Why lessen your life?

This movement of simplicity, or returning to basics, has many motivations but the beautiful thing is I see it popping up everywhere - it is no longer relegated to Christian homeschooling moms, hippies and the eternally poor. There are a lot of reasons to consider doing with less, you don't have to buy into a whole movement or belief to embrace this.

I am not religious (or an atheist), I am not a Luddite, I am only a minor conspiracy theorist (it's not Big Brother I'm worried about, it's Big Business who is really out to get you. More on that later). I don't believe we should all chuck everything and go back to living in caves, though some days that sounds attractive. I am 39 and have managed to live my entire life WITHOUT a credit card and without going into debt, and I've had a hell of a good time even without those things most Americans seem to think are necessary.

I do believe we've been sold a lie, the lie that purchased things are of higher quality and distinguish us as more cultured or better off. After reading "Radical Homemaking" (link in prior entry), I just got MAD. She details some incredible reports from marketing companies at the dawn of the consumer revolution (or, consuming revolution). They intentionally targeted the housewife as a person not philosophically satisfied, and placed images of appliances and other Things as desirable attainments that would bring fulfillment. Of course, that dopamine rush only lasted a short time so she had to run out and do it again to maintain her feeling of fulfillment. This is not conjecture, this was their actual intent, lined out just like that in full sentences - not even trying to be coy or clever when discussing the intentional social manipulation. I don't know about you, but I'm not down with being a Pavlovian slave to the trend of the day in order to meet my existential needs.

More reasons to opt out when possible? How about fillers, additives, unnecessary gunk added to foods and hygiene products to make them last longer, stretch out their profits for the producer, reduce their quality just enough that you have to use a bit more than you need to in order to get the full effect.

Green reasons to opt out when possible? Packaging, waste that is often unrecyclable, the precious petroleum used to manufacture those toss away bottles and then used to truck them to your store when you could just use something as simple as vinegar and baking soda to wash your hair, counter and sink.

Hey, I'm not suggesting you go the whole nine yard and get 100% self-sufficient overnight. It's a recipe for failure. One item at a time, examine your cupboards and say "can I do better with something else?" If yes, then use it up and don't buy it again. I have three cans of refried beans left purchased before I realized how easy (and cheap) they were to make, and how much better they taste. On the other hand, my huband loves ketchup - and I know I can make this but it doesn't keep as long, he is the only one who eats it, we go through one small bottle every two months. We'll keep buying that, for now.

You don't need every new gadget created, you don't need everything in shrink wrap and plastic packaging. Get rid of most of it and then hell, treat yourself to something fun every once in a while - I guarantee you after you start shedding your chains of consumerism that the Stuff Monster is a lot less appealing.

Besides, the Stuff Monster can be played with in different, cheaper and infinitely more exciting ways. Anyone can buy something new in a store - it takes skill to track down that cool thing in a thrift store or garage sale. Dumpster diving is an incredible sport that is finally starting to gain some respectability thanks to Freegans. I've pulled everything from books, pots and pans, shower curtains, pens (often in the original packaging), to shrink wrapped cookies still "in date" (three cases of Otis Spunkmeyer, hey now). And that was with light weight diving, you could make that a full time gig if you live in a city and have the time.

I know this post violates several rules of writing, it's scattered and all over the board, and longer than the recommended length to get you to read, but that's they way I blather. I just wanted to say that you don't have to be an ecohippie, an annoying yuppie, a religious extremist, or a hyperpolitically correct hipster to "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle".