the idea behind #VanLife is that we can “free” ourselves from the daily grind by finding jobs within the gig economy

I’ve heard people give that as their moderation motivation, but it’s hardly monolithic. Moving into a van allowed me to retire about 8 years earlier than I would have otherwise. For others it allows moving from full-time to part-time work, some are already retired, and some use it as a bulwark against what I might call classical homelessness (living on the street).

the #VanLife that is being promoted as such a liberating and empowering “lifestyle” or a “courageous” choice by young people to buck the system, is quickly becoming a forced and imposed reality for many workers across the US.

We could pay less attention to promoters and promotion, and make choices that serve our needs.

I don’t think vanlife is a hair shirt, or “less than”. It’s an option, like living in a tiny studio apartment somewhere.

Mod note: this community does not exist “to publicize and promote revolutionary theory and action”, but the article is topical according to the sidebar rule: “Anything that affects us as vehicle-dwellers is probably on topic.”