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Comment by dwd | Hacker News Reader

I have a theory (half-formed) that we are seeing the results of our always connected society, and a shrinking crowded world and there's no way to escape.

Where a young man could once pack his bags and leave on a grand adventure and start a new life where noone knew him are long gone. He could join the military or sail the seas and see the world and noone cared where he came from and there was no way to know either. But that time is past.

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I don't believe it is, but it requires one to disconnect from the internet - and their families / social circles. But I get what you mean, it used to be there was no way to contact the people you left behind except for maybe letters or a phonecall from time to time. Nowadays there's a satellite internet connection with the home front when you're deployed out there.

Maybe a one-way trip to Mars could be the way to start a new life if your current situation sucks?

Most of the time, when you run from your problems, the problems run just as fast.

The problems are with your own state of mind. They are issues you haven't adequately addressed. And no amount of running will get them to 'go away'.

I know, cause I had similar, and had to confront them head on. And, I was successful.

That is true to an extent, but to solve some problems a change of location can make a difference. Breaking destructive habits is one as they can be triggered by returning to the location where you previously engaged in that activity.

Sure, return once you've got a new habit/routine in place and can confidently confront the old.

You mean a chance to begin again in a golden land of opportunity and adventure?

I'm not sure about this.

Oh, I don't know. My heart is racing at the excitement of traveling to the Off-World Colonies, it's practically bursting out of my chest. At least I think that's my heart.

I think your space suit has a leak...

What do you mean long gone? It's easier than ever.

I've moved around a lot for work, and I think it's still pretty easy to restart your life if you wanted to. My name isn't very common, but there's a least a dozen globally that show up if you search for me, that I'm pretty certain I could just fuzz up my public profiles to make it hard to match the right page to me. Granted, my work history would still follow me around, but socially I could become a blank slate.

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