Survivorman: Rugged Indivisualism

The show Survivorman reflects rugged individualism because of its connection to nature, self-reliance, toughness, and inventiveness that shows the world’s high technology and civilization can’t help you in every situation you get put in. Survival expert Les Stroud puts himself into harsh conditions in remote locations all alone and records himself surviving on what the land has to give and nothing else. His connection to nature is a must, because he’s living in the wilderness and has to think outside of the box to stay alive.  He creates shelters using anything he can find like trees and leaves.  He shows self-reliance every second of his experience because he’s all alone and doesn’t have anyone or anything to depend on except himself.  His toughness is obvious, he knows what it takes to stay alive and isn’t afraid of much.  In the Zambia episode, he was starving and needed some food for energy so he ate a Zambian grub.  That takes toughness.  His inventiveness in every episode is amazing.  He can create so many things we take for granted, like a rock and a stick to make a spark.  In the “Canyonlands” episode, he creates a box-and-stick trap which is a flat rock carefully balanced on an arrangement of sticks.  He baits it with peanut butter and catches a squirrel for dinner.