Just like with everything else, there are pros and cons to minimalism as well. It may seem strange that I write that there are disadvantages because for the personal individual there are only advantages as I see it. Yes, apart from the fact that you might accidentally declutter something that you may need later. But what I mean by disadvantages has a completely different meaning, a much bigger meaning globally.
First let me briefly write what minimalism is in case you are not completely sure about this. Minimalism is about reducing inventory and leaving room for what really matters. For example, if you love to travel but you feel stuck because of all your stuff. Then it's time to declutter so you can do what you love to do in life, which in this case was traveling. It's about a life with fewer things around you. Less to clean and less to maintain. It's not about living frugally, it's about only owning what you actually need and that has some value in your life.
So what is the big downside I'm talking about that is global? It is simply the jobs and the global economy. Because if everyone were minimalists and thought about what, when, how they buy their things, extremely many jobs would disappear. Businesses would go bankrupt because no one would trade according to the same pattern anymore. Our society is built on the principle that you should shop and consume all the time. I can even feel that cell phones are programmed to keep a precise time for you to be just past the warranty period when the phone breaks and needs to be replaced. Yes, actually, I can feel it with more than just the phone, but it feels so clearly because the companies could program it.
How does this compare to the environment? Does it make sense that our things last less and less. No, not really. For the sake of the environment, our consumption pattern is a disaster. We use so much material every year that just ends up in the landfill or in the ocean. We need to drastically change our consumption pattern for the sake of the environment, but then what will happen to all the work? Whatever we do, it will go wrong somewhere but I think like this: we live on this planet, I'm not saying we should go back to the Neanderthal style but somewhere in the past we managed without this consumption pattern and took care of the environment better than today so it maybe it's time to start going back to the roots. Below are some examples to consider:
- Buy only what you actually need, not what you think you need - Reuse and give new life to old stuff - Declutter and give to charity or similar so that someone else can use what you don't need - Buy gadgets that have more uses than one - Don't buy things that you know you can use something else to solve the problem (e.g. an egg divider, it's just as well to divide eggs with a regular knife) - Give consumable gifts or a gift that you know the recipient wanted. That way, you avoid buying something for others that they don't need and then just throw away - Set up a wish list for your own wishes for birthdays, etc. I always say, I don't want anything but I know you will still buy something and then it's just as well that you buy products that I still use and then I give a list of my skincare products that I use - Avoid buying just to try something new, stick to what works (once you find it) and avoid buying things you don't like and then have to throw away - Buy quality over quantity. Quality is more likely to last longer than cheap - Don't shop on sale unless your favorites are on sale. This is to avoid you buying unnecessary stuff
If you come up with additional things, you are very welcome to leave a comment about this in the comment field. I am only human and may have forgotten some important point so feel free to comment even if you just want to leave a comment about the content of the blog.
I wish you the best of luck on your journey to a better future.
