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work 60 hrs/wk or poop in a bucket?
on a princeton alum who rejected traditional work, moved to detroit, and built himself an earthen home on a community garden plot
Jasper Lydon
December 10, 2024
“We all make our own choices, whether that’s working 60 hours a week or pooping in a bucket. There are a lot of things about our toilet situation that suck. It’s so cold in the winter. But it feels really good to have been able to make those choices for myself. I just hope everyone can feel that sense of being authors of their own lives.”
Table of Contents
Hello all, and happy december!
On the poll last week, a number of you mentioned wanting to hear more about my personal updates, which surprised me (although it shouldn’t have)! I’m going to try and be better about including those more consistently. They’re typically in the last section of the newsletter, so if you’re just here to hear about how my life and work are going, you can skip to the end to get to that part
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community insight
One of the most fun interviews I conducted was actually with someone who isn’t in an intentional community. In my week in Detroit, MI, I stayed with a Princeton (and Terrace Club) alum named Aaron (I still don’t know his last name. Hi Aaron!). We’d been connected by a mutual friend (Hi, Andrew!)
After getting his degree, Aaron loaded up his car, grabbed a friend, and moved to Detroit. He had only a few thousand dollars in savings, but that was enough to get started.
My dad will say that what I’m doing is pretty unique, but I don’t think I’m particularly special or something like that. I’m just living as the author of my own life.
After a year or two, he started a community garden, which is co-owned by five people, each of whom sub-lease their part of the land. On the edge of the garden, Aaron built himself a home out of natural materials. Years later, there are three houses, a workshop, and an outdoor shower.
The inside of Aaron’s house, all hand-built by himself with natural materials
Talking to Aaron really challenged my ideas of what ‘success’ can look like, especially after an Ivy League degree.
In the quote at the top of this email, when he mentions choosing ‘pooping in a bucket’ over working 60 hours per week, he’s referencing his composting toilet, which is one of many modifications he’s made to his utilities so that he can live almost entirely for free, working only a few hours per week.
By stepping outside of the norm, Aaron has been able to carve his own picture of success — one that prioritizes autonomy, sustainability, and healthy living.
takeaways
its amazing how much we can learn from YouTube, family, friends, and neighbors — Aaron credited most of his building knowledge to YouTube!
asking neighbors for help is a great way to build bonds
borrowing tools and supplies
asking if they have expertise on something you’re trying to learn
updating them about house projects they’re doing — neighbors love to know what’s going on next door!
asking them for advice of any kind. people love giving advice
examine what it would take for you to truly feel ‘successful’
what does it look like? what are the potential costs?
are you living as the author of your own life?
Aaron also challenged my ideas of what community support can look like. For someone with a more individualist-bent, or just someone who likes their privacy and doesn’t love meetings, the kind of informal social support structure Aaron has found in Detroit may match better than the formal mechanisms of intentional communities
Aaron’s workshop, also hand-built using reclaimed materials
personal updates
Things are going pretty well in JasperLand; I’m focusing on some article/publicity opportunities, and I think I’m about to make headway. I’ll keep you posted, of course. If all goes well, I’ll have an article out in a major publication within the next month or so !
Some days I feel really hopeful and inspired, and other days, this self-motivated work can really feel like a slog. I really appreciate everyone who replies to the newsletter with your kind words, they truly make a big difference in my day <3
Much love,
Jasper
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