Poverty v.s. Simplicity

Poverty v.s. Simplicity September 27, 2016

There’s a trend these days to try to simplify one’s life and it’s an urge I can definitely understand. Excess stuff kind of tugs at the soul, for me at least. Clutter in my living space become clutter in my mind, taking up valuable space in both the mental and physical realms. In fact, I find a clutter-free space to be as soothing to the mind as a mandala.

However, a friend recently posted an article written by someone who sees yearning for a simpler life as cultural misappropriation of poverty.

I think the author is mistaken and conflating two separate things. As she herself says at the end of the article, a life in poverty is anything but simple. A desire to have less stuff doesn’t seem to me to equate to glamorizing the lifestyle of the poor. It seems coincidental that both lifestyles end up with a personhaving less stuff.

It’s hard to understand what the author wants to see happen. People with money spending it all? Make sure you keep on buying stuff so you don’t look like you’re tying to be a poor person? If you have the means, then you are required to fill your life with junk you don’t need?


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