[The Hindu, METROPLUS, Chennai, 25:06:2013]
Minimalists Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus speak to Sriya Narayanan about the virtues of simple living
“The quickest way to give yourself a pay raise?” asks the title of one
of their blog posts. “Spend less money,” reads the entry. This and some
of the other nuggets of wisdom on www.theminimalists.com
have propelled Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus to cult status
amongst over two million readers, all looking to shift their focus away
from a materialistic lifestyle.
The bloggers, both based in Ohio and in their early 30s, walk the talk.
They walked away from their high-powered, six-figure-pay jobs in
corporate America (Joshua quit, Ryan was laid off), systematically got
rid of around 90 per cent of their material belongings and preached the
power of the bare minimum. Their books on simple living have
consistently topped Amazon bestseller lists, and they host meet-up tours
to spread their message: that we’re trapped in a culture that
encourages us to live beyond our means; one that keeps us in perpetual
pursuit of the next shiny goal.
Increasing returns
“Goals are for the unmotivated,” blogs Joshua who frequently speaks of
how his earlier material goals landed him in deep debt, and took a toll
on his health and relationships. Today, the writer, who’s also a
bestselling novelist, has co-authored their posts on the 21-day journey
into reducing the number of things they owned. This means not just
donating or selling things they didn’t truly need, but also throwing out
objects that have sentimental value. Has he ever regretted discarding
something that had emotional significance? “No. I’ve never missed
anything I’ve gotten rid of.”
As for Ryan, he believes that being fired from his job freed him from
the insecurity that came with a fixed income. “Being laid off from my
job was both exciting and terrifying,” he says, adding it was a
much-needed catalyst that helped him understand that money and things
weren’t a guarantee of happiness or fulfilment. Recently, for his 31st
birthday, Ryan asked friends and readers to donate $ 31 to Charity Water
(a non-profit that provides clean drinking water to Third World
countries) instead of buying him yet another gift he didn’t need. “I was
able to raise more than $ 5,500, which helped bring clean water to 276
people in a village in Ethiopia,” he says. The duo believes that the
final element of minimalism is organ donation, and that giving the gift
of life during death is one of the best decisions one could make.
While they state they are not anti-corporation as such, they find that
slick marketing campaigns often create feelings of inadequacy, and
contribute to the vicious cycle of consumption. They steer clear of the
strategies they dislike, including ‘psychological pricing’, which is why
they’d never price a book at $ 6.99 instead of $ 7. During their
journey into a life of less, their friend circles changed too. “Over
time, my friends and relationships changed into people who share similar
beliefs. Now my relationships are predicated on my values rather than
proximity,” says Joshua.
Though their context is that of a highly consumerist society, they
believe that the issue is relevant everywhere. Joshua elaborates, “In
both the U.S. and India, we face many of the same problems. Namely, most
of us want to own more material things without knowing why we actually
want them. I think that in both places, we look toward the American
Dream as if it will make us happy. But it won’t.”
A life of freedom
Asked if his lifestyle is sustainable in the long haul, Joshua responds
that he doesn’t think of himself as a radical. “Minimalism is not a
radical lifestyle. It’s a tool I use to get rid of unnecessary stuff and
live a meaningful life — a life filled with freedom and conscious
awareness.”
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Just In Case...
People often hold on to things just in case they need them. They don’t
let go because they might need something in the future. And they pack
too much stuff for trips and vacations just in case they might need it.
But we needn’t hold on to these things. The truth is, we rarely use
‘just in case’ items, and thus they sit there, take up space, get in the
way, and weigh us down. Most of the time they aren’t items we need at
all. Getting rid of them clears one’s mind, frees up their space, and
takes the weight off their shoulders.
(Source: www.theminimalists.com)
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