what is the difference between the SIMPLE life and the SIMPLER life?

Thoreau_cabin_statue_flickrThe main reason I chose to call this blog the “simpler” life is because I do not like the conclusive connotation of the “simple” life.  The simple life sounds like a final destination that must be reached in order to qualify as living a simplified life. Not true at all.   Living a simpler life leaves room for people to adopt simplification into their lives to whatever extent and whatever manner that best suits them.  A modern Henry David Thoreau might interpret that as living a life of solitude at one with nature.  For the CEO of a large company, maybe that means delegating more tasks to those underneath him in order to free up his time for more important endeavors.

Too often I see people taking the route of simplification or minimalism as an end in itself.  They spend hours removing every last extraneous item from their living spaces, they turn down opportunities in their work lives that they probably shouldn’t and are then left with a hole where there once was a life.  Simplifying for the sake of aesthetics is a waste of time. Living a simpler life should not be a standalone goal.  A simpler life is one in which the flotsam that accumulates in our lives, both physical and mental, has been removed to leave behind what really matters.  Simplifying accentuates the important aspects of our lives, it shouldn’t remove them.

I’ve thought about what simpler living means to me quite a bit.  I’m sure my overall goals and attitudes toward it will continue to evolve over time, but for now I view it as something like this:

I don’t want to live in a cabin by myself in the middle of a forest.  I love technology.  I love my laptop and I love the Internet.  I like social interaction and have no desire to remove that from my life.  However, I do not care about owning lots of material items.  I don’t need a T.V.  I don’t care about having a nice car.  I don’t want to own a huge house.  I want my material goods to be things I actually use and truly love.  By eliminating the superfluousness in my life I can focus on living aligned with my values and goals.

I chose the name of this project carefully– there is no “simple life.” All we can strive for is a “simpler life” for the right reasons.

What does living the simpler life mean to you?

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 5:00 am and is filed under personal, simplicity. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • Timothy Wiesner
    Great site. You and I think alike in many ways. The thing that makes me want a simpler life is all the corporate assumption of authority over my life when it comes to employment. I have worked the past 12 years putting carpet and vinyl floors in peoples houses. But now that industry here where I live is controlled by the corporations. So at 50+ years of age I find myself looking for a job. What a lunatic bin it is to try to get a job now. What I want is to be able to make enough to live in a house of my own and pay my bills and be left alone by the government. We all know that is not going to happen. My goal for this year is to establish a fair income over the net, and move to some modestly plesant country that is not saturated by technologies and corporations. These days being a goat farmer sounds better and better. Anyway God bless you all.
  • Great site here! I found it from the Zen Habits Forum. I've been an avid reader of Zen Habits as well, and have been working to simplify my life in all areas. I've written a few articles on minimalism but moved November 1 and haven't had time yet to post any new articles. I'm bookmarking your site! :)
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