man, and hence your perspective changes. This goes on and on. Every reaction is a learning process; every significant experience alters your perspective.
So it would seem foolish, would it not, to adjust our lives to the demands of a goal we see from a different angle every day? How could we ever hope to accomplish anything other than galloping neurosis?
The answer, then, must not deal with goals at all, or not with tangible goals, anyway. It would take reams of paper to develop this subject to fulfillment. God only knows how many books have been written on “the meaning of man” and that sort of thing, and god only knows how many people have pondered the subject. (I use the term “god only knows” purely as an expression.) There’s very little sense in my trying to give it up to you in the proverbial nutshell, because I’m the first to admit my absolute lack of qualifications for reducing the meaning of life to one or two paragraphs.
I’m going to steer clear of the word “existentialism,” but you might keep it in mind as a key of sorts. You might also try something called “Being and Nothingness” by Jean-Paul Sartre, and another little thing called “Existentialism: From Dostoyevsky to Sartre.” These are merely suggestions. If you’re genuinely satisfied with what you are and what you’re doing, then give those books a wide berth. (Let sleeping dogs lie.) But back to the answer. As I said, to put our faith in tangible goals would seem to be, at best, unwise. So we do not strive to be firemen, we do not strive to be bankers, nor policemen, nor doctors.WE STRIVE TO BE OURSELVES.
But don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean that we can’t BE firemen, bankers, or doctors - but that we must make the goal conform to the individual, rather than make the individual conform to the goal. In every man, heredity and environment have combined to produce a creature of certain abilities and desires - including a deeply ingrained need to function in such a way that his life will be MEANINGFUL. A man has to BE something; he has to matter.
As I see it then, the formula runs something like this: a man must choose a path which will let his ABILITIES function at maximum efficiency toward the gratification of his DESIRES. In doing this, he is fulfilling a need (giving himself identity by functioning in a set pattern toward a set goal), he avoids frustrating his potential (choosing a path which puts no limit on his self-development), and he avoids the terror of seeing his goal wilt or lose its charm as he draws closer to it (rather than bending himself to meet the demands of that which he seeks, he has bent his goal to conform to his own abilities and desires).
In short, he has not dedicated his life to reaching a pre-defined goal, but he has rather chosen a way of life he KNOWS he will enjoy. The goal is absolutely secondary: it is the functioning toward the goal which is important. And it seems almost ridiculous to say that a man MUST function in a pattern of his own choosing; for to let another man define your own goals is to give up one of the most meaningful aspects of life - the definitive act of will which makes a man an individual.
Let’s assume that you think you have a choice of eight paths to follow (all pre-defined paths, of course). And let’s assume that you can’t see any real purpose in any of the eight. THEN - and here is the essence of all I’ve said - you MUST FIND A NINTH PATH.
Naturally, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. You’ve lived a relatively narrow life, a vertical rather than a horizontal existence. So it isn’t any too difficult to understand why you seem to feel the way you do. But a man who procrastinates in his CHOOSING will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance.
So if you now number yourself among the disenchanted, then you have no choice but to accept things as they are, or to seriously seek something else. But beware of looking for goals: look for a way of life. Decide how you want to live and then see what you can do to make a living WITHIN that way of life. But you say, “I don’t know where to look; I don’t know what to look for.”
And there’s the crux. Is it worth giving up what I have to look for something better? I don’t know - is it? Who can make that decision but you? But even by DECIDING TO LOOK, you go a long way toward making the choice.
If I don’t call this to a halt, I’m going to find myself writing a book. I hope it’s not as confusing as it looks at first glance. Keep in mind, of course, that this is MY WAY of looking at things. I happen to think that it’s pretty generally applicable, but you may not. Each of us has to create our own credo - this merely happens to be mine.
If any part of it doesn’t seem to make sense, by all means call it to my attention. I’m not trying to send you out “on the road” in search of Valhalla, but merely pointing out that it is not necessary to accept the choices handed down to you by life as you know it. There is more to it than that - no one HAS to do something he doesn’t want to do for the rest of his life. But then again, if that’s what you wind up doing, by all means convince yourself that you HAD to do it. You’ll have lots of company.
And that’s it for now. Until I hear from you again, I remain,
Your friend,
Hunter S. Thompson
Interesting timing! Swimming or floating has been a major theme in my life lately. I think there is a balance between the two that can be achieved. In my life, I am faced with this decision constantly rather than once you as you said. Sometimes it's more of an emergency, other times I forget it's even there. I appreciate how you elaborated on the goal of being authentic versus sacrificing authenticity to mold yourself to a goal. What you are pointing to is exactly what this channel is a manifestation of. Let me know when you're done with this book, I'd be happy to read it.
Thanks. It was a letter written by Hunter S. Thompson, caught it on reddit.com and thought I would share.
+John Gagnon I don't know who that is, but he's a hell of a thinker and a writer
+John Gagnon I was wondering about the dual names lol
The work he remains best known for, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream (1971), constitutes a rumination on the failure of the 1960s counterculture movement. It was first serialized in Rolling Stone, a magazine with which Thompson would be long associated, and was released as a film starring Johnny Depp and directed by Terry Gilliam in 1998.
Go to inplix page if you'd like to know how to build it. Great solutions for everyone I think
You can use a 5volt voltage regulator to convert your 12volt source down to 5volts
www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/How-to-connect-a-voltage-regulator-in-a-circuit
need some help this is the first time im doing this i been doing alot of research and need help figuring this out how big of a battery bank "ah" wise ill be using a isolator due to me driving almost every day ill be putting in my van some led lights i have my laptop to charge my cell phone, maybe a drill battery to charge maybe a jump pack also to charge but i want to put in the smallest microwave i can find witch walmart has a 700 watt and a plug in cooler like this www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-40-Quart-PowerChill-Thermoelectric-Cooler-with-Power-Cord-Black-Silver/21156022#read-more , im very knowledgeable in soldering and wiring but never done something this big before but once i figure out witch inverter and battery or batteries i need ill probably start on it, so any help will be very helpful
Email me intothemystery13@gmail.com
Thanks for this video! I am thinking about doing this in my van and I cant decide if I want to us the blue sea ACR and switch or the battery isolator and switch like you have. Can you tell me what made you choose the Stinger Battery Isolator over a VSR or ACR?
Here's the ACR I mentioned: smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RZNP5K/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1YUR915BM42I1
Here is the VSR I am also looking at:
www.amazon.com/Battery-Smart-Isolator-KeyLine-Chargers/dp/B00WTAFR84/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487800084&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=VSR&psc=1