In spite of the unapologetic embrace of the motto “more is more” by Gen Z, growing up mostly online, happiness has remained elusive to many of this generation across the globe. Consequently, what is getting thin is their well-cherished faith of finding peace, bliss and assertive self-expression in astronomical salary, luxury cars, new gadgets, and all-pervasive opulence. Many of this generation discover at the end of the day that they are not happy despite working 70 to 80 hours a week. And the endless pursuit of more stuff is found to bring them more debt, anxiety, fear, stress, loneliness, guilt, paranoia and depression. It becomes a solipsistic experience.
What is worse, they discover that they have no control of their time and thus of their lives. And then, as their lives spiral downwards towards an empty oblivion, they inadvertently discover minimalism which appears like a beacon in the dark sea. The renewed discovery of a mode of simple living where people find genuine happiness, passion and freedom has found favour with a great number of people, including millennials, around the globe. People fed up with more seek happiness in less. They want to live a life which is filled with passion and freedom, a life in which they can grow as individuals and contribute beyond themselves.
They realize that growth and contribution are the bedrocks of happiness, not goods. The rampaging pandemic and consequent lockdown a few years ago put all of us into a ‘new normal’ mode of life. During that grim period, even the greatest spendthrifts among us began to learn or at least show interest in the benefits of minimalism to keep safe and secure in an alarming atmosphere of disease, death, deprivation, and helplessness. The pandemic made us think of how life was centuries ago, in a cave with a partner and not much more. Many of us began to feel that our “caveman” mentality was dominating our consumerist selves.
Superfluities, unnecessary attachments and associations took a backseat. Instead of indulging in a mad rush for grabbing offers of a sumptuous lunch or dinner at an expensive hotel or restaurant, we got satisfied with minus-frills recipes at home that were, however, made more hygienically, saving us from possible hazards of eating junk foods outside. Post-pandemic, many old habits have crept back in our lives, yet there are also traces of new normals that have lingered both in our personal and domestic spheres as well as in public domains.
The “waste not, want not” philosophy that has deep religious and cultural roots has been steadily attracting people of our times as they realize that the most important thing is not consumption but rather to live a life of well-being. In Japan, this philosophy is linked to the cultural concept of “mottainai” which originated from Shinto and Zen Buddhism and which reflects a sense of regret over waste. Gaining quick popularity is another age-old anti-waste and anti-hoarding philosophy, the concept of “Aparigraha” in Yoga, which advocates living a life of simplicity, sharing resources and spiritual growth over the accumulation of material goods.
People also find precious lessons in “Manusmriti” and Theravada Buddhism both of which discourage excessive accumulation, both material and spiritual, promoting a focus on detachment and a balanced approach to resources and achievements. In the context of personal possessions within a home, the rising trend is moving away from simple condemnation or forced cleanouts towards recognizing hoarding as a complex mental health condition called ‘Hoarding Disorder’. It is now seen not merely as a lifestyle choice, but as a disorder associated with significant distress, social isolation and health or safety risks.
Hence, more people are practising minimalism to cultivate contentment, inner peace and freedom from the stress of accumulating more. Hale Aydin, founder of “The Turkish Way is Minimalism” movement says: “It doesn’t matter how many shoes we have now, we’re only using one pair to go to the supermarket.” Her words clearly highlight the minimalist motto: “Less is more.” This philosophy is also championed by Joshua Becker, the author of the book “The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own”. Becker feels that “minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it.” Nomadic minimalism that is fast getting popular among urban people worldwide is a lifestyle that combines travelling and moving with a minimalist approach, prioritizing experiences over possessions.
This involves owning very few things which makes travel easier and more flexible. The philosophy extends beyond physical belongings to include a focus on experiences, mental clarity and reducing one’s environmental impact. But the allure or pull of minimalistic living is not restricted to people of any age or any clime. If the American Joshua Becker has a website for promoting minimalist living, the passion for living with less is attracting people of all fields of life in all countries and is reshaping lifestyles. The messages conveyed or propagated by the best minimalistic blogs of the time like “Minimalissimo”, “Slow Your Home”, “Style Bee”, and “Minimalist Baker” echo the philosophy of ancient sages and saints, thinkers and religious preachers who advised people (and also practised it themselves) that we should reduce everything in our lives, especially our possessions, to only the things we really love and need.
The ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes (born around 400 B.C.) famously lived inside a ceramic pot. He saw poverty as a virtue and chose his lifestyle as a way of criticising the values of a corrupt and confused society. Ever since the industrial revolution, the rise of the middle classes in developed countries has led to excess consumption. This has left many of us with too many belongings to manage – making life more complicated, tiring and stressful, and this has also led to the huge amount of waste left for the planet to deal with. American writer Henry David Thoreau (1812-1862) left his urban home to live the life of a recluse in the woods. He narrated his experience in the book Walden (1854).
The first chapter of the book – with the apt title “Economy” – begins: “When I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of them, I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbour, in a house which I had built myself, on the shore of Walden Pond, in Concord, Massachusetts, and earned the living by the labour of my hands only. I lived there for two years and two months…” Thoreau realised through observation and experience before moving to Walden Pond that fortune can be a burden. He pitied young people who inherited lands, barns, cattle and tools. “Better if they had been born in the open pasture and suckled by a wolf,” he wrote, and “that they might have seen with clearer eyes what field they were called to labour in.”
In the woods, Thoreau learned to walk in the dark at night, and bathed in the lake every morning which was like “a religious experience.” He wrote, read, baked bread, planted beans, talked to animals, and marvelled at the majesty of the trees. Although Thoreau was criticised for many reasons, his influence upon today’s minimalist gurus and practitioners is immense and Walden, the story of Thoreau’s experiment, is the prototypical guide to the simple life, even if it is written by an imperfect man. The surge of minimalism is influencing every field of life.
Recent examples of minimalism include the “minimalist boho” trend in home décor which blends simple aesthetics with bohemian elements like pampas grass and macramé, and a new wave of skincare brands that focus on simple, pure ingredients and clean straightforward branding. Contemporary Indian fashion brands are using minimalism to create a sophisticated and modern look, often reflected in the sobriety of their designs. The philosophy of minimalism that Thoreau experimented with, championed and influenced others like Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King to follow, has, over the years, been drawing more followers under its wing. Trapped helplessly in a web, people are also learning digital minimalism – the practice of reducing reliance on digital devices to increase focus and minimize distractions.
The growing miseries and hapless condition of a hunk of the world population, their hardship and deprivation have all pricked our conscience so much that we have begun to think seriously of moving away or scaling down the wasteful life that many of us were used to. The pandemic tested our endurance skills and reflexes by thrusting us into an existential crisis, recovery from which has been slow and difficult. As natural resources are steadily getting depleted, indulgence in superfluities will have serious environmental consequences. Unlimited consumption of stuff can lead to more damage not only to oneself but also to the rest of the world. It is for happiness that many people today are seeking and finding the peace and bliss of life in minimalism and sticking to the basics of life. Fed up with the trappings and excesses of urbanism and consumerism, they seek liberty in less that fetches them more in terms of happiness and inner peace.
(The writer, a PhD in English from Calcutta University, teaches English at the Govt-sponsored Sailendra Sircar Vidyalaya, Shyambazar, Kolkata)
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