“Less is more” instead of “stinginess is cool”: there are many reasons and ways to reduce your consumption. The modern minimalism movement is creative and relies on the possibilities of the internet. It is as creative as the new outline of Hellspin Casino.
Minimalism has no clear definition and is understood differently by different people. The minimalist lifestyle is about getting rid of clutter. The goal is to reduce what is perceived as unnecessary, and the desire for a simple life.
Minimalism can take many forms. From a conscious reduction of certain things to complete self-sufficiency. Living a (more) minimalist life can mean, for example, living without a car, television, fridge, or even money. Owning as few items as possible, producing no waste, growing your food, or repairing things yourself. But also working less, ending unsatisfactory relationships, or giving up stressful habits.
The trend towards minimalism is a counter-movement to the constant abundance and materialism of Western societies. At the same time, conscious renunciation is certainly also a reaction to the media coverage. The availability of information about problems such as factory farming, the exploitation of textile workers, palm oil production, and plastic waste.
MINIMALISM 2.0
The current minimalism movement is linked to both the new do-it-yourself trend and the development of the sharing economy. The possibilities offered by the internet make consciously doing without much easier than it used to be. Not only car sharing, carpooling, online swap meets, and music and movie streaming, but also DIY, upcycling, and recipe blogs open up many avenues and provide tools for minimalists, downshifters, and consumption deniers. Minimalists may do without a lot or almost everything – but probably not a laptop and internet access.
MINIMALISM: BLOGS; PROJECTS; AND PROTAGONISTS
Christof Herrmann from the blog “Einfach Bewusst” lives vegan. He lives without a car, without a TV, spends a lot of time hiking and cycling, and is a self-employed author. His motivation: “I wanted to live more consciously, more sustainably, and with less ballast.” On his blog, he gives lots of practical tips for a more minimalist life. For example, “25 tips on how to live a more minimalist life”.
The Discovery of simplicity is the name of Daniel Siewert’s blog and that’s exactly what it’s all about. A simple life is the goal. It’s not about basic questions like “How much do I need?”. But there are also lots of personal reflections, tips, book recommendations, and guest posts. He explains the concept of minimalism on his website with a nice comparison. “Everyone has probably noticed that more of something is not always better […] after eating a whole bar of chocolate.”
In the blog Minima Muse, which is well worth reading, four women are currently writing about their personal experiences, thoughts, and tips on the topic of minimalism. They explain their understanding of minimalism as follows: “By withdrawing our attention from things, we gain space both internally and externally for the essentials.”
The documentary “My Stuff”, which is about an extreme minimalism experiment, is also recommended: Finn Petri Luukkainen packs everything he owns into a storage unit and from then on only retrieves one item a day for a year. In an interview with Biorama, he says: “If you […] decide for yourself to live without a car and buy less, to see how it goes and then even quite like it, you also learn something from it.”
Anyone unsure why it might make sense to reduce their consumption – or at least critically question it – should take a look at “The Story of Stuff”. The short film has a simple design and is therefore particularly impressive in demonstrating the insanity of our consumer behavior.
