It's been a while since I've started a thread. Recently I've been reevaluating my life, especially after some really rough patches with work. Anyway, it's made me think more of how I have so much shit, yet I'm not happy really, and how by doing things rather than buying shit it's what I like. Things like playing music, going outside/being in nature, writing, etc. So the topic popped up and I began reading more about it how people try and minimalize the things they have in their lives (mostly things), and focus on what's really important and brings them most happiness.

 

 

I wanted to see what you thought of this topic and if you have ever tried it.

 

There's this great website that talks about it

http://www.theminimalists.com

The things you own end up owning you.

If you have the ability to do so, so to speak, then I think most people would ultimately be happiest with the "less is more" type of lifestyle. I suppose that aside from any initial hurdles in terms of making it work on a "self" level, one would also need to consider the impact on other people close to them. In particular, if there is a significant other thrown into the mix, I suppose they would have to be on the same page to make the pursuit of minimalism work.

 

I must say I really like the discussion on (eliminating) debt; so true.

The things you own end up owning you.

Hmmm, very insightful, Tyler.

^Tyler?! :lol:

 

I agree with what you mentioned in that there are of course other factors, especially a significant other.

 

 

I have only begun to explore this, but so far have found it to work. I think it focuses mostly on eliminating the bad or meaningless aspects of your life and focusing on the things that make your life feel full and complete. Either way recently I kind of went though an almost revelatory moment by being so stressed, angry and frustrated with work that I was almost ready to just have a breakdown. And even the days after I just felt almost sick from all the stress. And that's when I sort of realized that all this stress isn't worth it all for the monetary gain of striving for what? ...buying shit that gives you a so-to-speak temporary high of feeling good that wears off days or weeks later?

 

I think the point I'm trying to get at and to why reading about this has hit a chord with me is that for too long I feel I've been confined and not really enjoying my life to the fullest due to some preconceived notion I'm supposed to be a work machine and stress myself to do such a good job. Meanwhile for all I know I could die tomorrow and all of that will have been in vain. So I think that this has been helping me to live happier, and to be honest I haven't been this happy or optimistic about the future in a long time.

As far as whether I've tried it...

 

I doubt that my current lifestyle would qualify to the level of minimalism as described on the site, it is certainly much "less" than it used to be. Similar to the author of the debt article linked above, I haven't had a car payment for over 3 years now, and paid off any credit card balances 2 years ago (I think I had always had some sort of balance since I first had a card). If I do use them it's only when "necessary" (i.e., a place that won't accept a check / debit card), and pay it off within a few days.

Other than household expenses (mortgage/insurance/taxes, etc.), there's not much else.

I don't buy pricey clothes, and I'm not into the "luxury-name-brand" purse(s) or shoes.

I don't have a smart phone; my flip phone works just fine.

Okay, admittedly I have a MacBook, but I plan on keeping it for as long as I can (and I only bought that when my previous dinky laptop was essentially about to explode).

In general I just try to get new stuff when the stuff I have wears out. And going through the occasional purge/toss/donate session is very cathartic.

 

 

I cannot underscore enough how liberating it is to not have unnecessary debt. Not to mention... it's the easiest pay raise you'll ever get.

everyone seems to be busting their ass at part time jobs to earn money for their cars which they need to do or they can't pay for it, i could do the same but i don't want to even more stressed than i already am. i do have a part time job but i don't really work that many hours and it is fine for me as i don't really spend that much.

 

i have quite a bit of money saved up and i'll spend it on days out and new clothes occasionally but i hate to buy expensive things, the most expensive thing i've bought is my ipod and i'm not allowing myself to buy an iphone or android because i already spend enough time on the internet without having it in my pocket.

 

i'm happiest when i have a really good conversation with a friend, going for a walk with my ipod and long car journeys, good conversations are pretty rare tbh but i always feel so much better after them.

The unfortunate truth is that people focused on being minimalists are way, way more aware of possessions than anyone else. For some it's important to remember that pointless consumerism gets old, but for most, it's important to remember that buying something you may enjoy having isn't a deterrent to your happiness, it won't stop you having the little things, but more importantly than that is to remember that not buying it isn't some secret that edges you closer to the paradise of minimalism happiness.

 

I guess what I'm saying is, sorry, but this is mostly a load of bullshit, in no way does it save your soul or save the world, can someone explain to me how blog pieces such as this aren't the most pretentious thing you've ever seen:

 

http://www.theminimalists.com/productivity/

 

This guy has all the answers, and he's humbly bragging about it, but not revealing them (Because they don't exist).

 

Unless you're some kind of hoarder that has towers of un-used coffee makers and ice cream machines towering down on you as you sit in your house trying to read something, owning stuff really doesn't affect you as long as your obsession isn't owning something else to constantly fill a gap.

 

From the blog:

 

"I’ll spend time with friends, correspond with my writing students, and even squeeze in some more writing/reading time tonight—all active tasks that require more from me than the boob tube"

 

Wow how can you even squeeze in some time for that?! And why is absorbing information from a television any different from reading you self-congratulating ****.

 

OK sorry again.

It's how you use the things around you. Whether you really need them. There are plenty of things out there that aren't necessary but as long as you are using them in a certain manner then there is no problem.

 

There's plenty of things people get worked up about (myself included) that aren't worth it in the grand scheme of things and it's useful to take a step back sometimes and realise who you are and where you are.

 

One thing that annoys me is people moaning about Facebook. It is more than fair enough to complain about their evolving privacy settings and where that leaves us all (it's a very interesting topic) but when people delete it taking some form of moral high ground I can't help but think they are simply using it incorrectly. You are in control of what you put on there and who you are friends with. It's an incredibly useful tool to catch up with people and sharing things, particularly within private messages. If you are finding that you waste too much time on there scrolling and doing nothing then it is you who has the issue. Delete some people on there, remove some people from your feed in order to control how much you see. It's the same with many other technologies. The Internet can be a phenomenal tool, as can television. As Reilly said above, it's how you use it that matters. There is a certain responsibility given there is so much out there we can consume, the further we go.

 

It shouldn't be a case of losing loads of your possessions and not buying other things otherwise you are part of the delusion, it should simply be a case of buying what you need, and then if you have extra money then you can do as you wish with it. One would hope you would make purchases from a healthy state of mind, being aware that these objects will not bring you ultimately happiness. It is that state of mind to get to that is the important part, if it's the way you want to go. When it becomes a competition in terms of how little you can have, and how pure you are, then it becomes just as problematic. You are behaving in a way to fit into a system rather than simply experiencing your life without envying those with, or in turn those without.

 

I mean ideally, the spare money would go to charity but that doesn't happen to any decent extent for the vast vast majority of people, myself included.

I concur with Mike's thread though. The majority are far too caught up in matters that only serve others past a basic level. And when you think of what you could do for people who really need help, it kind of makes the whole thing disgusting. That combined with your own emotional well-being makes it really difficult to feel anything but disdain towards the money motivated.

I don't disagree with the idea, but the few people I've met who were interested in minimalism were really pretentious bastards. I mean, you're supposed to spend time reading, and exercising, becoming obsessed with possessions and spending money will eventually lead to your common sense reminding you that it isn't a positive thing, it's all about balancing things out, and I think people who are trying to be minimalists are fairly militant about it all (And smug).

 

It's just not reality, and I don't think enough people are obsessed with possessions to coin a term for not being obsessed with possessions, like I said, it's just common sense to realise you can't buy your way to happiness, and nearly everyone realises that.

Wasn't that person saying they were getting rid of van loads of their pointless possessions at the charity shop, rather than buying them from there? But anyway, anyone who has four van fulls of stuff that they don't need are ****s who have not spend sensibly in the past and have a vulgar streak.

Yep, they were, which is why I edited the fuck out of it.

 

Never rush-read kids.

Your point still stood though. Especially the extremes part with xfactor for all consumers and reading for the enlightened minimalists.