new challenge

[nature boy]

i bet we'll all lose.
http://www.vancouversun.com/Learning+lo ... story.html

i was really intrigued by this. but in our society we put so much value in what we have (houses, cars, clothes, etc) that we continue the rat race by trying to have more than the next person. we like to justify our "need for things" by saying stuff like, "it's ok, i can afford it", but what does it actually cost us?

interesting line in the article, "...time is our most precious commodity".

[geForce]

I would love to go minimalist if it weren't for my huge interest in gadgetry and technology in general.
Although, I don't really feel a need to *own* any of it... I just want to play with technology, even if it's not mine. I get bored of things easily, so it's probably best if I didn't own things anyway, haha.

[joel]

i felt the same way when i visited China last year... the people I encountered there seemed happier and to enjoy life much more than the average person here.

so are you throwing down the gauntlet and actually challenging us to do something specific? like that 333 challenge or something else?

[nature boy]

i honestly don't know if i can. it fascinates me that this guy can do it, however i'm unsure about my own need to have stuff too.
perhaps it's because i'm so vain, i can't stand having old clothes. i usually wear something for the max of 2 years then i replace it. the dumb thing is though that i bet no one even knows that the clothes i wear are old or not.

[nature boy]

[Wetundies]

[geForce]

Would it be considered a minimalist move if i purged my life of my wife? haha

[se7entse7en]

Well... she would get half your stuff.

[geForce]

Haha, then I guess that's a huge step towards minimalism then lol

[nature boy]

she might be able to get more than half your stuff.

stupid rules on divorce.

[supersuk]

give me your stuffs.

Anyways, I lived 6 months as a minimalist. Its really not that hard, you buy and carry what you need. Other people have it worse, there are other things to do when you have less, you're smart enough to find ways around situations without tonnes of tools, you'll become more social and find new fun things to do without your toys. When I moved last week, I realised that I really dont own a whole lot of things.

Its kinda relative too, I'm pretty sure they're not as minimal as the article portrays them to be (lol macbook and organic foods). More likely a glorified case of overspending to normal spending.

[Duncan]

[nature boy]

that guy's macbook was his "prized possession". i don't think it's saying don't have anything at all, but just have exactly what you need. that guy probably had a bunch of stuff but got rid of it all. he probably has a lot of savings since he's hardly getting paid now so he can afford his organic food.

[joel]

[nature boy]

whoever is the "victim" of the divorce and/or has a better lawyer and/or has the sympathy of the court get more in the end.


you know, the women.