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The Pitfalls and the Potential of the New Minimalism
The new minimalism
In part, the new minimalism is a kind of cultural aftershock of the 2008 housing crisis and banking collapse. At the same time, minimalism has become an increasingly aspirational and deluxe way of life.
Minimalism is easily transformed from a philosophy of intentional moderation into an aesthetic language that depicts high-end interior spaces.
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Minimalism: The deeper roots
Minimalism is a quiet celebration of space, but bold in the way its simplicity overwhelms.
Just after World War II, minimalism became popular because of its perfect utopian style. After the1970s, the idea of "simple living" began to take hold. Today, the internet and the financial crisis are what really caused the popularity of minimalism.
Minimalism is not just a trendy style
Minimalism is about experiencing the world directly and engaging with your surroundings.
The style now seems more like numbing yourself and creating a protective environment from the overwhelming visual experiences on the internet.
Minimalism and its moral superiority aura
Minimalism these days has an aura of moral superiority.
The problem with minimalism today is that the style is associated with moral purity and outsiderness but it's being adopted by wealthy women and tech billionaires. The style of minimalism we see today is a reality that's not very minimal at all.
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There is no single way to lead a minimalist life
Minimalism is often seen as an all-white room containing few furniture pieces. There are no colors or patterns or decorative accents that don't serve some function. However, this is not true.
Minimalism can look very different from one person to the next. Pictures of well-organised shelves and neutral-pallet interiors can only convey so much.
Minimalism can help you save money
Instead of trying to find ways to make more money, minimalists contemplate the opposite: They live with less.
Minimalists find that after going through simplifying their lives and their interiors, they feel more at peace and in charge of their surroundings.
Decluttering can be emotional
Getting started on the road to minimalism can be the hardest. Once you realise how much you own, it can be overwhelming and fill you with guilt about the money wasted.
After decluttering, you may encounter another emotional factor: When you live with just the things you really love, breaking something will feel way more dramatic.
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Why be a minimalist
Minimalism is a way of eschewing the non-essential in order to focus on what’s truly important, what gives our lives meaning, what gives us joy and value.
It’s a way to escape the excesses of the world around us, the excesses of consumerism, material possessions, clutter, having too much to do, too much debt, too many distractions, too much noise. But too little meaning.
Minimalist living
It’s about getting rid of things you do not use or need, leaving an uncluttered, simple environment and an uncluttered, simple life.
It’s living without an obsession with material things or an obsession with doing everything and doing too much. It’s using simple tools, having a simple wardrobe, carrying little and living lightly.
The benefits of minimalism
- It’s more sustainable.
- It’s easier to organize.
- It’s lower in stress.
- It’s less expensive and less debt.
- It’s less cleaning and maintaining.
- There’s more room for creating, for loved ones, for peace, for doing the things that give you joy.
- There’s more time for getting healthy.