Simpler Living

There are so many more things I ‘need’ now that I didn’t need a few decades ago. I ‘need’ a cell phone, preferably a smart phone. Actually, I ‘need’ phones for every member of my family, so they can text me and let me know they are safe. I ‘need’ a computer with internet connection. I ‘need’ some sort of credit card or debit card, so I can order things online. I ‘need’ my own car, preferably an SUV with All Wheel Drive for the snow and lots of cargo space. I ‘need’ lots of garage space for all my family vehicles, lawn mowers, bikes etc. I ‘need’ a lot more money now to buy and maintain all these ‘necessities.’

We live in a technologically advanced society. Those who don’t keep up with progress are afraid of being left behind—of becoming irrelevant.

Mahatma Gandhi had a contrary viewpoint:

"Civilization, in the real sense of the term, consists not in the multiplication, but in the deliberate and voluntary reduction of wants. This alone promotes real happiness and contentment, and increases the capacity of service."

Our ‘wants’ have multiplied exponentially over the last few decades. We have become so dependent on technology and comfort that many ‘wants’ have now become ‘needs.’

The term ‘ratchet effect’ describes the human tendency to increase our expectations over time. Like a ratchet in a wind-up clock—it is much easier to crank up our expenses than to wind back to a simpler lifestyle.

When I was faced with the opportunity to acquire something new or make a new commitment, I used to ask the following questions: “Do I want it? Can I afford it? Will this make my life more enjoyable, comfortable, and easier?”

Lately I have learned to ask different questions: “Will this simplify or complicate my life in the future? How much time, energy, and resources will it take to maintain this in the future? Will it create bondage or freedom?”  

How can we reduce our desires? Instead of equating progress with a ‘maxed-out’ lifestyle, can we learn to find satisfaction with less?