The Stranger in the Woods

Knight’s main preoccupation was silently watching nature, which Finkel relates to the ancient Chinese concept of wu wei or “non-doing.” Aside from some belief in multiple unnamed gods, Knight followed the teachings of Stoicism, which advocated that freedom comes “not by fulfilling all desires, but by eliminating desire” (116). He rarely encountered predators, and the hermit never considered a pet in case he was forced to eat it. Some of the wonders available to him included a large shelf mushroom at his campsite, natural groves, beach-like sandbanks, the northern lights, firefly lights in July, and a dip in North Pond during a late-summer heatwave.

Benefits of a disconnected life include heightened hearing and enhanced memory. A dozen studies note that evolution forces the body to respond to any noise or distraction, making calm spaces like the Knight campsite ideal for human development. A Chiba University study finds that even a 15-minute walk in the woods decreases stress hormone levels, blood pressure, and heart rate. Imke Kirste of Duke University states that 2 hours of complete silence per day promotes brain functions related to memory.

Winter preparation was a key part of Knight’s survival strategy.