“If you are going to have less things, they have to be great things.”
— John Maeda
Today’s Quote: Maeda
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Category Archives: minimalism
Today’s Quote: Rhone
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“The philosophy of minimalism, as I see it, is having exactly what you need, when you need it, for as long as you need it. It’s not about just less, it’s about just right.”
— Patrick Rhone
Today’s Quote: Saint-Exupéry
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“In any thing at all, perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away…”
— From Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Disposable Culture
This is an absolutely fascinating read from a blog I’d never heard of before until an excerpt was posted on Minimal Mac. It hits the nail on the head so far as one of our world’s most intractable challenges goes:
We’re more interested in convenience and immediacy than responsibility and lasting value.
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From our homes to our digital devices, ours is a culture obsessed with immediate benefit, regardless of the consequences. We forsake our future for the present, while we disavow our role and play at being powerless to make a difference.
I myself am struggling to strip all the unnecessary crap out of my life, all the while trying not to succumb to the next thing that will suck away my money, time and life energy.
Be sure to read the entire post: Disposable Culture on the Surat Says blog.
Living a “Haiku Life”
One of my favorite minimalist blogs that I read regularly is Miss Minimalist (it even holds one of the 5 coveted spots in my sidebar links). I really like the author’s take on being a minimalist and enjoy reading about her life as an expat.
Today, she posted a wonderful piece entitled “A Haiku Life” that I think is a must-read. I remember being fascinated as an elementary school child when I was taught about Haiku and have written them myself on-and-off over the years. I’ve used the “principle” of Haiku (simplicity, careful selection, limited size, attention to detail, etc.) in many endeavors in life. I think it’s an excellent standard to live and work by, and sums up the concept of “minimalism” very nicely.
I most appreciated her summary paragraph, which ties everything up perfectly (and better than I can, frankly):
In summary: a haiku life means being mindful of every possession, word, and action in our lives. It’s living lightly and gracefully, and celebrating beauty in everyday experience. By following the spirit of these exquisite little poems, our lives too can be sparkling jewels, full of meaning and with nothing superfluous.
Living Without Ambition
This is an excellent essay by blogger Charlie Broadway. I tend to like quite a lot of his stuff, but this one’s even better as it isn’t replete with profanity.
His most trenchant observation is that we often equate ambition and goals and these two things really shouldn’t be the same. If you lower your ambition, it doesn’t mean you won’t be making (and accomplishing) goals. I think this is a very refreshing way of putting it.
It’s also very interesting the way in which he puts a Zen spin on it–and the way in which he explains Zen as being “less contradictory than paradoxical.” By doing less, you will often paradoxically end up with more. I especially liked this part:
We all experience these paradoxes. By living as a pauper, you become rich. By becoming less ambitious, you become more successful. By eliminating the unnecessary, life becomes fuller. By enduring the pain of exercise, you feel better. By having fewer goals, you achieve more. We live Zen more than we realize.
Today’s Quote: Lao Tzu
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“Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
–Lao Tzu
journey, not destination 