I'm all for light travel, but this being everything you own is unrealistic and not something that most people should aspire to.
OP treats clothing as disposable, buying swim shorts for swimming and ditching them before moving on, buying more t-shirts when in one place and ditching them before leaving. I hope they are donating them for re-use.
Between medication, toiletries, and general hygiene products I could fill nearly half a bag, and that's just for me to stay healthy, I don't have any cosmetics. Travel sized toiletries are fine temporarily, but significant plastic waste if used long term.
And beyond OP's lack of human connections, they are also lacking sentimentality. My house is filled with pictures, art, sculptures, drawings, cards, books, plants, all given by friends and family, and which remind me on a daily basis about those human connections.
Like top level athletes who sacrifice their bodies in ways that we should not generally aspire to (we admire and respect), OP is doing things that for most people would sacrifice health and wellbeing.
My friends know I take no material things and all I need is a picture on my phone. The occasional tiny gift is only saved until I visit my parents' home and dump it there.
Again, that's not something for others to aspire to, even if it works for you personally.
The fact that you're "dumping" gifts at your parents' home suggests a few things. It hints at a callousness regarding relationships, particularly with that choice of words, although that may be reading too far into it.
It also suggests that you do intend to return to the gifts eventually. That you see the nomadism as temporary, that you'll always have your parents' home to return to, or that you eventually intend to settle down. That's fine, maybe that's a natural change at some time in your life, but it would also suggest that this nomadism is not sustainable. It also demonstrates the privilege you have, in being able to return to somewhere, being able to have the best of both worlds. That's also not a bad thing, but it's worth recognising the privileged position you're in.
Your comment touched on a lot of notes and I'm having trouble writing my thoughts down.
Everything expires, the stuff/mementos I saved in my teens is now gone. My situation only speeds this process up due to practical reasons. If gifts reach my dumping ground I do care about them, I'm just very liberal with words.
I have no intention of returning even just to my home country, nor of collecting my stuff from there. Nomadism taught me to be minimal and even if "I settle" it doesn't mean I will start hoarding stuff.
Given how long I've been at it, I disagree that it's not sustainable. The only "end" I see to my situation is that I find someone who convinces my heart to do it. But I'm too picky to settle, both with places and with people. Now that's the issue.
> it's worth recognising the privileged position you're in
Absolutely, but my point was only that people do not need a lot of stuff, and that applies to unprivileged people even more so than it does to me.
OP treats clothing as disposable, buying swim shorts for swimming and ditching them before moving on, buying more t-shirts when in one place and ditching them before leaving. I hope they are donating them for re-use.
Between medication, toiletries, and general hygiene products I could fill nearly half a bag, and that's just for me to stay healthy, I don't have any cosmetics. Travel sized toiletries are fine temporarily, but significant plastic waste if used long term.
And beyond OP's lack of human connections, they are also lacking sentimentality. My house is filled with pictures, art, sculptures, drawings, cards, books, plants, all given by friends and family, and which remind me on a daily basis about those human connections.
Like top level athletes who sacrifice their bodies in ways that we should not generally aspire to (we admire and respect), OP is doing things that for most people would sacrifice health and wellbeing.