Surviving the Arctic: Jordan Jonas' Journey

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Jordan Jonas: Survival, Hunting, Siberia, God, and Winning Alone Season 6 | Lex Fridman Podcast #437

Lex Fridman

Jul 21, 2024

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Science & Technology

Introduction

  1. Jordan Jonas is the winner of 'Alone' season six, a show where participants must survive alone in the Arctic wilderness longer than anyone else.
  2. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest competitors in the history of the show.
  3. Jordan's life journey includes growing up on a farm in Idaho, traveling across America by hopping on trains, and living with nomadic tribes in Siberia.
  4. These experiences have shaped him into a world-class explorer, survivor, hunter, and wilderness guide.
  5. Jordan is also known for his great personality, characterized by a big heart and a big smile.
  6. The conversation with Jordan Jonas was described as fun and fascinating.
  7. The podcast host, Lex Fridman, will answer some listener questions and discuss various topics after the episode ends.
  8. Listeners are encouraged to support the podcast by checking out the sponsors listed in the description.

Alone Season 6

  1. Jordan Jonas, a wilderness survival expert, won Alone Season 6 by surviving the longest in the arctic wilderness. The show involves 10 individuals who are dropped off in the woods with 10 basic items and must survive alone, with the last person standing declared the winner.
  2. Contestants must figure out shelter, food sources, and adapt to the cold as the season progresses. The initial period is overwhelming due to the immediate need to secure food and build shelter, but over time, contestants adapt and find a rhythm.
  3. Jordan initially struggled with his site and the challenges of the environment but eventually adapted, drawing on his past experiences in Siberia. He found joy in the process despite the hardships.
  4. Failures, such as missing a moose or losing fat to a wolverine, were learning opportunities for Jordan. He emphasized the importance of accepting failure, learning from it, and staying determined.
  5. The high stakes of the show made the experience intense, as contestants felt the pressure of needing to secure food to avoid starvation. This pressure mirrored the survival challenges faced by ancestors.
  6. Jordan's successful moose hunt was a significant achievement, providing him with essential calories and a sense of relief. He described the joy and gratitude he felt for the animal that would sustain him.
  7. Hunting with a bow and arrow requires calmness, precision, and ethical considerations to ensure a quick and humane kill. Jordan's relationship with the animals he hunted was one of respect and gratitude.
  8. Jordan's 10 chosen items included an ax, saw, Leatherman Wave, ferro rod, frying pan, sleeping bag, fishing kit, bow and arrow, trapping wire, and paracord. He later reflected that a fishing net might have been more useful than the saw.
  9. Survival on the show required adaptability, as contestants had to adjust their strategies based on the environment and available resources. Jordan's initial plan to rely on fishing and hunting bears had to be modified due to the lack of fish and berries.
  10. Building a shelter was a balance between simplicity and functionality. Jordan opted for a basic A-frame shelter, focusing more on securing food and improving the shelter over time. He emphasized the importance of a smoke-free, warm, and dry shelter.
  11. The process of survival involved constant activity and adaptation, with no strict schedules. Jordan described the lifestyle as being in a flow state, where tasks were tackled as they arose based on instinct and experience.
  12. Jordan's experience highlighted the importance of being active and productive in survival situations. He set up numerous traps, fished, and hunted to ensure a steady food supply, adapting his strategies as needed.

Arctic

  1. Jordan Jonas describes the Canadian Arctic as a remote and beautiful area with thousands of lakes, making it a perfect location for the survival show 'Alone'.
  2. The Dene people, indigenous to the area, have a linguistic connection to the Ket people in Siberia, highlighting historical migrations and language evolution.
  3. Surviving in extreme cold requires constant vigilance to avoid frostbite and other cold-related injuries. Jonas emphasizes the importance of staying warm and not ignoring early signs of cold.
  4. Psychologically, the cold can make one feel more alive and alert, but it also requires a high level of mental resilience to endure the harsh conditions.
  5. Jonas shares his experience of not feeling cold due to proper preparation and staying active, which helped him maintain body heat.
  6. He discusses the psychological and physical challenges of surviving in the cold, comparing it to surviving in a hot environment and noting that both have their unique difficulties.
  7. Jonas explains that learning to appreciate the cold and dressing appropriately can make the experience more bearable and even enjoyable.
  8. He recounts his success in hunting and fishing during the show, which helped him avoid severe hunger and maintain his energy levels.
  9. The boredom and psychological strain of long-term isolation in the Arctic were significant challenges, but Jonas used creative activities to keep his mind engaged.
  10. Jonas reflects on the importance of having a purpose and the psychological benefits of documenting his experience, which made him feel less alone.

Roland Welker

  1. Jordan Jonas is widely regarded as one of the most successful competitors on the show 'Alone,' alongside Roland Welker, known as the Rock House guy.
  2. Jonas believes he had an advantage in terms of food supply, but lacked the psychological benefit of knowing when the competition would end, unlike in Season 7 which had a 100-day cap.
  3. The uncertainty of not knowing when the competition would end made it difficult for Jonas to ration his food and manage his psychological state.
  4. Jonas was genuinely shocked when he found out he won, as he had not entertained the thought of winning due to the uncertainty and previous records of other competitors.
  5. Jonas's diet during the competition consisted mainly of moose meat and fish, with three meals a day and additional snacks during the long nights.
  6. He found that a low-carb diet with a higher percentage of fat made him feel good, although he tried to incorporate some natural carbs like reindeer lichen.
  7. Protecting food from forest animals was a significant challenge, leading Jonas to build an Evenki-style food cache, although he did not finish it completely.
  8. Rabbit starvation is a real phenomenon where consuming only protein, like rabbit meat, without fat leads to rapid weight loss and starvation.
  9. Jonas observed that animals prioritize eating fat-rich parts like fish skin and moose fat, indicating the importance of fat for survival.
  10. In his regular diet, Jonas prefers to eat clean with less carbs, focusing on meat and vegetables, and occasionally including buckwheat.

Freight trains

  1. Jordan Jonas, known as hobojordo on Instagram, traveled across the US on freight trains with his brother, who had been doing it for years. This journey was a rite of passage for Jordan, pushing his boundaries and providing a sense of freedom and self-reliance.
  2. Jordan's brother started hitchhiking at 17 and eventually began traveling by freight train, living on the streets but staying sober. He invited Jordan to join him, leading to a year of traveling and living in various places across the country.
  3. Jordan felt self-conscious about the hobojordo nickname because he only traveled for a year, unlike real hobos who do it for years. However, the experience was significant for him, offering a sense of freedom and a break from the structured life he had known since starting work at 13.
  4. Traveling by freight train gave Jordan a new perspective on life, as he had no schedule and had to meet his basic needs daily. This sense of freedom was eye-opening and hard to replicate in other aspects of life.
  5. Jordan's travels exposed him to various people and places, broadening his horizons beyond his Idaho upbringing. He met many kind and empathetic people, often from poorer backgrounds, who helped him along the way.
  6. Jordan encountered memorable characters during his travels, such as Rocco, a sober and straight-edge traveler with a strong sense of ethics, and Devo, a charismatic but troubled individual with a rough life filled with drugs and alcohol.
  7. Jordan advises others to embrace experiences that push them out of their comfort zones, especially when young. He believes these experiences help shape one's future self and promote personal growth.
  8. Despite the boredom and occasional legal troubles, such as being jailed for trespassing on a train, Jordan found the experience of riding freight trains to be valuable and transformative.
  9. Jordan preferred traveling by train over hitchhiking, as it offered more independence and fewer interactions with others. Hitchhiking often involved listening to the personal stories of drivers, which could be emotionally taxing.

Siberia

  1. Jordan Jonas's journey to Siberia began when his adopted brother sought out his biological mother, leading to a connection with a brother who was going to Russia to build an orphanage. Jordan felt a strong spiritual calling to join this mission, which led him to buy a ticket, get a visa, and spend a year in Russia helping to build the orphanage.
  2. After the orphanage was built, Jordan wanted to immerse himself in Russian culture and learn the language. He moved to a neighboring village to live with Russian families, helping them with daily chores like watching their kids, cutting hay, and milking cows. He formed close bonds with two men who had found faith in prison and stayed connected after their release.
  3. These men introduced Jordan to a native fur trapper named Yura, who invited him to live and trap furs in the northern wilderness. Jordan returned to the U.S. to earn more money and then went back to Russia to join Yura, marking the start of a new chapter in his life.
  4. Jordan described his initial time in Russia as a crisis of faith, feeling isolated and misunderstood due to the language barrier. He clung to the simple principle of expressing love in his actions, which helped him navigate the challenges and eventually feel that his prayers for faith were answered.
  5. Learning Russian was a difficult but enriching experience for Jordan. He found the language to be richer and more flexible than English, allowing for unique expressions and humor. He realized that much of the nuance and wit in Russian conversation is lost in translation.
  6. Jordan's fur trapping experience involved moving between hunting cabins, setting and checking traps for sable, a type of weasel. He described the physical and mental challenges of navigating the wilderness, including getting lost, severe dehydration, and the struggle to find water and food.
  7. Despite the hardships, Jordan found strength in the Russian phrase 'Eyes are afraid, hands do,' which means to take things one step at a time. This mindset helped him push through difficult moments, knowing that the suffering would eventually become just a story to look back on and laugh about.

Hunger

  1. Jordan Jonas, a wilderness survival expert, shares his experiences of extreme hunger while living with nomadic reindeer herders in Siberia. He describes the physically demanding task of building 30-kilometer loop fences with limited food rations, leading to significant weight loss and injuries.
  2. Jonas emphasizes the importance of an ax in survival situations, detailing its various uses such as chopping through ice, starting fires with wet wood, and building shelters. He explains the unique design features of the Evenki ax, including its single-sided sharpening and the ability to tighten the handle during use.
  3. He recounts his early struggles with using an ax, including multiple injuries due to inexperience and frustration. Over time, he learned to handle the ax skillfully, making it an essential tool for his survival.
  4. Jonas discusses the psychological benefits of living a life connected to nature and the independence it brings. He contrasts the happiness of natives living in the wilderness with the despair of those in villages, attributing the difference to the natural rhythms and self-reliance of wilderness life.
  5. He reflects on the nature of happiness, suggesting that it is complex and multifaceted. Jonas shares insights from 'The Gulag Archipelago,' advocating for pursuing spiritual fullness and duty rather than happiness, as the latter can be taken away by external circumstances.
  6. Jonas concludes by sharing his personal journey of finding purpose and fulfillment through his wilderness experiences, despite initial sacrifices and hardships. He highlights the unexpected rewards of a career he loves and a fulfilling family life, which he attributes to following his calling and living according to his values.

Suffering

  1. Jordan Jonas discusses his family's history of suffering, including the Armenian and Assyrian genocides and the Nazi occupation of France. His grandparents survived the Armenian genocide, where his grandmother and her family were driven into the desert, and his grandfather escaped execution. They eventually met in Baghdad, started a family, and immigrated to France before World War II.
  2. During the Nazi occupation of France, Jonas' family faced further hardships. His aunt was involved with the French Resistance, and the family had to hide food from the Nazis. Despite these challenges, they managed to survive and later moved to America, where they became very patriotic.
  3. Jonas reflects on the resilience and joy his grandparents maintained despite their traumatic experiences. He notes that his family was able to build a happy life in one generation, which he attributes to their ability to break the cycle of trauma and find gratitude in their survival.
  4. Jonas also shares the story of his father's struggle with health issues, including diabetes and amputations. Despite his suffering, his father found joy and purpose in life, which Jonas believes was influenced by the resilience passed down from his grandparents.
  5. The conversation touches on the nature of evil and how people can justify atrocities. Jonas believes that faith and humility can help prevent the gradual process of justifying evil actions. He emphasizes the importance of having an external moral compass to judge oneself and avoid becoming evil.
  6. Jonas and Lex discuss the role of religion in both justifying and preventing evil. They agree that while religion can be misused for tribalism and justification of wrongs, it also offers ideals like loving one's enemies and forgiveness, which are crucial for preventing atrocities.

God

  1. Jordan Peterson discusses religion and God as a metaphorical substrate for morality and beauty, suggesting that without it, people are lost at sea. He believes morality requires this substrate.
  2. Jordan Jonas finds clarity in living out religious principles rather than just professing them. He emphasizes the importance of defining these principles through religion and stories to make them relatable.
  3. Jonas shares a profound experience with mushrooms that helped him contextualize his beliefs. He felt a deep connection with God and realized the necessity of giving form to the formless to relate to it.
  4. Jonas discusses the bounded nature of human experiences and how form and boundaries make us subject to pain and death. He relates this to his children and the necessity of form to relate to love and life.
  5. Lex Fridman and Jonas agree that God is ultimately formless and unbounded, but humans need stories and forms to relate to these concepts. They discuss the importance of not taking stories literally but understanding their deeper meanings.
  6. Jonas reflects on his family's departure from faith and the importance of cherishing valuable aspects of religion. He emphasizes living out religious principles to understand right and wrong.
  7. Jonas finds comfort in living out his beliefs, even if he struggles to articulate them. He stresses the importance of striving towards ideals like love and overcoming human instincts and tribalism.
  8. Jonas shares his experience on the show 'Alone,' where he had to choose to maintain his ideals despite understanding why others might abandon them. He emphasizes the importance of redeeming valuable aspects of faith.
  9. Fridman and Jonas discuss the capacity for good and evil within every person and the importance of striving towards being a good human being. They highlight the role of religion and faith in this struggle.
  10. Jonas and Fridman talk about the indifference of nature and the importance of choosing to believe that life matters. They discuss the enriching relationship between humans and animals and how it puts life and death in proper context.

Mortality

  1. Jordan Jonas discusses his thoughts on accepting his own death, reflecting on his father's positive confrontation with mortality. He believes he will be ready when the time comes, though he acknowledges it's easier to say when death feels distant.
  2. Jonas recounts a near-death experience while siphoning gas in a Russian village. He accidentally ingested a large amount of gasoline, leading to severe poisoning. He describes the harrowing process of trying to purge the gas from his system in a dark, cold room, feeling as if he was possessed by the substance.
  3. During this ordeal, Jonas wrote a farewell note to his family, expressing his love and peace. He genuinely believed he might die, confronting the end with a sense of acceptance.
  4. Jonas and Lex discuss the harshest conditions to survive on Earth, with Jonas highlighting Greenland as an example. He notes that while some native Inuit people manage to survive there, the Vikings who settled could not adapt and died out, indicating the extreme difficulty of living in such an environment.
  5. They also discuss the resilience of animals in harsh climates, such as polar bears, which travel vast distances to find food and survive. Jonas admires the toughness and adaptability of these animals, drawing parallels to the survival challenges faced by humans in extreme conditions.

Resilience

  1. Jordan Jonas discusses the mental challenges of survival situations, emphasizing that mental resilience is crucial. He reflects on the difficulty of enduring extreme loss, such as losing one's children, and how historical legacies of survival might provide hope.
  2. In the context of the show 'Alone,' Jordan acknowledges that while it is a game show, the mental and physical challenges are real. He notes that knowing there is a way out can make it harder to endure, but in a real survival situation without an exit, one must push through.
  3. Physical pain and injuries, such as headaches or back pain, can significantly impact one's experience and mental state. Jordan shares anecdotes about people who have found joy despite chronic pain, highlighting the importance of counting one's blessings and staying humble.
  4. Jordan recounts his experience of spending weeks alone in the forest, noting that isolation forces one to confront unresolved issues and personal 'skeletons in the closet.' This deep introspection can lead to personal growth and a clearer mind.
  5. He shares his favorite places for guiding and exploring, including Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and New Zealand. Each location offers unique natural beauty and opportunities for deep connection with nature.
  6. Jordan advises people to spend time in nature to escape the busyness of modern life. He suggests starting with short hikes and gradually progressing to overnight trips, emphasizing the health benefits and personal growth that come from being in nature.
  7. Lex and Jordan discuss the value of recording thoughts and feelings during solo trips in nature. This practice can help convert emotions into words, leading to deeper self-understanding and purposeful communication.

Hope

  1. The conversation begins with a question about what gives hope for the future of human civilization. Jordan Jonas reflects on the current state of the world, emphasizing the advancements and conveniences such as buildings, roads, airplanes, and food security.
  2. Jordan shares his experiences living with native communities, noting the richness of a simple life but also recognizing the critical importance of modern amenities like food security and healthcare. He acknowledges that without these, survival would be much harsher, leading to dire consequences like starvation.
  3. Despite the many advancements, Jordan admits there are still significant issues that need improvement. He feels humanity is walking on a 'knife's edge,' where the increasing power of tools and technologies makes the potential for catastrophic mistakes greater.
  4. Lex Fridman and Jordan discuss the idea that the sharpness of this 'knife's edge' forces humanity to focus and step up to avoid disasters. They draw a parallel to the awakening effect of extreme cold, suggesting that the presence of powerful technologies like nuclear weapons keeps humanity alert and cautious.
  5. Jordan appreciates Lex's recent post about wanting children, seeing it as a direct way to connect with and have hope for the future. They conclude with mutual appreciation and a hopeful note about future adventures together in the wilderness.

Lex AMA

  1. Jordan Jonas is introduced as a wilderness survival expert, explorer, hunter, guide, and winner of Alone Season 6.
  2. Lex Fridman emphasizes the importance of not categorizing people into political bins and maintaining an open mind.
  3. The attempted assassination of Donald Trump on July 13th is discussed, highlighting the potential historical impact of such events.
  4. Fridman draws a parallel between the assassination attempt on Trump and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which led to World War I.
  5. He stresses the importance of making society resilient to destabilizing events by identifying extreme division as the true enemy.
  6. Fridman argues that while some division is productive, extreme division can lead to global destruction.
  7. He calls for reducing partisan bickering and celebrating common humanity to avoid extreme division.
  8. Fridman discusses the role of conspiracy theories in society, stating they serve as a check on power and corruption.
  9. He criticizes the Secret Service's failure to protect Trump and calls for transparency and accountability in addressing such failures.
  10. Fridman emphasizes that conspiracy theories, even when false, signal potential corruption and the need for transparency.
  11. He warns that extreme division and lack of transparency can lead to the fall of empires and civil wars.
  12. Fridman concludes by urging listeners to ignore divisive political figures and media, emphasizing unity and collective effort.
  13. He ends with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson about patience and nature.