#437 – Jordan Jonas: Survival, Hunting, Siberia, God, and Winning Alone Season 6

Jordan Jonas's survival skills and mental fortitude emerged in stark relief during his time on the "Alone" show, ultimately earning him a place among the most celebrated competitors.

Jordan won Alone season six, widely considered one of the greatest competitors on the show

Jordan Jonas's victory on "Alone" season six after 77 days in the wilderness has led many, including Lex Fridman, to consider him the show's most successful competitor. The show’s format, which drops individuals into the remote wilderness to fend for themselves with limited supplies, requires a deep well of knowledge and psychological strength. Jonas excelled at essential survival skills like hunting, trapping, and adapting to extreme conditions. He reflected on the pressure faced after being dropped off, with immediate concerns like shelter and food taking precedence.

Jordan's expertise in wilderness survival, including shelter building, fire-making, and accessing food sources

Jordan preferred a basic A-frame shelter design over a more elaborate, permanent structure, conserving energy for calorie acquisition. His approach was to manage resources effectively, focusing on staying fed and warm rather than constructing a luxurious abode. He mentioned that, despite harsh Canadian Arctic temperatures, he never felt cold, relying on calories and staying active to keep warm.

For food, Jordan relied on trapping, setting up to 200 snares for rabbits, and celebrated his successful moose kill, which provided a significant sustenance reserve. He highlighted the importance of adapting trapping practices to avoid unnecessary harm to wildlife. Additionally, he discussed his strategy of using an axe for survival tasks, like fire-making. Jonas shared his knowledge of finding "fat wood" from pine trees, a vital resource for starting fires in wet conditions.

Challenges and decision-making in survival situations

Jonas had to navigate various challenges and ma ...

Jordan Jonas’s remarkable journey through life has included riding America's freight trains and immersing himself in the traditional cultures of Siberian indigenous communities.

Jordan's early experiences hoboing and riding freight trains across America

Lex Fridman brings to light Jordan Jonas's life story, which includes hoboing across America. Jordan reminisces about how this lifestyle, introduced by his brother, initially took him by surprise as an "Idaho kid," leading him to the poorest parts of towns. It was in these places that Jordan encountered the goodness in people, but also the stark realities of drugs and mental health issues. Traveling on trains, Jordan learned to adapt to the inherent uncertainties, meeting his basic needs independently, and growing through the process. He fondly recalls individuals like Rocco, who traveled sober and held strong ethical principles, and Devo, who had a zest for life despite his addictions.

Despite the challenges, these experiences were a rite of passage for Jordan, teaching him about freedom and adaptability in meeting basic needs without a set schedule. He gained an appreciation for self-reliance, preferring the independence of train hopping over hitchhiking. Stories of making aluminum foil hats and enduring jail time for trespassing on a train with his brother underscore Jordan's ability to make the most of his situation and illustrate the profound impact of stepping outside one's comfort zone.

Jordan's time living and working with native communities in Siberia

While living in Russia, Jordan was inspired to help build an orphanage, an endeavor that led him to immerse himself in the local culture, eventually connecting with a fur trapper friend in Siberia. As Fridman notes, Jordan traveled with nomadic tribes in Siberia and lived in close proximity to native communities like the Ket people, drawing parallels to the Dene people he later encountered on his adventures.

Jordan details his experiences, from injury while building a fence to replacing a chopped boot with local resources. His relationship with these native communities deepened when he was vouched for by a local man, and he joined reindeer herders in their traditional activities like bird trapping and building loop fences. This hard labor in the wilderness, in conjunction with limited food rations, offered Jordan a human connection often lost in modern society.

His foray into the world of these communities ...

Jordan Jonas opens up about the personal evolution of his belief system, how it influences his view on the innate potentials of human nature, and how to find happiness and purpose amidst life's challenges.

Jordan's evolving relationship with religion and faith

Jordan's journey with his beliefs is marked by both struggle and insight, leading him to a lived experience of faith.

Jordan's struggles with his faith and finding meaning led him to a more nuanced, experiential understanding of spirituality

During his candid discussions, Jordan reveals that he had grappled with faith, struggling with cliches from his Christian upbringing like having a "relationship with God." His decision to simplify his view of Christianity by focusing on the principle that God is love gave him a solid foundation upon which to base his actions, even in a foreign land like Russia. Although he felt isolated due to the language and culture, he maintained an open-hearted approach, which was integral to his religious calling to act with love.

Jordan believes religion and faith can provide a moral foundation and perspective for navigating life's complexities

As he lived out his faith imperfectly, Jordan felt a real relationship with spirituality emerge, making his practice more vibrant. Acting as if he had faith, in expectation that belief would follow, Jordan experienced an answer to his prayers when his actions seemed to bring about a deeper level of faith. He sees religion as a moral compass, allowing him to maintain an external perspective that keeps his internal compass from veering off course.

Jordan's views on the nature of good and evil, and the human capacity for both

Jonas aptly recognizes the potential for both good and evil within each individual and the ongoing necessity to choose benevolence.

Jordan recognizes the potential for both good and evil within each person, and the importance of constantly striving to be the "candle" in the darkness

Jordan acknowledges the ease with which evil can subtly infiltrate one's life and the importance of aspirational ideals of love and empathy to oppose hate and tribalism. Both he and Lex Fridman understand this fine balance, emphasizing the commitment required to continuously confirm one's stance on the side of goodness, being cautious of actions that may seem justified but lead down a perilous path.

Jordan sees the divisions and tribalism in society as a key threat that must be actively resisted through empathy and a commitment to our common humanity

Jordan pinpoints the worrying propensity for individuals to justify selfish actions, which over time, can lead to justifications for something "completely unjustifiable," such as tribalism and out-group hostility. He believes in the significant, though challenging, ideologies of love and forgiveness toward enemies, despite these ideals sometimes being misused.

Jordan's reflections on happiness, suffering, and the human experience

Jonas deliberates on not just the nature of happiness, but also on the deeper meani ...

The generational trauma and survival of Jordan's grandparents during the Armenian and Assyrian genocides

Jordan's family history is marked by the endurance and survival of his grandparents amid the Armenian and Assyrian genocides. Jordan's grandparents, who were Assyrians—a Christian minority indigenous to the Middle East, living in northwestern Iran during World War I—endured the extermination policy against Armenians and Assyrians by the collapsing Ottoman Empire. At the time of the genocide, Jordan's grandmother was just 13 years old and his grandfather was 17.

The atrocities they faced were unthinkable: Jordan's great-grandfather was taken to be executed with other men but managed to survive when the soldiers were distracted, allowing him to escape. Jordan's grandmother, along with her siblings and mother, were driven into the desert to perish; however, only she, her sister, and their mother ultimately survived, rescued by a British military camp.

Despite losing a younger sibling and other family members in the desert, Jordan's grandmother later became known as a joyful woman, who was grateful for her life and the family of 11 children she had. Jordan sees his family's resilience as a source of inspiration and a model for facing the darkest aspects of human nature.

The wartime experiences of Jordan's family members in France during World War II

Jordan's grandparents migrated to France, arriving just before the outbreak of World War II. During the chaos of the Nazi occupation, his family maintained their humanity and found ways to survive. For example, Jordan's aunt fell in love with a French resistance fighter she met under a bridge and they subsequently married, which connected the family to the French Resistance.

The occupation brought its share of harrowing experiences: Uncle Joe, the resistance fighter, gave the family a tip about raiding a noodle factory. Despite the risks, Jordan's ...