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by Duane Elgin. This is a book that I highly recommend for anyone concerned with simplifying your life, dealing with the economic challenges in our society (U.S. and global), concerned with the ecology of the world, the depletion of nonrenewable natural resources and energy and creating a sustainable future.I’ve written in this blog before about simplifying my life. After living over 60 years of an increasingly complicated life, I finally reached a tipping point where I had to simplify and regain control of my life. I, of course, believe that everyone can and will benefit from simplification, however, it is an individual and personal decision as to how much to simplify, how to go about it and when it’s time to do it. I don’t propose to know the answers to those questions for anyone except myself. I do know that my life is far better then it’s been for most of my lifetime and I wish I hadn’t waited so long. Also, virtually, everyone else I know who has downsized and simplified has come to the same conclusion.
The book, Voluntary Simplicity is not a one-stop, follow the arrows solution for me or anyone else. What the author does is raise some important questions. He discusses some philosophical factors and gives many examples of why it is important to globally simplify and downsize. He also illustrates how some people are going about it and why there seems to be a growing trend in this direction.
Elgin doesn’t pontificate. He is not attempting to get the reader to follow some line of thinking, philosophy or action that he has created. Instead, he examines the concept of living more simply on a voluntary basis. He examines the philosophical approaches to simple living through most of the major religions and Eastern philosophies. He discusses the ecological ramifications of a simplified society and lifestyle. He created and executed
”The Simplicity Survey” that was taken by a significant number of people, each with some pretty significant differences in their idea of simplistic lifestyles. Some of the questions on the survey included:
”The Simplicity Survey” that was taken by a significant number of people, each with some pretty significant differences in their idea of simplistic lifestyles. Some of the questions on the survey included:
“Would you describe yourself today as living a life of:” several degrees of living more or less simply were provided as options.
The survey asks:
At what age and circumstances the respondent began to live simply?
Why did the respondent take up voluntary simplicity?
What major changes in living arrangements resulted?
What kinds of things would prompt the respondent to live an even simpler lifestyle?
There are numerous other questions. The survey also gathered a great deal of demographic information. Thus, he was able to create interesting profiles and case studies of many men and women of different ages and different motivations. He compiled the data from these surveys and used it to illustrate, with a variety of actual answers from various people just how voluntary simplicity is allowing these respondents to live a full, rich life. To the best of my knowledge, these surveys were all blind and were submitted by mail.
The first two chapters focus on “Living on the New Frontier.”
Chapter One: Voluntary Simplicity and the New Global Challenge
Chapter Two: People Living the Simple Life
The second part of the book covers “The Philosophy of Simplicity.”
Chapter Three: Appreciating Life
Chapter Four: Living More Voluntarily
Chapter Five: Living More Simply
The third part of the book focuses on “ “Simplicity and Social Renewal.”
Chapter Six: Civilizations in Transition
Chapter Seven: Civilizational Revitalization
And in the Appendix you’ll find the actual Simplicity Survey, if you’d care to answer the questions for yourself. Additionally, there are a sizeable number of footnotes and a section of suggested readings. The book is indexed.
As I said, my print copy of the book is the 1993 revised edition. There is now a 2010 revised edition available as well as a Kindle version from Amazon. Even though I’ve read the 1993 version and gain a lot of insight, I’m intrigued enough to want to read the latest version so I’m planning to buy the Kindle version. Part of my simplification process has been to eliminate as many things that are tangible, take up space and have weight. Thus, I seldom ever purchase hard copy, print editions of books. I always look for a Kindle or ebook version since I can store them on my computer hard drive or, in the case of the Kindle, Amazon stores them for me once I’ve purchased a book. I love technology. While I’m simplifying my life in so many ways, technology is making that simplification so much easier then it’s ever been.
I didn’t go away from this book with a specific plan for simplifying my life. I’m not even sure if that’s what I was looking for. What I did find is that this book and the author are almost prophetic. So much of what Duane Elgin realized in 1981 and updated in 1993, nearly 20 years ago, has actually come to pass with regard changes in our world economically, governmentally, ecologically and lifestyle-wise. He saw then where we are today. His projections and predictions of the future are at once scary and optimistic . . . IF we take action now. Fortunately, Elgin indicates that there is a movement toward voluntary simplicity, though it may not be a large enough movement fast enough.
I think his descriptions of what has to be done in the future are interesting and practical. I think his final scenario is, perhaps, overly optimistic. While it could be do-able, I don’t think, on a global basis, that it would ever be practical or possible. Perhaps, I’m just a pessimist. But, I think it would be really difficult to realize his concept in the United States because we are the major force in consumerism and over consumption. If we would have a difficult time in the U.S. making the changes Elgin outlines, I don’t see how there is any way the entire global community would embrace this philosophy and lifestyle of voluntary simplicity.
Watch for more book reviews in the near future.
1 comment:
Apparently insurmountable difficulty for the US and other cultures to change from my perspective will be achieved one person at a time. There will come a time when there are a sufficient number of those who take control of their lives and reject being engineered by agendas of others. They live morally and ethically the "simple life". When critical mass is achieved, a catalyst will appear to galvanize those so prepared and change will occur.
What comes to mind is the movie, Network, where so many awake and refuse the ways things have been, as exemplified by them crying out, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"
Those have embraced the "simplified life" and no longer "take it anymore." They haven taken back their lives and move along their particular roads less traveled.
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