Extreme Minimalism: this guy owns just 15 things • Hacker News Board

Re: Extreme Minimalism: this guy owns just 15 things

#61

Post by js2 » Mon, Jan 16, 2012, 2:41 PM UTC

edu wrote: post #50

rkudeshi wrote: post #45

If you happen to be interested in more "minimalist porn", I too made a list of the things I was living with at one point last year. http://raviudeshi.com/2011/02/75-things With hindsight, I can say it's not at all about the number, but more the mentality. I don't know about this guy, but so long as you find a hostel/apartment/friend with some basic cooking utensils and Internet, it's not too hard to keep your costs v…

I'm glad to see you have deodorant, toothbrush, soap et al. That was my biggest issue with the guy in the article.

“8. Toiletry kit”

Re: Extreme Minimalism: this guy owns just 15 things

#62

Post by dirtyaura » Mon, Jan 16, 2012, 2:41 PM UTC

arethuza wrote: post #51

kahawe wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but so long as you find a hostel/apartment/friend with some basic cooking utensils and Internet, it's not too hard to keep your costs very low. Sorry to be nitpicking here, that "minimalism porn" thing is a completely new curiosity for me, but technically you just shift ownership and costs (by mooching) but you still take advantage of those things or services - which really isn't all that minimalistic at all.

If the 15 things were meant to keep you alive in a wilderness area for a couple of months then I'd find the whole thing a lot more interesting - living "minimally" in an urban environment with a healthy bank balance doesn't seem that much of a challenge.

I don't think people are after "a challenge" with this minimalist urban life style.

It just feels good to be free of stuff. At least for me it was one of the greatest periods of my life. Around 10 years ago, after a breakup with a girl I was living with, I got rid of most of my stuff, mainly kept a few clothes and things that I couldn't replace somehow like letters from my friends and photographs. But furniture, utensils, books, CDs, vinyls, all that I sold to thrift stores.

The feeling was awesome, being free from stuff and relationship. There was nothing challenging living that way. Only challenge was a decision to get rid of stuff (and her).

Re: Extreme Minimalism: this guy owns just 15 things

#63

Post by gldalmaso » Mon, Jan 16, 2012, 2:44 PM UTC

Alexx wrote: post #27

Minimalism and 'getting rid of your possessions' has been one of those hot internet topics for as long as I can remember. The trend I notice is that the articles preaching the extreme end of this are almost always written by 20-something bloggers who are so much happier now they're couch surfing the world care free rather than 'working 9-5 to pay for that TV'. Obviously, there is a large truth in there. We all take o…

>> Not blindly aiming to own 10 or 20 objects

That is the essence of what is really wrong with this effort. By focusing so much on living with just a few items, your life is still being ruled by materialism, just in a different end of the spectrum.

Someone mentioned monks, so take their teaching and aim for the middle road.

Re: Extreme Minimalism: this guy owns just 15 things

#64

Post by ctdonath » Mon, Jan 16, 2012, 2:47 PM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #32

When you go to starbucks each morning, spending $100 a month there instead of owning your own coffeemaker - it's not minimalism. It's consumerism. Trying living with just what he has in a 3rd world country and it's minimalism.

If, by leveraging Starbucks convenience, he can save/make more than $100/mo then it is minimalism. High mobility comes to mind; a traveling consultant might not be home enough to warrant owning a coffeemaker, and [in]convenience of a portable set (AeroPress + Hairo MiniMill) may be problematic.

While minimalism and survivalism have a great deal in common, they are not equals. Try living in a city with what a 3rd worlder does and it's a punishable offense (possession/use of large knife, firestarter, chickens, etc.).

Re: Extreme Minimalism: this guy owns just 15 things

#65

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Jan 16, 2012, 2:47 PM UTC

edu wrote: post #50

rkudeshi wrote: post #45

If you happen to be interested in more "minimalist porn", I too made a list of the things I was living with at one point last year. http://raviudeshi.com/2011/02/75-things With hindsight, I can say it's not at all about the number, but more the mentality. I don't know about this guy, but so long as you find a hostel/apartment/friend with some basic cooking utensils and Internet, it's not too hard to keep your costs v…

I'm glad to see you have deodorant, toothbrush, soap et al. That was my biggest issue with the guy in the article.

[deleted]

Re: Extreme Minimalism: this guy owns just 15 things

#66

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Jan 16, 2012, 2:48 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Extreme Minimalism: this guy owns just 15 things

#67

Post by readme » Mon, Jan 16, 2012, 2:49 PM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #32

When you go to starbucks each morning, spending $100 a month there instead of owning your own coffeemaker - it's not minimalism. It's consumerism. Trying living with just what he has in a 3rd world country and it's minimalism.

Starbucks does add up, but I would say that it is minimalism (Especially if you are using it as an office)

From an individual's perspective, it is not minimalist, because now you will need to have an entire coffee shop in your life to obtain coffee. However, from a societal viewpoint, it is very minimalist, because now each person can share the means to produce coffee, thus consuming less: electricity, water (assuming most dump some out), coffee supplies/coffee, and coffee brewing equipment (really, we don't all need our own machine... well, I do. but that's why I am a capitalist)

Re: Extreme Minimalism: this guy owns just 15 things

#68

Post by technoslut » Mon, Jan 16, 2012, 2:49 PM UTC

gizmo wrote: post #16

jister wrote: post #5

Balance. An extreme of "something" is not good...

I consider it a good thing when a person is extremely reasonable. Or extremely thoughtful. Or extremely honest. Or extremely patient. Or extremely gracious. We don't need balance in all things. A rocket only makes it safely to the moon if the engineers are extremely cautious. Bill Gates is extremely charitable. Einstein was extremely intelligent. The idea that "extreme X for any X" is bad is some sort of pseudo-wisdo…

I disagree somewhat.

>Bill Gates is extremely charitable.

This is following two decades of Bill Gates being extremely selfish.

>Einstein was extremely intelligent.

This is something different. Einstein was extremely intelligent in some areas but not all of them.

It's been said that for anyone to become great at anything that it requires 10,000 hours of practice. This does take dedication and there is nothing wrong with doing what you love. That said, caring too much or being too emotional can affect rationalization.

Re: Extreme Minimalism: this guy owns just 15 things

#69

Post by rkudeshi » Mon, Jan 16, 2012, 2:50 PM UTC

kahawe wrote: post #49

rkudeshi wrote: post #45

If you happen to be interested in more "minimalist porn", I too made a list of the things I was living with at one point last year. http://raviudeshi.com/2011/02/75-things With hindsight, I can say it's not at all about the number, but more the mentality. I don't know about this guy, but so long as you find a hostel/apartment/friend with some basic cooking utensils and Internet, it's not too hard to keep your costs v…

> but so long as you find a hostel/apartment/friend with some basic cooking utensils and Internet, it's not too hard to keep your costs very low. Sorry to be nitpicking here, that "minimalism porn" thing is a completely new curiosity for me, but technically you just shift ownership and costs (by mooching) but you still take advantage of those things or services - which really isn't all that minimalistic at all.

When I wrote that post a year ago, I think you could definitely say I was mooching off my friend (living with him, using his cooking utensils, etc.).

But after that experience, I moved to an apartment in another city. It had almost no furnishing at the time. The only things I had to buy were an airbed and basic cooking supplies (pot, pan, nominal silverware) and I was able to live basically the same way again.

(Of course it helped that I was living in a place with great public transportation and lots of things to do. I also long ago replaced my books/music/movies/etc with digital versions, so I didn't have to carry anything but a hard drive for those.)

For what it's worth, I did not have the benefit of a large bank balance like the OP presumably did (I was fortunately debt-free, but had almost no money saved away). To maintain this lifestyle, I had no choice but to live frugally (thankfully, I never get tired of cheap home-cooked pasta).

It's not for everyone, but I like living this way. It really helps clarify what's important in your life and keeps me focused on my work.

Re: Extreme Minimalism: this guy owns just 15 things

#70

Post by jarek » Mon, Jan 16, 2012, 2:58 PM UTC

jiggy2011 wrote: post #29

I also own practically nothing apart from my clothes (all bought at discount stores) and the food in my fridge. All my tech needs are met by work , my furniture came with my (rented) house and my TV etc are mostly other peoples cast offs.

Just because you didn't pay for your TV doesn't mean you don't own it.