• niktemadur@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    Look up the story of 17th-century castaway Phillip Quarll.
    After several years alone on an island in the Pacific, although it had an abundant monkey population. Then one day a ship passed by and landed on the shore.

    Quarll opted to remain alone on the island for the rest of his days, assured the captain that he was of sound mind even while choosing such a fate, to prove it handed him his own story in writing, I suppose there was paper and ink that had survived the shipwreck.

    Quarll cooked a meal for the captain, using only ingredients he had been using for years on the island; the captain later described the meal as exquisite in its’ simplicity and harmony, at one with nature.

    In his experiences, Quarll had been changed profoundly. Originally quite a drunk hellraiser back in England, he had found an inner peace, and did not see the value of himself returning to civilization and society.