Exploring simplicity in life

As we were sitting in class yesterday, discussing the transcendentalism movement, conversation rested on a very interesting topic. The need for simplicity in life. The famous transcendental writer Henry David Thoreau explores the significance of simplicity in life and goes on to state that simplicity for humans is “Law of Nature”. 

Transcendental writers believe in self-reliance, so it is not quite shocking that they would consider simplicity important. Leading a simple life or a minimalist life would mean not to depend on material things for happiness. The happiness in a simple life would be from within and hence would not be fleeting. However, before we continue, it is important to question, what constitutes a simple life?

When our teacher asked this question, within a second, I had an answer. Upon recently meeting a cousin of mine (whom I will refer to in this essay as Mr K) I had a clear idea of what is a simple life. Mr. K proudly claims that he leads a simplistic lifestyle and is completely happy in it. His wardrobe consists of identical white shirts and black pants. This is the only outfit Mr. K is seen in, regardless of the occasion. 

Mr. K is a businessman by profession and a farmer by hobby. He religiously avoids junk food and almost 70% of the food he consumes is produced under his own careful monitoring. No matter the circumstances, he could not be convinced of eating, even a single piece of any kind of fried food. On top of all this, he is not available in any of the social media apps. He is absolutely against the binge watching trend. At 10 o’clock every night, you can find him in his bed fast asleep. He regularly wakes up at four in the morning, works out and goes about the day minding his affairs. The New Year’s resolutions that most of us make and eventually discard are a common reality for him. This in my mind, was a simple lifestyle. 

However, the very next second our teacher asked, “How complicated is the simple life?”Instantly, my idea of the simple life came crumbling down. In my admiration of Mr. K’s lifestyle, I completely ignored all the hardships he has to face. It is also necessary to acknowledge that he enjoys a certain privilege that is not easily available to all of us. He is in control of his finances, he enjoys a certain freedom from family and cannot be bothered by societal norms. Yet, his simple lifestyle is much complicated. Primarily because, even after implementing all these rigid rules, he cannot renounce his love for travelling. And perhaps, it is while travelling that he is most miserable. Many a nights he sleeps hungry. This sometimes negatively impacts his health. 

So this leads me to ask a question. Is it possible to lead a simple life in the modern world? And is a simple life necessary for a happy existence?

Transcendental philosophy places much importance on self-reflection and I decided to give their method a try. Upon introspection, I learned that I am a materialistic person. I like to have good things. Stylish clothes and pretty shoes makes me happy and I do enjoy the luxuries of life. On multiple occasions I have employed retail therapy to improve my mood and I’ve to accept that it works for me. But is that happiness wrong?

Another point is that sometimes maybe all of us like extravagant things. I’ve encountered many examples that show that simplistic and minimalistic designs contrasted with creative ones and one cannot deny the beauty of elaborate details. Examine the pictures given below and see which ones you think are more appealing.

After exploring this conundrum, I have reached an imperfect solution. But I do urge my readers to contemplate for themselves and see my conclusions as a mere opinion.

I think being materialistic is not wrong. If something make you happy and you are enjoying them without hurting anyone else then it cannot be wrong. However, one should maintain a balance. There should always be a clear line between doing things for yourself because it makes you happy and doing things for acceptance from others. When buying things, hoarding stuff, and overall enjoying the luxuries becomes about showoff, that’s when the problem begins. I think even the transcendentals will agree with me on the following statement:

Happiness should not be dependent on other people’s perspective of us! 

As for the earlier question of leading a simple life, allow me to present another imperfect solution for that. Maybe the dream of a simple life seems far-fetched in our modern reality. We are surrounded by a million different things to do and several accomplishments are waiting for us. Like Robert Frost, we too have miles to go before we sleep. So maybe we cannot abandon our busy lives and live in the woods. 

However, we can certainly enjoy the simple aspects of life. We can sit beneath a tree for five minutes, we can dance in the hallways, listen to a good song or admire a beautiful flower. We can steal from our busy lives, a few moments of tranquility. And perhaps that is a simple life. To enjoy peace whenever available and to be busy when need be. To have a perfect balance between the material-obsessed you and spiritual ascetic you. 

I shall end this blog with that thought. Thank you for your time!