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When I read posts like these, I can't help but wonder if minimalistic people go around feeling smug and superior all the time. If you think and talk a lot about
by revorad 15y ago
When I read posts like these, I can't help but wonder if minimalistic people go around feeling smug and superior all the time. If you think and talk a lot about how great your minimalistic life is, then you're probably suffering from what some call spiritual materialism.
- praptak 15y agoThere is an alternative explanation for the pro-minimalistic posts: maybe reducing your stuff actually has the benefits the posts speak about? In this case it would be natural to share it so that other people can benefit too.
- revorad 15y agoThat's true, hence the probabilistic tone in my comment. I know from personal experience that reducing stuff can simplify your life and make you feel better. But so can having more stuff, just like the author found by getting a Kindle!
- saraid216 15y agoI think that's an important point. Was replacing his book collection with a Kindle an example of "less stuff" or "more stuff"? I don't think it's either. It's an alternative, and in this case, it felt like "less stuff" to him. That was in line with his goal and it worked.
- chico_dusty 15y agoYou're not alone. I get a definite Area Man Constantly Mentioning He Doesn't Own a Television vibe from posts like this.
- chriseidhof 15y agoNo, I don't. I've accepted that people are really different. Another minimalist/buddhist thing I try to do is not to judge other people, but just try to understand them and feel compassion.
- revorad 15y agoThat's great. My comment above was not directed specifically at your post, but more generally because I've read a lot of similar posts. I find not judging people almost impossible. Isn't judging people, things and events what makes me an intelligent creature? What do you (or Buddhists) think of accepting oneself as a judgmental person?
- chriseidhof 15y agoIt is extremely hard. I am very bad at it. However, once you get better at it you'll notice how you can accept people for who they are. This then helps understanding them, and (almost?) everybody has an interesting story to tell, which you wouldn't have heard otherwise.
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- dschobel 15y agoreminiscent of: http://www.theonion.com/articles/area-man-constantly-mentioning-he-doesnt-own-a-tel,429/ http://www.theonion.com/articles/area-man-constantly-mention...
- chriseidhof 15y agoHaha, nice :D. I watch TV shows though. BTW, I don't even own a television!
- jh3 15y agoPeople who do something that changes their lives for the better usually enjoy letting other people know how they can try to do the same thing. It's exciting for the person who succeeded, so they want to show others "the way." It may come off as elitist, but I think it's just excitement.
- scythe 15y ago>I can't help but wonder if minimalistic people go around feeling smug and superior all the time. Selection bias rears its ugly head again -- you never read blog posts by minimalists who don't write blog posts about their lives.