Voluntary Simplicity - Simple Living
*
"INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS ON SIMPLE LIVING EXPLAIN HOW TO SAVE CASH &
SAVE THE PLANET BY STEPPING OUT OF THE RAT RACE and (2) money, greed,
and consumer goods are clearly not making people happy.
Voluntary simplicity teaches us that very little is actually needed
to be happy and to live well, making the rat race seem not so much sad
as foolish. After all, true wealth is a state of mind, not a quantity
of money or an accumulation of the newest consumer products. (When
people lie on their deathbeds, nobody wishes they had nicer carpet or
more expensive clothing. Better to learn this lesson now…)
WHAT VOLUNTARY SIMPLICITY IS _NOT_...
Voluntary simplicity does not, however, mean living in poverty,
becoming a monk, or rejecting all the advantages of science and
technology. It does not involve becoming a self-righteous preacher,
living in a cave, or denying yourself a happy life. And it is not some
passing fad suitable only for saints or hippies.
Rather, by reexamining our relationship with money, material
possessions, the planet, ourselves and each other, ‘the simple
life’ of voluntary simplicity is about discovering the freedom and
happiness that comes with knowing how much money and stuff is truly
‘enough.’ And this might be a lesson that has something to say to
everyone, especially those of us who are everyday exposed to thousands
of corporate advertisements which insist that ‘more is always
better.’
_Voluntary simplicity is an art of living that is aglow with the
insight that ‘just enough is plenty.’_
WHY ADOPT SIMPLE LIVING?
My book not only provides a comprehensive description of what
voluntary simplicity means, but it also outlines exactly _why_ we
should adopt simple living and _how_ it will benefit your life and the
lives of others.
The book offers four broad answers to the question of why we should
adopt voluntary simplicity, which I summarize below.
(1) Consumer culture distracts us from what is best in our lives so
there are _personal reasons_ for adopting voluntary simplicity. If we
rethink our relationship with money and possessions, we will be able
to free up more time and energy for the pursuit of what truly inspires
us and makes us happy. In this way voluntary simplicity can be seen to
enhance the meaning of our lives.
(2) There are also _social justice reasons_ for adopting voluntary
simplicity. Living simply is a powerful lifestyle response to social
injustices, and consuming less can be understood as an act of sharing,
an act of human solidarity. As Gandhi once said, ‘Live simply so
that others can simply live.’
(3) There are also _environmental_ reasons for adopting voluntary
simplicity. There is now an overwhelming consensus among scientists
that ‘ordinary’ western consumption habits are _not _sustainable,
and certainly not universalizable. Accordingly, it is time to
seriously reconsider the ‘ethics of consumption’ and reevaluate
cultural understandings of ‘the good life.’ Simple living is
needed to save our planet from catastrophe, and it will be a necessary
part of any sustainable future for human civilization.
(4) There are also _transpersonal_ or _spiritual_ reasons for living
simply. By shifting attention from the material to the non-material
side of human life, voluntary simplicity can facilitate a deeper
awareness of the spiritual dimension of being.
In summary, the primary benefits of simple living include:
* INCREASES PERSONAL HAPPINESS AND BALANCE IN LIFE
* SAVES THE PLANET BY CONSUMING LESS
* SAVES MONEY AT THE SAME TIME
* AVOIDS THE 'WORK-AND-SPEND' CYCLE
* PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE EMPTY CONSUMERIST LIFESTYLE
* FREES UP MORE TIME FOR WHAT TRULY INSPIRES YOU
* PROMOTES SOCIAL JUSTICE
* FOSTERS COMMUNITY SPIRIT
* OPPOSES THE GLOBALIZATION OF CONSUMER CAPITALISM
* DEVELOPS YOUR SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
* SHOWS YOU THE PATH TO TRUE WEALTH
HOW CAN YOU START LIVING SIMPLY TODAY?
Included in my book are (1) a study guide that will help you apply
voluntary simplicity to your own life; and (2) a list of 95 simple
steps that will provide imaginative individuals with the material and
motivation needed to begin living simply and benefiting from it right
away.
Take a quick look at my summaries of the first four chapters of the
book:
1. Voluntary Simplicity: The ‘Middle Way’ to Sustainability
_Mark A. Burch_
Since this book is intended to be accessible to the reader who is
unfamiliar with voluntary simplicity, it begins with an extended
definition of voluntary simplicity and a discussion of the core ideals
and values underlying it. Addressing issues such as material
sufficiency, anti-consumerism, self-reliance, and environmental
sustainability, this chapter shows how simple living is both a humble,
personal endeavor, and at the same time a socially, economically, and
politically radical form of life. THERE IS NO BETTER INTRODUCTION TO
THE SUBJECT.
2. What is Affluenza?
_Clive Hamilton and Richard Denniss_
Throughout this book voluntary simplicity is presented as an
‘alternative’ to the materialistic lifestyle widely practiced
within consumer culture. This chapter sharpens our understanding of
voluntary simplicity by taking a closer look at the lifestyle it is
reacting against. Backed up by extensive research, this provocative
chapter argues that western society is in the grip of a collective
psychological disorder called ‘affluenza,’ a disorder that deludes
people into thinking that they are deprived despite their plenty.
3. The Value of Voluntary Simplicity
_Richard Gregg_
This chapter is an abridged version of the famous essay written by a
disciple of Mahatma Gandhi (which correctly implies that there is a
close link between voluntary simplicity and non-violent resistance).
This chapter is especially valuable in that it anticipates many of the
_objections_ that can be raised against voluntary simplicity, before
methodically responding to them in a balanced manner. Always
insightful, this chapter approaches voluntary simplicity from various
perspectives, including economics, politics, religion, and psychology.
4. Less is More
_Philip Cafaro_
Voluntary simplicity is built upon the paradox that ‘less is
more.’ This chapter unravels that paradox and, in doing so,
undermines the consumerist view that ‘more is always better.’
Shifting between economic and environmentalist perspectives, this
chapter argues that we should judge consumption by whether it improves
or detracts from our lives, and act on that basis, rather than just
assume that more money is what is needed to improve our lives. With
our enlightened self-interest in mind, this chapter shows that less is
often more, particularly for middle and upper class members of
wealthy, industrialized societies. If all this chapter does is open up
the question of whether less is more - if all it does is remind the
reader that this is a question and that our answers to it have
important repercussions - then it will have served its purpose.
These are summaries of only 4 of the 12 chapters in this
comprehensive book. In addition to the above chapters, you will find
lots of other interesting and valuable information in this 200+ page
guide to simple living, INCLUDING A LIST OF 95 MOTIVATIONAL IDEAS FOR
HOW TO START LIVING MORE SIMPLY TODAY.
"Voluntary Simplicity: The Poetic Alternative to Consumer Culture"
is ESSENTIAL READING FOR ANYONE WHO IS GENUINELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
PLANET AND WHO IS SEEKING A MORE MEANINGFUL AND SUSTAINABLE WAY OF
LIFE.
Order your copy today! *NOT-FOR-PROFIT PUBLICATION:
All money raised from this publication is used to provide schools,
communities, educational organizations, political departments, and
universities, with free information on voluntary simplicity.
Your support will go a long way!
60-DAY MONEY-BACK-GUARANTEE
Since I am confident that readers will benefit greatly from the
insights in this book, I provide a 60-DAY, NO QUESTIONS ASKED,
MONEY-BACK-GUARANTEE with every order. Ordering this book is 100%
risk-free.
SUMMARY: SIMPLE LIVING, DOWNSHIFITING, AND SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLES...
Sometimes described as the ‘quiet revolution,’ voluntary
simplicity involves providing for material needs as simply and
directly as possible, not wasting money and life on consumer products
you don't need, and instead spending more time on things that truly
inspire you and make you happy. This generally means learning to live
with less money, in exchange for more time and freedom to pursue other
life goals, such as social and community engagements, artistic or
intellectual projects, time with family, more fulfilling employment,
spiritual exploration, relaxation, pleasure-seeking, love, and so on.
Voluntary simplicity is based on the idea that all human beings -
including _you_ - are capable of living a more meaningful, freer, and
happier life, while consuming no more than a fair share of nature. The
central message, I repeat, is that those who know they have enough are
rich.
Join the quiet revolution today and be a part of the most important
social movement on the planet! Discover that with a little courage and
some imaginative effort, the door to voluntary simplicity will swing
gracefully open.
_If not us, then who? If not now, then when?_
Regards,
_Samuel Alexander_
Founder of the Life Poets' Simplicity Collective
simplicitycollective@gmail.com
www.SimplicityCollective.com
2009 Copyright - Simplicity Collective
