# I don't think that means what you think it means

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-means-what-you-think-it-means/657205>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 1, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-means-what-you-think-it-means/657205 "2013-05-01T14:51:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-means-what-you-think-it-means/657205/1 "2013-05-01T14:51:16Z")

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This broke my irony meter today:

[I Love Living Off The Grid](https://www.facebook.com/pages/I-Love-Living-Off-The-Grid/155261697969041) Facebook page. Because what could possibly be more “off the grid” than having a Facebook page with thousands of followers? Way to drop out, yo!

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**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-means-what-you-think-it-means/657205/2 "2013-05-01T14:57:41Z")

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I just posted a message on the wall. It should be there in a week or two once the Pony Express gets through to Menlo Park.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-means-what-you-think-it-means/657205/3 "2013-05-01T17:12:26Z")

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Maybe their server is run by a hand-cranked generator.

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-means-what-you-think-it-means/657205/4 "2013-05-01T17:50:57Z")

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there are many grids and different degrees of offness.

i know of people off the grid who generate their own electricity and telecommunicate by radio link.

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-means-what-you-think-it-means/657205/5 "2013-05-02T01:18:50Z")

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I’ve actually only heard the term being used to mean that the person uses solar power. In other words, “the grid” is specifically the electrical grid.

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**Author:** ![\_Olive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/4af34b/32.png) [@\_Olive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Olive)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-means-what-you-think-it-means/657205/6 "2013-05-03T10:19:51Z")

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I agree with BigT off the grid means no outside utilities. Many people live off the grid and still live grand lifestyles. Even have computers. I didn’t look at the facebook page but a second but if they are encouraging others to live off the grid I think that is a good thing.