What it Really means to ‘Live Simply’

Some people interpret ‘Living Simply’ to imply reducing of life to no more than desire for the barest of necessities — food, water, shelter, clothing, and the work or job necessary for financing of the barest necessities. Some people refer to this as ‘Minimalist Living’.

But is Living Simply only about the external things of life? Food, water, shelter, clothing, the work or job that provides means, all are external to a person; independent of existence of a person, food, water, shelter, clothing, work or jobs all exist, have being.

The evidence is, of course, obvious. Prior to a person’s birth, food, water, shelter, clothing, work or jobs all exist. Subsequent to a person’s demise, food, water, shelter, clothing, work or jobs all continue to exist.

Reality of existence of food, water, shelter, clothing, and work has nothing to do with existence of any one person.

In presence of the foregoing, if Living Simply consists only in the things that are external to a person, it is unclear how exactly a person who lives and dies benefits from minimalist engagement with material aspects of life. In this respect, if living simply consists only in form of engagement with things that are external to a person, much the same as the rich man…