Individualism has a stronghold on the inland waterways today but I’d argue it always has had. Even in the days when homogonised corporate commercial barges plied their trade, the roses and castles adorning cabins and water cans made individual statements about the people on board and their desire to make their home/workplaces more attractive.
Today’s narrowboats echo those original decorations, but there is more, so much more to see on the waterways these days that speaks to the creativity and individualism of those living afloat. Untrammelled by commercial requirements on names and colours, imagination can now run riot.
You don’t have to go aboard to enjoy the this individualism. Walk along any towpath or marina and where there are moored boats you have an opportunity to delight in the creative touches boaters bring to their floating homes.
Perhaps this lack of competition combined with a capacity to demonstrate individual creativity has a significant part to play in the lack of stress and sense of wellbeing to which many boaters attest.
There are still those out with polishing cloths and determined to display ownership of the latest gadget but we haven’t found many liveaboard continuous cruisers in their midst.
It’s definitely not an environment to worry about ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. After all – how could you possibly compete with something as unique as this?
Pickingupducks 
This has made my day! What an inspiring post xx
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Thank you – individual creativity adds such an atmosphere of invested self authorship too, as well as reducing homogenisation and the stresses of ‘keeping up’
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