Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things

Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things

Quite a hard thing to accomplish. I mean, we're talking buying only the necessities. The bare bone basics. No matter how much money you have, you choose to spend it on only what you need. It's downsizing your house, your car, your phone...your whole way of life. It's learning to value your time, your money, and your family more than what society says you need to value in order to be accepted...and it's not for everyone. But I found it was the way of life I was looking for.

I've been living as minimally as I can for the last 3-4 years...there's always room for improvement though. What prompted me to do so was the way I saw society moving, the direction it was heading in. I didn't like it and didn't want to be a part of it. All I could see was that what we value in our lives has shifted. It wasn't really about people and family, it'd become more about things and social standing.

This documentary made a lot of sense to me. And, they definitely explain everything better than I ever could.

I'm linking the trailer for the movie Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things. Maybe some of you have watched it or read the book or both. This is the first time I've watched it and thought maybe some would find it interesting. The movie can be found on Netflix. But, there are other venues you can go to to watch it for free. The actual documentary is about 1 hour and 19 minutes long.

How might your life be better with less? Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things examines the many flavors of minimalism by taking the audience inside the lives of minimalists from all walks of life -- families, entrepreneurs, architects, artists, journalists, scientists, and even a former Wall Street broker -- all of whom are striving to live a meaningful life with less.

As always thanks for reading and I hope you find something of value in the documentary.

Thanks,
blend57

a reply to: blend57

Simplify? Yes!

No credit cards.
No mortgage.
When disaster strikes
and evacuation is a must;
no need to return.

Thoreau knew.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.
— Henry David Thoreau, Walden

I discovered that simple life lacks the grit and grime and drama that living with people offered. Pastoral musing only gets you so far.

a reply to: blend57

There are some advantages to this type of lifestyle.

It isn't for me personally, but as long as it isn't forced on people through Government policy and artificial scarcity I have no issues with others living their lives how they see fit.

Take my $... Just f***ing take it.

a reply to: blend57

I agree with much of what you say. I'm personally in the early stages. Simplification and re analyzing one's priorities. I've drastically cut spending. I've never been hugely materialistic, but I've even dialed back some hobbies because they really aren't that important to me. I'm speaking mostly of the real expensive hobbies I've had.

In the end, it's not about the frugality, it's about actual freedom. I don't want to "owe" anybody anything. I want my life to be on my terms.

Everyone is rushing to spend every dollar they get and pump it into this consumerist society. It's all just illusion.

Minimalism has always been around but back in the day it was called being poor.

We are at the beginning stages of downsizing and the 'stuff' we have accumulated seems overwhelming to deal with right, now, so I do a little bit at a time. For instance, today I emptied all the plastic flower planters in the backyard and they will be going to the recycling centre. I will ask around to see if anyone wants my rain barrel.

We inherited many large heavy wooden pieces of furniture over the decades, but to replace say a large dining room set with a smaller lighter version would cost more and be of lesser quality. So, you see where potential decision problems lay.

Also, emotional attachments to some things needs to be addressed. Ultimately, the OP is right, it comes down to identifying what is holding you back from enjoying and living life on your newly changed terms, such as planning for early retirement and not working any more via no more 'stuff' payments. Having said that, we all value our lifestyles differently, I chose to go into debt for a home because I want my little patch of Earth and freedom to have my living environment my way, so now I can cash out and buy a smaller home with no debt. Priorities for sure.

Don't leave the downsizing and/or clearing out of your home too late, because it's not fair on the people that have to deal with it.

MisterSpock

That's kind of how I feel. I've never had any real debt to speak of. But I didn't want to have any at all and I certainly didn't want to value products over people. I don't know if you got the chance to watch the documentary or not, but it shows there are several different stages of minimalism. It's not about NOT consuming, it's about setting your priorities, as you said.

I still have things that I value that I could live without but don't really want to give up. It's the other things, the things bought on a whim or just because its the newest. It's the things bought to show someone how much you care instead of showing someone how much you care. Those are the things I cut out of my life. Will I ever give up my internet? no. But I have given up my monthly satellite bill. I never watched TV and there was no reason for me to be paying for it monthly.

So, it's not about getting to the bare bones minimum in the sense that you give up everything...I was wrong in saying that really. It's more about balancing your life...making sure it is your life, as you said. Some people go the extreme, I choose not to, but find it freeing to be where I'm at.


a reply to: Metallicus

It really isn't for everyone. It is interesting to see the different interpretations and how people went from making over 200K a year to backpacking across the world. I would never try to make anyone do anything...that is pointless. Just thought some people would be interested in seeing the documentary.

a reply to: pthena

I don't ever think I could go to that extreme..living without people. I like being around people too much. It would be fun for a time to go into the woods and see if you could survive though. But for now I'm comfortable with where I'm at in my minimalist lifestyle. Never know where life takes you though..so who knows!

Thanks for the comments and thoughts! If your not interested in watching the video they have a website that has some podcasts on it as well as articles too. I listened to a few but haven't worked through all of them yet.

Thanks again,
blend57

a reply to: blend57

I don't ever think I could go to that extreme..living without people. I like being around people too much.

I only did it for a year. It wasn't hard core, I did go into town every eighth day or so. I was about 10x as far from town as Thoreau was. He was like 1.5 miles(2.4 km) from Concord.

I watched the documentary on Netflix yesterday. I couldn't connect with it much. I've spent much more time around people who were living marginally as opposed to 6 figure salaries. I didn't know how to put it yesterday. It would have come off as a bummer or something.

Thank you.

I think it's an inevitability. There will come a time, maybe, maybe not in our lifetime, when an inability or lack of desire to live simply will be a death sentence. If you "HAVE TO HAVE" the gidgets, gadgets and amenities of modern life, you're not likely to make it through much that's on the horizon.