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Don't these people have any hobbies or interests? Hobbies and interests, a personality, dare I might say, require "stuff". You develop a sense of style, and you

Don't these people have any hobbies or interests? Hobbies and interests, a personality, dare I might say, require "stuff". You develop a sense of style, and you get things around you that help to describe and tell your story in life. I don't understand the people that are content with this kind of self-imposed "I can do with just the bare essentials" lifestyle. Unless you're traveling, or doing something of that nature, I am generally distrustful of people who can be gone in an hour. There's something about this kind of lifestyle (I've known several minimalist people well) that is synonymous with fear of commitment and general instability in their life. A lot of people I met have adopted the lifestyle because it's a learned behavoir from either years of instability, an off-beat childhood, or some kind of abusive relationship. Human beings need stuff around them, and it's perfectly normal to accumulate stuff if you've lived somewhere any length of time. On the other end of the spectrum of minimalism would of course be hoarding. Not saying that either lifestyle is "bad", but you wouldn't call hoarding exactly normal, would you?

thenomad 10y ago
I'm very much not a minimalist, but it's worth noting that particularly in the 21st century, a lot of hobbies don't require much stuff. Martial arts, computer games, books, TV, programming, art of various sorts, creativity of various sorts (writing, 3D, digital painting, etc), just off the top of my head.
- lagadu 10y ago
  I'll have to disagree, even those you listed need a lot of stuff once you really get into them. I'm into 5 of those 7 you listed (the first 5) and of those the only that doesn't need a substantial amount of stuff is books because it's just my Kindle. Between the tv, protective equipment and desktop computer with its screens and case that's a lot of stuff. Unless you consider a mobile phone or a laptop with a teeny tiny screen acceptable for computer games, tv and programming but that means you're not getting very deeply into it. Now that I think of it, these aren't anywhere near my hobbies that take more space/stuff even. For every hobby that doesn't need a lot of stuff, there's one that needs many kgs of equipment.
gist 10y ago
> and general instability in their life You put the above very nicely. Old school we'd call this type of behavior "weird". (If the person was wealthy we'd call them eccentric.) Bottom line is I would guess that anyone who adopts this lifestyle has something missing in their life and is looking to make a drastic change in order to find 'the answer'. Depression as certainly the obvious possibility. Unless there is a specific reason. And there is nothing wrong with 'stuff'. I have a nice car or two. I enjoy driving it it makes me happy. If it doesn't make someone else happy that's fine but I go with what gives me positive feelings (even if a set of knifes that I don't use) and leave it at that.
chris_7 10y ago
Guitars and bikes are practically mandatory in #minimal shots, are these not hobbies? Gym memberships for lifting take no space. Climbing shoes take almost no space. Music production? Programming? Digital art?
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- marcosdumay 10y ago
  If your guitar is your only hobby, I'd expect you to have a sound system, a library of music sheets, extra guitars or cases, stuff to tune, fix or mod your guitar. There's probably more, but I don't have this hobby, so I wouldn't know. Climbers have all kinds of equipment. Music production requires recording and sound absorbing gear, and also playback. Programmers used to have plenty of books and extra computers - nowadays will almost certainly have Arduinos and Raspberry Pis around (and gaming gear). I don't know much about digital art, but I strongly suspect most of their practitioners also practice the non-digital real works counterparts.
  - chris_7 10y ago
    Why do you need anything more than an acoustic guitar and some picks? (yes, a case/bag/stand) All you need for climbing is some shoes and a chalk bag. Possibly a crash pad. You're a hobbyist, and even pros (see: Alex Honnold, or anyone that primarily does bouldering) can climb with only that. All you need to make music is some software, a playback device, and possibly a microphone (purely electronic music is a thing, of course). It's a hobby, you're not a professional producer. Don't needlessly raise the barrier to entry.
    - s_kilk 10y ago
      > Why do you need anything more than an acoustic guitar and some picks? Because maybe your style is best complimented by a Strat running through a Big Muff Pi into a Fender Twin? And then there's the tuner, cables, guitar stand, cleaning & care products, a good case, a toolkit for making adjustments, maybe a few other pedals, some chord books or tuitional material. And of course, most serious players will have more than one instrument anyway...
marcosdumay 10y ago
> Don't these people have any hobbies or interests? There's plenty of people here saying they work 60 - 80 hours weeks. Maybe they really don't have hobbies or interests, and don't get friends on their house (I've seen plenty of people that only go "out"). If I had no time to use anything on my home, I'd call it clutter too, and would probably be happy seeing it go away (I'm happy seeing things go away most of the time already, but have plenty of them).
- aianus 10y ago
  > I've seen plenty of people that only go "out" Well, it's kind of a dick move to have people over frequently or until late when you live with two or three roommates. Which is how most people I know in SF and NYC live.
astrobe_ 10y ago
A minimalist is like the TARDIS from Doctor Who: bigger on the inside.

thenomad 10y ago

I'm very much not a minimalist, but it's worth noting that particularly in the 21st century, a lot of hobbies don't require much stuff. Martial arts, computer games, books, TV, programming, art of various sorts, creativity of various sorts (writing, 3D, digital painting, etc), just off the top of my head.

lagadu 10y ago
I'll have to disagree, even those you listed need a lot of stuff once you really get into them. I'm into 5 of those 7 you listed (the first 5) and of those the only that doesn't need a substantial amount of stuff is books because it's just my Kindle. Between the tv, protective equipment and desktop computer with its screens and case that's a lot of stuff. Unless you consider a mobile phone or a laptop with a teeny tiny screen acceptable for computer games, tv and programming but that means you're not getting very deeply into it. Now that I think of it, these aren't anywhere near my hobbies that take more space/stuff even. For every hobby that doesn't need a lot of stuff, there's one that needs many kgs of equipment.

gist 10y ago

> and general instability in their life You put the above very nicely. Old school we'd call this type of behavior "weird". (If the person was wealthy we'd call them eccentric.) Bottom line is I would guess that anyone who adopts this lifestyle has something missing in their life and is looking to make a drastic change in order to find 'the answer'. Depression as certainly the obvious possibility. Unless there is a specific reason. And there is nothing wrong with 'stuff'. I have a nice car or two. I enjoy driving it it makes me happy. If it doesn't make someone else happy that's fine but I go with what gives me positive feelings (even if a set of knifes that I don't use) and leave it at that.

chris_7 10y ago

Guitars and bikes are practically mandatory in #minimal shots, are these not hobbies? Gym memberships for lifting take no space. Climbing shoes take almost no space. Music production? Programming? Digital art?

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marcosdumay 10y ago
If your guitar is your only hobby, I'd expect you to have a sound system, a library of music sheets, extra guitars or cases, stuff to tune, fix or mod your guitar. There's probably more, but I don't have this hobby, so I wouldn't know. Climbers have all kinds of equipment. Music production requires recording and sound absorbing gear, and also playback. Programmers used to have plenty of books and extra computers - nowadays will almost certainly have Arduinos and Raspberry Pis around (and gaming gear). I don't know much about digital art, but I strongly suspect most of their practitioners also practice the non-digital real works counterparts.
- chris_7 10y ago
  Why do you need anything more than an acoustic guitar and some picks? (yes, a case/bag/stand) All you need for climbing is some shoes and a chalk bag. Possibly a crash pad. You're a hobbyist, and even pros (see: Alex Honnold, or anyone that primarily does bouldering) can climb with only that. All you need to make music is some software, a playback device, and possibly a microphone (purely electronic music is a thing, of course). It's a hobby, you're not a professional producer. Don't needlessly raise the barrier to entry.
  - s_kilk 10y ago
    > Why do you need anything more than an acoustic guitar and some picks? Because maybe your style is best complimented by a Strat running through a Big Muff Pi into a Fender Twin? And then there's the tuner, cables, guitar stand, cleaning & care products, a good case, a toolkit for making adjustments, maybe a few other pedals, some chord books or tuitional material. And of course, most serious players will have more than one instrument anyway...

marcosdumay 10y ago

> Don't these people have any hobbies or interests? There's plenty of people here saying they work 60 - 80 hours weeks. Maybe they really don't have hobbies or interests, and don't get friends on their house (I've seen plenty of people that only go "out"). If I had no time to use anything on my home, I'd call it clutter too, and would probably be happy seeing it go away (I'm happy seeing things go away most of the time already, but have plenty of them).

aianus 10y ago
> I've seen plenty of people that only go "out" Well, it's kind of a dick move to have people over frequently or until late when you live with two or three roommates. Which is how most people I know in SF and NYC live.

astrobe_ 10y ago

A minimalist is like the TARDIS from Doctor Who: bigger on the inside.