How Minimalism Got Toxic: The Dark Side

The project of lifestyle minimalism we see today can be seen as a response to the rampant consumerism of modern lifestyles across the globe in developed countries such as the US, Japan, and the UK. It seeks to reorganize our entire lives according to ideals of intentionality, autonomy, and competence. This begins with the things we surround ourselves with. Using Self-Determination Theory as a frame work, these are qualities that make us happy, that allow us to feel like we are living a life that we chose, and continually choose, on a day to day basis. In a 2020 paper, researchers interviewed people who chose to identify as living a minimalist lifestyle. They found that these people felt less pressure to conform or to keep up with competitive consumerist ethics. While this sounds like a movement everyone should be partaking in, minimalists in the community are releasing video after video about how this lifestyle got toxic. Today we will examine why.
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[@DonnaIRL]

UPDATE! The Minimalists have come on the channel to give their take on this video. Watch the interview here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2GTdYprhbOIm9Esi=3lZ3rIfBu6j8NLo8

[@megami.x]

My brain can’t even get past the fact that there’s a minimalist community with drama. I’m gonna go take a nap under my rock again.

[@lorddarthvader6289]

Same lol. I thought it was just about letting go of things you don't need and just living a clean life hahahah

[@Window4503]

@@lorddarthvader6289 No, it’s about looking like you’re doing those things and then bragging to everyone else about it. Literally every movement now is more aesthetic than substance or values, and it’s the obsession with aesthetic that’s causing most of the drama and nitpicking.

[@lorddarthvader6289]

@@Window4503 ah yes that sounds lovely. With anything in the internet it should be more of a dip n go and not your primary source of entertainment which secretly also becomes your source of information

[@megami.x]

@@lorddarthvader6289 me too 🤣🤣

[@Angelface11]

Lol ikr weird right. People need more healthy hobbies and work

[@Scientificmagic_]

Social media takes things to the logical extreme. Reasonable minimalism shouldn't be that complicated. Think twice before buying, and enjoy the stuff you buy or already have.

[@thirstwithoutborders995]

Everytime you do something for attention it becomes a competition, and then it is just down the drain, especially "spiritual" stuff. How often are you going to say the same thing, and people still applaud you after all. "Intentional Lifestyle" doesn't match with need for attention.

[@defaultworkouts]

this video should be titled how validation seeking people on social media tarnish concepts and ideas/practices such as minimalism. NOT how minimalism has a dark side. it doesn't.

[@msmaria5039]

Repair what you have and try to avoid replacing as much as possible.

[@mirianinoa1964]

@@defaultworkouts Exactly ...Minimalism is not the problem

[@god5535]

Writ in no book ever. Jeez. Just enjoy your life. And as for those enviromental hacks who get uppity lest a single plastic straw gets down the drain.... this universe existed for billions of years without your pithy presence and shall continue to do so without your involvement and presence. At the end of the day in the grand cosmic scheme of life and things... saving that single plastic straw just paints Man's earthly hubris. (Same goes for those vegan fantatics.)

[@SurfinTheKaliYuga]

You know, I fell into the minimalism rabbit hole in 2017 with everyone else. The thing is, I carried it to its logical conclusion: I ended up deleting pretty much all social media. No instagram to post minimalist pics to. No Twitter to wax poetic about the pleasures of having less crap. No Facebook to try to evangelize to people I knew in high school. I watched a few videos, took a few steps over time and decluttered, deleted time-sink nonsense apps, read a few self-help books for good measure, integrated the philosophies of minimalism and self help into my life, and kept it at that. It's a lifestyle, not a community. You can and should do things as an individual without trying to please the many. Minimalism itself isn't the problem; people who never got the point to begin with are the problem.

[@seherhashmi]

Agree with everything you said. I did the same thing you did. I also think that just throwing away things or having a certain number of things is minimalism. It takes a person a while to accumulate stuff, it should take a while to declutter.

[@BarrettRupp]

Well put about the problem being people who never got/misconstrued the point in the first place.

[@anotherway007]

So much about social media is about the individual's narcissism and need for approval from others

[@timothymuldoon]

@@anotherway007 Pretty much all of it is about that. Agreed.

[@pkersoul]

that sounds great. How you doing and has it helped nowadays , did you stick with it?

[@ZeeJohansen]

Minimalism is not toxic, people are. Trying to live your life by other people's standards or ways is a great way to lose yourself, which is why old people have said since the dawn of time, "Don't compare yourself to other people"

[@bluz1864]

yep! Thann you.

[@saf1999]

Exactly

[@oldsoulmermaid1543]

Yes!

[@defaultworkouts]

yeah, this video should be titled how validation seeking people on social media tarnish concepts and ideas/practices such as minimalism. NOT how minimalism has a dark side. it doesn't.

[@kenbe9982]

Brilliantly put

[@biteofdog]

I like the practical side of minimalism where you sort out your things, reduce any unnecessary duplicates of items, and organize them to have a proper place so you can easily find them later. I'm not into the weird aesthetic minimalism that is so prominently featured on social media, or wasting money on fancy containers to be super organized. I want my home to be cozy looking but not cluttered. Also, I don't make a ton of money so I rather thrift wood furniture and repair/clean things so they last longer.

[@collaborativelearning1]

Thanks for sharing

[@annaingridzuric]

@Jules, I agree, with everything that you said about how you get the idea of minimalism. Also, there's value in keeping well-maintained wood furniture or iron-cast pan, old leather bags. The patina in these functional and lasting items give them character and story to tell. Minimalism wasn't a movement until some people marketed them as a new fashion trend, but come to realize it, the social standing of one family sometimes leave them no choice but to scrimp and spend money to bare necessities therefore living in a minimalist setting.

[@jas22543]

This is exactly how it should be.

[@anotherway007]

Snooty minimalism, no thanks

[@WoollenMaple]

Totally agree

[@ishathakor]

it always bothers me that whenever i see examples of minimalist influencers online they're just living the greige lifestyle. like no one ever said being a minimalist means you should own nothing with any personality and live in a depressing white walled hell but here they all are. having a colourful blanket or interestingly patterened jacket isn't going to suddenly make you not a minimalist anymore but they just own only black white grey and beige coloured things it's insane.

[@melmar9255]

I think a lot of minimalists also go for the hygge feel. That’s why the greige

[@hickorysocks2628]

I think they tend to be spiritually dead (not connected with life) and that’s what is getting reflected in their empty style.

[@deleted01]

No. True minimalists don't own colors.

[@kallumvernion4439]

Depression white walls haha 😄

[@sinelp2010]

​@@melmar9255 true hygge is a homemade colourful blanket, its hot drinks in different coloured mugs, its sitting by the fire roasting marshmallows or lighting alot of candles. Hygge is not grey and dull, its not minimalist either, its cozy and comfortable. So if they are trying to for 'hygge' they have seriously misunderstood the meaning of that word. Source: I'm danish

[@dinosaur___7209]

I’m soooo tired of people hating on Marie Kondo. She’s literally so unproblematic. She personally is a minimalist but never said other ppl have to be 😭 you could follow Kondo’s advice and be a maximalist…(responding to the beginning with the article showed of her and the problems of minimalism)

[@PasserBy869]

Kondo also got hate for saying she's a bit messy (her definition of messy is prolly not the same as our definition of messy) now that she's focusing more on her kids. Considering that she's redirecting her energy and time to what sparks joy, and that just happen to be her kids.

[@ernststravoblofeld]

The trouble is the awful reality show they stuck her in. Her book was nice. The show was horrifying.

[@dinosaur___7209]

@@ernststravoblofeld what was horrifying about the show? I remember watching it and feeling very moved by the peoples stories and everything.

[@ernststravoblofeld]

@@dinosaur___7209 All the stupid pro wrestling style drama with the families. Seriously, you have to ask?

[@dinosaur___7209]

@@ernststravoblofeld i watched it awhile ago.

[@patriciaramos6655]

The only problem with minimalism is people don't understand that there's no only one way to be minimal. You can adapt it to your needs, it is about a life with purpose and consciousness, not about seeking being liked by others based on the looks of your house.

[@vaderladyl]

Exactly. It is not an all or nothing, one size fits all situation.

[@loumachugh9641]

i think you can be more intentional and consume less without being sad and beige all the time. thrift, collect meaningful things over time.

[@estlapetitemort]

And a lot of sensible minimalists will agree. It doesn't have to be and it shouldn't be sad. Whatever lifestyle one chooses should bring them joy.

[@biazacha]

Ironically, to fulfill the “look” that performs well on minimalist social media, those creators consume a lot of overpriced shit.

[@daCubanaqt]

Sad and beige 😂

[@WoollenMaple]

Quite right

[@normandy2501]

Some like beige though and don't find it sad. You just have to worry about what works for you and you alone. People in and outside of this culture have a projection problem more often than not once the valid critique is long over and done with.

[@raspberryitalia3464]

I get that the initial message of minimalism is to keep things that bring you joy, but the aesthetic movement would shame someone who keeps shelves of precious objects, and I think there's something insidious about pushing the idea that we simply should not have things. It feels like a message the wealthy would spew at the poor. "Don't you know you shouldn't have things? Money can't buy happiness, you know. No things for you, it's better this way, we promise."

[@anastasiakallinic]

Who will shame you if you don't post your space to random trolls in the internets? 😂 The problem is performative minimalism, which is what the minimalist content creators are promoting. Because you see them sharing a staged space, it doesn't mean you have to recreate it and then share it to receive criticism from some audience.

[@Vampress09]

This is it!

[@user-is7xs1mr9y]

Very well said. To quote the WEF: "You'll own nothing and be happy".

[@defaultworkouts]

well capitalists want people to rent forever and never own hence institutional investors sweeping in to housing itself. I can go on. but the trend being pushed indeed is to rent and share an economy rather than own and purchase. I can't believe software is entirely subscription based now at least the popular stuff like Microsoft word and photoshop. what a huge scam.

[@tessarae9127]

Oof. Yeah this is kind of the takeaway I had from it, being poor. Let me at least try to have nice things, damn it! 😾

[@wilfriedlcx3448]

The problem is not minimalism but the social media which want us to be exactly the same as the others ...

[@slaven18]

At it's core, minimalism is just - don't buy shit you don't need and will never use. Problem with that is that you can't monetize and milk it as a content on social media. You can live minimalist lifestyle without needing to buy minimalist style furniture. Lot's of those apartments look sterile and fake, no personal touch, no life, it looks like nobody actually lives there. As someone who is essentially minimalist i find lot's of those videos and content creators cringe. I don't buy lot of stuff, but when i buy stuff, i buy good quality stuff. I like functionality and usefulness. Also, i like sentimental stuff, like souvenirs from traveling or books that have special meaning in my life, old photo albums etc. In essence, only online stuff got toxic because it went to extreme and if people want to make money, they need to go to extreme because that's whats bringing eyeballs to content.

[@ascensionbias7528]

Nailed it.

[@odieanna]

Once again, minimalism is not the one that's toxic, social media is. It destroyed a really good philosophy that can truly improve someone's life and bring contentment. I still believe in the philosophy although when done right: don't follow the trends, be content with what you decide to keep, no matter the amount and look inside, not outside for satisfaction and validation.

[@ShroomFactory]

Social media is not toxic. That's like saying a hammer is toxic.

[@tigana]

@@ShroomFactory Social media is programmed to make you dependent on it and intentionally gives you polarizing views to keep you viewing ads for longer

[@ShroomFactory]

@@tigana It's our responsibility to learn how to use it.

[@anotherway007]

Isn't it more about the narcissism and need for approval of those using social media? Agreed this trend that appears out of nowhere has coopted a way of living that philosophers have commented about for years.

[@ShroomFactory]

@@anotherway007 i approve of this social media message ;)

[@ashl2663]

I've been a practical minimalist for the last 5 years and couldn't imagine going back. I do not suffer a beige boring aesthetic, I just don't own crap I don't need or enjoy. 2 pairs of jeans gets me through the week fine, but I have a butt load of undies because that works for me. My bedroom and wider living areas are both very simple and uncluttered yet still cozy because owning less things means less cleaning. I don't suffer or feel uncomfortable because all my needs are met and I'm not an extremist. Real life minimalism is not what you see on social media, even labelling it feels stupid because to me it's just being a normal person 😂

[@Peuratar]

The most fucked up thing about minimalism is how elitist it seems. Minimalism is cool unless you are poor. Almost empty apartment is perfect unless it is almost empty because you can't afford anything. Every minimalist apartment looks very very expensive.

[@zainabmejja9936]

THIS!! 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@Gnarlyboi]

Also as in my comment everything marketed as "space saving" or "minimalist" is charged at a premium. So you get people who show their wealth but how little space their belongings take up

[@monkeymanwasd1239]

Minimalism lets you afford stuff

[@ShroomFactory]

There are plenty of poor hoarders.

[@Peuratar]

@@ShroomFactory that is also true, and we see those homes even less.

[@HeatherShambles]

This makes me think of another phenomenon I've seen on Instagram lately - people who decide they're going to be more eco-friendly and go out and buy a bunch of "eco-friendly" products, as though that's what it takes to protect the environment. One reel that stuck with me was someone showing all the eco-friendly products she'd bought - like bamboo cutlery - and saying that she regretted buying them. The example that keeps coming to mind is the bamboo cutlery she bought, and after using it she realised that she had plenty of perfectly good metal cutlery already and this purchase was unnecessary.

[@weird-guy]

And they called themself ecologists by trowing out good tupperwares because is made of plastic,and then buy steel ones.

[@katec9893]

That reminds me of this video I watched of a van life couple. The young woman was SO obnoxious when talking about regular non minimalists, looking down at us with utter contempt, whilst talking about her minimalist eco friendly shampoo. She was absolutely damning in her judgement of others. I feel like this needs a name, I'm going to call it Eco-Snobbery.

[@anotherway007]

virtue signalling, ugh....

[@huh5007]

Yep, and there’s the trend of minimalist vloggers decluttering their closets full of “sustainable” clothing, usually PR sent from brands, and then donating them. What’s the point in buying or accepting PR from ethical brands if they just end up at Goodwill? It’s extremely counterintuitive.

[@lorettalynndavis9695]

That's how they get you. They study people and we have proved to be predictable. This works on humans all the time. These people are evil genius's the way they repackage consuming, and we always fall for it. lol

[@aff77141]

As someone who grew up with parents who are on the edge of being hoarders, flaring my allergies and eczema almost all my life and fueling difficulties with keeping my spaces tidy, learning the balance between minimalism and maximalism (not as in just being 'normal', but choosing where and what you want to have a lot of things that aren't to the minimalist aesthetic to enjoy your life) is stressful but so, so important for being healthy

[@dawnmazarati3301]

I can understand people using the internet for learning actual SKILLS, like building restoration, pet training, history, cooking...things that actually requires some kind of knowledge. The "minimalism" thing, though? And there's drama over that? Being minimalistic with my words and time, I'm almost ashamed to have wasted time on this subject. If you want to be a minimalist, it's simple. Throw the shit you DON'T use away...Get rid of duplicates that aren't needed....quit bringing things in to your home. It shouldn't be as complicated as people are making it, and their certainly shouldn't be an entire "Movement"...that's just preposterous!

[@mattnguyen1672]

Minimalism isn’t toxic. People are. I highly value having minimum items. 7 socks, 7 underwear, 7 shirts, 7 hoodies. Man it just makes it so easier. De clutter. Nothing on the counter except decor or things with purpose of daily use

[@Pete_xp]

I love fashion so I can't declutter wardrobe but everything else? Could fit in a tote. It's all about figuring out what works for you 🤷‍♂️

[@Scorpio1964Wines]

Bingo ! I used to be a big consumer, I mean spending $1,000s a month on actual junk. I just stopped and ive saved money for traveling and actually living life. I had too deep dive into my mind and I now undedstand why I shopped so much.

[@notyourbestie]

And I can have 14 panties and I can be considered minimalist. There's no count limit to be considered minimalist. Sometimes, it depends on lifestyle. I wear the 7 this week, do my laundry even a few days late in the week and I'll still have enough panties. A bit over (to make sure I'll have fresh clean one everyday) but not excessive my dresser is drowning in panties 😂 It's really the people being toxic.

[@XSquidbeatsX]

It is toxic as people are still focused on outcomes. That creates endless problems, but that is western culture for symmetry and perfection. Nature is beautiful, and is asymmetrical. Nature is a process and not perfect.

[@piou77piou]

I remember seeing a reportage about a minimalist mom and honestly her son's bedroom looked sad. Only two expensive "clever" toys made of wood, no posters, no children books (only school books) no photos, no stuffed animal etc. Only a full white bedroom that honestly looked like an asylum bedroom.

[@Catz1972]

Maybe he had a life outside the bedroom :)

[@burnertube2023]

you clearly don't know what asylum means

[@collecticus]

​@@Catz1972And why would that result in coming to an emotionless bedroom?

[@Sharmasudeep02]

It's not minimalist. It is call bokachoda

[@shaktikumari444]

​@@Sharmasudeep02Hindi me gaali bol diye Bhai.... samajh nhi ayega logon ko

[@rb5078]

This happens in every niche community. It gets to a point where no one is ever enough (e.g. not minimalist enough, not vegan/paleo/keto enough, not grinding hard enough, etc.). It always becomes toxic because people take it to extremes and police each other. I learned to stay away from these movements and just do my own thing and not worry about what other people are doing or what they think.

[@collaborativelearning1]

part of the reason is perhaps that the loud ones are heard while the real minimalists are quiet. See the book Abundance of Less which is about Japanese minimilists

[@Noway673]

Great advice.We are human not robots.

[@cobracommander9138]

@@collaborativelearning1 Japanese minimalist are some big phonies! Look up Diogenes that's a real minimalist.

[@katec9893]

You're so right. People with certain personality traits (such as being controlling) can ruin groups and movements quite quickly. They try to turn it into a sort of religion and declare how things should and shouldn't be done within the movement. I find they're also usually the people who quietly leave a movement before they jump onto a completely different movement/trend that is often at odds with the trend they were previously obsessed with.

[@vaderladyl]

This obsession about making everything a competition sucks the joy out of it.

[@katrnh4809]

As for me, it's absolutely clear what this phenomenon is. Just moneymalism, not minimalism.

[@Memberberry123]

Agree. Problem is not the life style itself, is how these influencers wanting to generate $$ from this idea but realizing there isn’t much to monetize by nature.

[@tessarae9127]

Moneymalism!!!! That’s great 😂

[@defaultworkouts]

how? minimalism means you spend less in general (activities can be nearly FREE especially in large cities like New York where I live). most ppl. are out of debt because they spend less and have more free time as they are not cleaning up whatever they would hav purchased.

[@Iquey]

​​​@@defaultworkouts that's people doing it the smart or frugal way. I think to many got freaked out by the aesthetics of spartan design and how it looks rich while imitating poverty. like an "upgraded poverty" by choice. But I'm middle/working class, so I think of minimalism as having what I need + a little bit of the best of what I like. But I'm still a bit of a clutter bug when it comes to hobbies. 😆 But I don't buy as many clothes as other people, despite working retail, I'm surrounded by clothes 8 hours a day so I know there's no shortage of them anywhere. I think of minimalism as a way to make moving from one place to another less stressful, and until I can own a home, (if ever) it will be a tool to make the logistics of my life less horrible and overwhelming.

[@defaultworkouts]

@@Iquey there is a lady at my job who actually lost weight because of minimalism all around, not just stress, but also eating within her own limits of what is good and necessary

[@RisingRecluse]

I became a minimalist after a breakup in 2011 before I ever heard of the word. I moved a two bedroom apartment to a room and now a bike and trailer. For me it's about being mobile after everything falls apart.

[@kristallopez2449]

❤

[@ellenripley4837]

My biggest criticism of minimalist influencers is they they were never real minimalists. Most were selling minimalist products. 😂 That was such an oxymoron.

[@AlexShiro]

How? If it’s an option that supports the lifestyle, and it works for them, that’s fair to share and talk about; people are looking to optimise aren’t they?

[@johnmonk66]

Lol. How many people have we seen become minimalists by first going out and buying ten black tshirts and minimalist furniture. A minimalist uses what he has.

[@AlexShiro]

@@johnmonk66 Lol 😂 if buying ten black shirts helps clean the mind up and reduce mental burden, and a dude uses his other shirts for charity or polishing his windows, that’s still minimalism by me. I wear denim or chambray shirts myself, they work for my job and climate and make my life easier and I have three I use constantly, only started with one, thrift buys for each one, and I passed on shirts I didn’t so they could get used elsewhere. Having an object that works really well for us is easily minimalist. Holding onto stuff that doesn’t if we have the means to share, is not wiser and kinder; others may go for all white t shirts we used to own and if pre owned, good for them.

[@Whigu]

True... Those "minimalists" seem to always being selling something, making sponsored product video or selling their books or you can rent them to speak somewhere.

[@TheLily97232]

So now we're here ? How about just be ? I'm tired of all those stupid labels. We forget to just live with common sense

[@celestechantelouve5496]

Marie Kondo saved my life. I grew up in abuse and then lived in poverty so I learned to hoard as a child and as a young adult was living in horrible clutter. I dreamed of my home catching fire to "save" me from my stuff. Now I have a pretty and clean flat full of stuff I love. I still use the KonMari method because whenever I'm stressed or tired I begin hoarding again. I used minimalist videos at some point as inspiration but ironically it made me buy stuff to try to get to the aesthetic... And the truly non commercial videos just made me feel stressed because I still had "too much stuff" in comparison... So now I just do it my own way, using the KonMari method to find what matters to me and that's it.

[@akcalo]

Omg I felt that "dreamed of home catching fire"! I've actually thought this myself

[@WoollenMaple]

Awe ❤ Hope things are going better for you 💗 Once I went on holiday and my rental roof collasped. There was the initial panic of "oh no all my stuff" and a sadness for one or two items. But the rest... I was relieved to see it gone. Turned out my landlord exaggerated about the "collaspe" and it was a tiny leak and she broke into my apartment and just painted over it. I'm so glad not renting anymore. My old landlord was a nasty lady

[@lsamoa]

I used her method to reduce the amount of stuff I had to take with me when moving country. I was very happy with what I had, because the things that I kept I really loved and needed. Then most of it got destroyed in a flood and I had to start all over. In a way it can be nice to restart from scratch, but it's also soulcrushing to lose personal items and having to replace perfectly fine things with the exact same things takes so much energy, especially in a new country where you have no idea where to find them. So in short, I'm glad your house didn't catch fire and that you used this method instead. Don't let your house catch fire! ;)

[@celestechantelouve5496]

@@lsamoa Thank you! Yes I don't want that now, my house feels like a nice home thanks to her! That fantasy has completely disappeared. I'm glad you managed to rebuild after such a loss. It must have been exhausting.

[@lsamoa]

@@celestechantelouve5496 Thanks, it was indeed. But I try to remind myself that it would have been even more exhausting had I not done the decluttering work before that happened. That work was not lost, it helped me keep focus on what was important to replace rather than try to get everything back. I'm glad you don't have that fantasy anymore and that you enjoy your home. Kondo's method is really good indeed!

[@Joela393]

Minimalism and maximalism are both really cool in the art world

[@Joela393]

it just depends which one works in a context

[@moonchild977]

my mom called me a minimalist before, but I figured she must be wrong because I don’t fit the aesthetic. only now did I realize that I was doing the core idea - owning only things that actually serve a purpose/mean something, without thinking too much about it. I guess the thing is, when you put a label on it and make it part of your identity, it becomes really hard to not stress about how others perceive how “good” you are at it

[@kidnpigtogether]

As long as MY minimalism makes my life easier, happier, more productive and self fulfilling, I could care less who accepts or doesn’t accept my definition of it. My minimalism doesn’t have to revolutionize anything, anybody, anytime, anywhere. If it works in my universe to better my personal space and soul and spirit, it has served it’s purpose. Too many ppl within minimalism are being driven by egoism and pride, instead of letting it be like water, water is water no matter where it’s at, upon any surface, it’s adaptable to any environment, it is what it is. Ppl get caught up in trying to be the face of minimalism or it’s spokesperson.

[@Vc-ot1bt]

Minimalism isn't toxic, and it's not dead. Social media is pretty much both though. Minimalism has made a huge difference to my quality of life, but I took the concept and ran with it in a way that's worked for my situation. My previous cluttered, chaotic life was way more toxic.

[@XSquidbeatsX]

Minimalism has a perfectionist outcome. Wabi Sabi is about process of being one with nature and let’s go of thinking about the outcome.

[@anastasiakallinic]

Living in a tiny space in Japan during my 20's, working under Kaizen lean management, and being naturally not particularly into fashion, decoration, or generally being slightly cheap and lazy, is in my experience the recipe to become minimalist. 😂 The problem is "minimalist" creators are making a living from performative minimalism. Which is not sustainable in real life.

[@jayplay8140]

the first problem some of these minimalists had was their need to treat it as a thing to blog/tweet/youtube about. its a lifestyle philosophy, not a show. minimalists have existed long before 2015, and will forever more, except they'll simply be living the life, not blogging a trend

[@privateprivate4315]

I always thought if you obsessed too much on minimalism you just ended up focused over how much stuff you had. Same problem with having too much stuff. You’re still just overthinking all your stuff

[@lsamoa]

This!

[@TexSquirrel]

I’ve thought the same thing!

[@myancestorsareme]

I'm an introverted pragmatic minimalist. So thankfully I don't need a bunch of people to tell me what minimalism is for me 😊

[@VinnieGer]

I’ve always wanted to try it but I’m an artist. Running out of stuff is literally the nightmare scenario.

[@JacyndaMinor]

Right?! If I hadn’t made art out of stuff that I had been lugging around for 5 years until finding the perfect way to use it, and then upon using it had great success- i could consider it. But it just doesn’t help the case when I’ve been saved by cutting open an old tube of white or when I’ve used plastic sheeting from a mattress to stretch the remaining length of the floor area I needed to cover. I say, as long as you can find it when you need it, keep it.

[@ClaudiaMiller]

I'm a mixed media collage artist, so yeah, everything is an art supply. My rule: as long as stuff is leaving in art projects, it's not hoarding. Lol

[@JacyndaMinor]

@@ClaudiaMiller and if we group things together well and label them accordingly, people will even call us _organized_ when we show them our collection of animal bones or if they open our clearly labeled drawer full of broken jewelry

[@ClaudiaMiller]

@@JacyndaMinor🤣🤣 drawer?! I have a whole tote of broken jewelry! I don't bring out the bones til Halloween.

[@bjornbjorn_around_the_corner]

As an artist/bookbinder I completly understand this feeling. For us who create so much, having a larger amount of things is normal and understandable. You dont want to run out of something while you create. But I am also a minimalist in the works, and what I have learned is that minimalism does not mean to deprive yourself. If I feel that I need much of something in order to create without worry, then I will have much of that thing. This is not contradictory to my minimalist lifestyle since I feel I personaly have just as much as I need, no more or no less. If you want try try minimalism then please dont feel that you HAVE to get rid of stuff. Dont overthink what you should and should'nt own. Have a relaxed approach to it and ignore what others think "true" minimalism is. Or dont. I just wanted to share my thoughts on this as a fellow artist.

[@Eiramzify]

The one aspect I like about minimalism is it helps keeping things organized. Im a very messy person and generally lazy. So having less means organizing less lol Its just practical.

[@malinm1615]

I am such a sentimental person. A lot of object i have are connected to a specific person or time in my life, and to "have to" throw or give it away (mind, a lot of those items are specific to me and have no further purpose or practicality) would force me to have to cut that off. But I don't want to be disconnected from the things I value. Maybe minimalism teaches you to live more mindfully and in the moment, but I love having these contained memories. Also, I am an "everything" crafts person. So not having stuff is detrimental to my creativity.

[@Soldantae]

It's crazy how the state of our lives as people is so different. I live in a very much in a struggling country and my family is really struggling financially so we're kind of already living in a forced-minimalist lifestyle. I've never really gotten personal stuff that could help me express my identity and the only clothes I have are primarily hand-me-downs and Christmas gifts so when I think of stuff I would like it's more of thinking about stuff I would need. That being said I'm a creative. I love the idea of having a space the expresses myself and my inspirations so I don't think a minimalistic life would be for me. I think navigating yourself by asking, ''how happy does this make me?'' is better tbh.

[@catboy_official]

That last sentence is the heart of minimalism: happiness over having things just because marketing/people/fleeting urges says you should. Quality over quantity.

[@myBquest]

I actually liked the first minimalist movie these guys did. I still watch it sometimes when I feel I'm spending money on useless things because it happens to me often, so it makes me remember the things that matter and motivates me. I stay away from all the drama of the community simply because I have learned to take in whatever works for me, and not following what doesn't. It's really not that hard.

[@phdrawings392]

I was so obsessed over minimalist videos. I would get rid of everything, even the things that made me happy. We love a downward spiral

[@simaoduarte6861]

The idea of minimalism is not, by itself, toxic at all. What we have here is a problem that is focused on individuals that turned minimalism into a business. I first heard about this idea before the pandemic, but I really started thinking about it during the pandemic. I found the documentary on Netflix by accident. Furthermore, I watched it at least two times, writing stuff down and then make an analysis. I adapted minimalism according to myself, what I am and how everything around me as an impact on me. I read a book called "Less is More" by Francine Jay and used it to fit my reality. That's what minimalism is supposed to be. Social media? Didn't have them, way before I even knew minimalism so when something that is "new" and growing at a fast pace like this, some people will look for ways to profit from them, turning a very good idea into a business that completely breaks the true definition of it. Some will say it's a cult, others may say it is a total sh*t idea. My opinion? It's something that if you choose to apply it wisely in your life, it will help you a lot in this journey. Try not to copy everything, instead use it as a guide to this new concept of living with less, but more importnant, live in a meaningful way as you see it.

[@gizmofrompizmo2177]

Personally I've always preferred the style of "purposeful clutter". Walking into someone's house and seeing their obsessions in full display is far more interesting IMO.

[@jeanniefromtahini5197]

Minimalism has been around well before it was a trend online, and it's going to be around long after people who treat it as a trend are gone.

[@direcircumstances]

As a lifelong maximalist, i appreciate this content.

[@deleted01]

Thank you for your consumption

[@edwardherzrec]

@@leonardomartinez4451 A maximalist is not a hoarder. I would call myself a minimalist (without the gatekeeping), but I see the appeal of a well designed maximalist home. I have hoarders in my family, but also maximalists, and these 2 are completely different.

[@direcircumstances]

@@edwardherzrec Thank you, my good sir, for understanding the difference! I am mostly referring to design elements when I use the word "maximalist." I love details and flourishes and knick-knacks. I think it's admirable when people take on a minimalist lifestyle, but aesthetically speaking, minimalist design is just not for me.

[@JacyndaMinor]

@@edwardherzrec yeah it’s actually wild bc I’m hearing this description of minimalism being to only buy things with intention, and dude I put weeks to months to sometimes years of thought into anything I acquire. I really agonize over it. But my home, if you see it, can absolutely be described as “maximalist” design bc I’m an artist and I love a vivid, dynamic aesthetic. I really lean into the first two steps in reduce, reuse, recycle. I grew up very poor, so I know this factors in to my thought process.

[@msdebruin.]

My dream is a house where the walls are filled with thrifted paintings and pictures. 😍

[@hannahjames5400]

Minimalism is a mindset, and it's not always going to look super cute. It's helped me save money and curb my bad shopping habbits. Like you mentioned in the video, it's sad that's its turned into a commercial idea that has turned it into a trend.

[@xxandrewwilsonxxable]

I'm a minimalist. I was most of my 40 year life before the movement became popular or I even knew there was a name for it. I don't care what anyone thinks nor do i share how I live simple with anyone. Just live and enjoy my life in the moment.

[@federicacaruana]

I'm a minimalist and I journal. It's totally wrong that influencers portray the picture that everything must have a certain colour tone or an exact amount. It's unrealistic. I mean if you practice hobbies like painting, you're going to need multiple brushes for example and that wouldn't be a problem. The purpose is to simplify and keep things which are meaningful and useful. If having multiple of those is beneficial for the person by all means they should keep it. With regards to journalling, I use it as a councelling therapy. If there's a problem I need to solve or maybe, I'm upset, I jot down my feelings. It's upsetting that they brainwash and market this philosophy as an aesthetic. Thank you for this video and the awareness you're creating.

[@SuperNicktendo]

I think a lot of people took to minimalism as a workaround to poor organization. Can't have stuff all over the floor if you didn't own it in the first place. Like with most internet self-help movements, a lot of people took one aspect of it and took it to the extreme. Gotta find some middle ground. I have a lot of stuff, but anything new is deliberately added and I have actually gotten rid of stuff in the process. No one would call my room minimalist, but it's a great style that's not for everyone.

[@hbc.5686]

This was certainly me. I was someone who genuinely got into the minimalist philosophies in 2017, but never felt compelled to make content surrounding it. I viewed the minimalist content I consumed as a toolkit - different creators had good tips for decluttering. Things like 30-day challenges or ideas of "does it bring you joy" have been helpful, actionable ways I can de-clutter and organize my space. But once I did that - once I got a handle on my own organization habits - I was good. So the content began to get boring. There wasn't much left to say. As a consumer of the content, I was naturally moving on. I never cared about the aesthetics of it, and I can see how, if the aesthetics are what's keeping viewers, that begins to get tiring and toxic because it really doesn't seem sustainable.

[@bradendrake9087]

For sure. I went through a big minimalism journey in 2019-2020. It's helped my ADHD so much. I don't lose things anymore, and can usually tidy my whole house in about 15 minutes. Plus, it's so nice to have one empty closet when guests come over or two empty drawers waiting to be used when I throw a party. I have zero patience, so not having to move stuff around to find room to put other stuff has been lifted so many of those little anxious moments that can really add up. I fit all my clothes in a tiny closet now and have just enough knick knacks I think to make the space visually pleasing by not cluttered. But the one space you won't find empty drawers is my kitchen because it's the one place I don't mind regularly cleaning, tidying, and caring for my many gadgets. And to me, that's what minimalism is all about. Balance.

[@WoollenMaple]

I agree. If you can't keep to a cleaning schedule then the internet recommends decluttering, when really that's not the root of the problem. The problem is you're struggling to do the dishes

[@ShatteredRippleBooks]

I am a recovering hoarder and I started watching these video's and decluttering. I thought it would help me. To begin with it did but then the more I watched the more inadequate I felt. I started to feel anxious that my home would never be good enough. I spoke to my psychologist about it. He told me that minimalism videos online show the extreme. That by decluttering I am doing something good. However I should only do this at my own pace and to an extent that I am comfortable with. His advice was helpful to me. I think I will always be more of a maximilist, I like things and I am a creative person. Which means I have stuff for my hobbies too and I'm happy with that.

[@rolandpointoh]

This video is so necessary and hopefully a wake up call for many in the minimalism community. As a former self-proclaimed minimalist, the lifestyle has devolved into aesthetics and is just not sustainable, especially if you don’t live alone. Lose the facade and rekindle your relationship with your belongings. Do it because clearer space means a clearer mind, not because it gets you likes on social media. It’s still helpful in theory as long as you do it for yourself, not for others’ eyes.

[@TVindustries5000]

i swear to god people could turn anything into a community with drama. Why do people put themselves in a box of rigidity. people dont do religion but then believe in things like this to where it has to define their whole lives and every choice they make. People have desperation to be defined by one word where it has to infect every part of their life. I'm a _____. I'm a Minimalist I'm a Christian I'm a conservative I'm a liberal I'm a youtuber I'm a buddhist I feel like people latch on to things constantly to try to fix themselves but misunderstand themselves because theyre operating on a subconcious level. we all do. people have so much pain and the subconcious learns from childhood how to help you along and keep you going. we end up feeling the same things and doing the same things over and over but we dont notice it conciously. You feel, then are left to try to figure out WHY you felt that way and usually you end up blaming things that werent really the CORE reason.

[@Manehoph]

So who you identified with now with your drama too 🤗We never stop being in a particular community or else we die... Its just that more difficult to live, being not into even one community. You have to be identified with something.

[@SusanChristmas]

It is a religion. We are all born with a void that only God can fill. If we choose not to seek God out we will fill that void with everything else.

[@wkt2506]

​​@@SusanChristmasgosh very deep! 🌀

[@collan580]

Minimalism can be great, but its not a cure for all and it should not be treated as such. For me minimalism helps me to simplify my life. I dont have useless junk around me because i try to think before i buy, but that doesnt mean that i dont have stuff. I like the aesthetic as well, its relaxing for me, but your home should feel like a home, not an IKEA staged one. However minimalism wont solve all of your problems and its a way of life that is not for everyone.

[@Window4503]

Be a maximal minimalist. Maximize on what you need for your well-being and downsize to those things.

[@Maggiebsas]

My introduction to minimalism was Coco from Light by Coco, she was the true representative of a minimalist essentialist. When her own creative output became a burden she turn it off, she evolved in her blog posts an later youtube and instagram posts and the end was almost the necessary conclusion to what she wrote about. The true unburden by shedding what is not needed nor useful. It marked my own take on minimalism and how I apply the philosophy in my life.

[@anne-marie339]

For many of us it seems minimalism is a slippery slope of yet another mechanism to exert control over ourselves and others and try to reach a forever aspirational ascetic (and aesthetic) lifestyle. I like some elements of the minimalist philosophy but I like also like stuff - so it’s forever a balance of min-max’ing my home

[@dutchik5107]

Something being tied to a memory or just giving you joy, making your house feel like a home is also a purpose.

[@beloxorthisigi]

There was once a time where i tought that minimalism was the perfect/elegant style every house should have but in retrospective that just seems... Very dead to me... Im a very creative person and i freaking love color man,or bizarre objects instead of the normal ones,pósters,hanging my drawings on the walls,little things i collect from vacations or special moments in my life... You know,things that tell that that is the space you love living in... Following styles like these just prevents reflecting your personality in it...

[@signalshift6676]

I feel like not minimalism is the problem, but people and social media.

[@Jedi391]

In defense of “The Minimalists” they’ve always pretty much said there’s no set way of doing it for everyone. What I’ve always gotten from those guys is the idea of simply being international in how you live and being honest about what objects actually bring value to your life. I don’t live like them but I find value in what they put out. Yes, it’s a simple message that you wouldn’t think needs repeating, but people need reminders so I think their continuing presence has value. Check in with them when it benefits you, check out when you’re not as interested, it’s simple.

[@lovelyt4800]

I like that idea of minimalism. Not having clutter everywhere, being able to save money for those rainy days or affording a vacation. It doesn’t have to be a negative thing. My home is decorated beautifully with color & furniture but I don’t have unnecessary things or clutter I don’t use anymore. There’s always extremist that go out of their way to ruin something that can be helpful.

[@shandalie8741]

I have been decluttering based off of me traveling a lot and we pack and unpack and it is extremely overwhelming. We live in a travel trailer now so I can buy more things and not have to pack and unpack anymore, but I still hate looking at a bunch of things that we dont need and I am learning to stop buying things becuz Id rather spend money on memories and vacation rather than shopping sprees. Everyone has diff ideas of what minimal is to them and its def useful, I agree w u there

[@aspierich7567]

Surely, it is those who attempt to make a living out of creating minimalism content that must face the contradiction that they're unable to do that without continually adding to vast amount of content that already exists. Minimalism as a lifestyle choice is not the problem, minimalism as a business model is the problem. Once you've stated the benefits of a minimalist lifestyle, everything else - all the optimisation, the hacks, the rules, the "I did X for 30 days" guff is superfluous - the opposite of minimalsm.

[@benjaminh.abraham6815]

It’s always interesting to see how movements evolve

[@empurress77]

🤣 Minimalism is nowhere bear my lifestyle. I'm a collector. The things i collect are quite comforting to view and recollect fond memories from.

[@kanaflux]

Once a concept is introduced people loose the ability to think for themselves, instead of asking what makes sense, we frantically follow the concepts' rules to have the feeling that we do sth right, we are desperate for control and identity.

[@lanemcnally5159]

What makes it toxic is so many people trying to turn it into a money making thing. A way to get followers, to be apart of another trend. Like you said it was the beginning that screwed it for itself

[@Karen_esque]

I always love your take on topics. If anyone hasn't seen it, I definitely recommend The Financial Diet's interview with The Minimalists. It's extremely painful because they refused to answer Chelsea's questions and talked in empty circles, which caused people to realize they never offer any value to the subject.

[@DonnaIRL]

Yup I did try to watch that interview. I couldn’t get through it though for that exact reason.

[@Karen_esque]

@@DonnaIRL It made so many people mad lol. Chelsea had great questions.

[@Atheria444]

I've gotta say that although I love the IDEA of a super small capsule wardrobe, it's just not practical. I do laundry every Sunday and am not about to do laundry every other day because I have 2 shirts. I think there's a happy medium with a smaller wardrobe but not minuscule one. Having less stuff is a good thing. Having nothing is probably not. It's about balance.

[@elizavillatoro6063]

Well, it worked for me. By being minimalistic, I was actually able to save and buy my home whish I'm extremely grateful. Living debt free and with a place to live has down my worries and my anxieties. Por lo tanto ha valido la pena.

[@JackLapidus]

Only Donna could make an interesting video about the toxicity rampant in the minimalist community. This is why I Stan her.

[@Samuel-ku1qb]

My minimalism mantra is very simple, “be specific and do not waver from it.” I struggle with depersonalisation so unless I have really strong ties to what I own I can feel like it’s not mine and therefore I shouldn’t use it. When I started buying things I really wanted and ending up being in love with it that’s when I could deal with my issues and actually feel at home.

[@ParadoxHorde]

I want to see "consume less" turn into "share more". Even if we can't get people to stop consuming, we can get ourselves to normalize sharing what we have and doing our best to make sure others around us do not go without.

[@lsamoa]

I was very much into the sharing idea before 2020. I'd share my toolbox and sewing machine with neighbours, borrow stuff from friends etc. But then the pandemic hit and since then there's no way I'm sharing anything with anyone anymore. It makes me sad but I'm covid high risk so I can't take any such chances. I'd rather just give things away instead.

[@kavya12kohli]

I'm the opposite. If clothes don't fit anymore, I keep it for when I'll lose weight and be able to fit in it again. I have several books that I know I'm not gonna reread but I can't make myself part with those books. I love having them just displayed on my shelves.

[@ClaudiaMiller]

I have those special books too! They just make me smile.

[@milkteamachine]

I think the biggest problem is that people seem to be unable to distinguish minimalism as a design style (completely unrelated to how much you own, it can be hidden), and a lifestyle philosophy. They don’t have to go together. Maybe I just don’t understand people who obsessively follow trends without really thinking about their own needs and then complain about it later lol

[@anotherway007]

vegasnism another big trend

[@coffeechatsandwalks3976]

The antidote to minimalism and consumerism is balanced downsizing, decluttering/life organising and living within means being able to differentiate between need/wants and satisfaction vs greed

[@superstonewarrior]

I'll admit I've been having episodes of being obsessed with getting rid of stuff even if i didnt need or want to since I discovered minimalism 8 months ago but overall I view it as a positive influence on my life as it got me to realize buying stuff had never made me happy, helped me to get rid of a lot of things I didn't need, and ultimately made me legitimately reevaluate my values and what is important to me in life.

[@Maximus_W]

The last two times I engaged with someone that told me they were a minimalist, they had to “out minimalist” me. Like whatever 😂

[@beastebeat4956]

Minimalism being sold as an idea kills itself in the process. When a person centers their life on having less they aren't getting rid of the things that fill their lives with clutter they're filling their lives with emptiness. Saying you want less and less stuff means you want to be more and more minimalist. You aren't wanting no more things you are wanting more nothing.

[@beckypetersen2680]

what I've observed is that they then want to "go out" more. Less stuff at home means leaving home and doing things elsewhere. I prefer 'being at home' and enjoying staying here.

[@wkt2506]

Mmm ... interesting what minimalist social media channels are promoting becoming 'more' of. That 'more' part tends to com across quite generic and maybe isn't really a big part of their brand?

[@kensiblonde4203]

I’ll never be a minimalist but watching their videos and reading their books just helped and inspired me to get rid of a lot of things I didn’t need and I’m a lot happier for it.

[@cozylorae]

I’m a maximalist minimalist (?) meaning I enjoy color, cool things, and a healthy amount of new clothes, but I’m very intentional about what I buy. I’d like to think there’s more people like me in this regard. The best example I can think of is like a Wes Anderson film. Everything is colorful and sometimes over the top, but it’s still structured, organized, and feels clean. Maybe I am biased, but I truly believe that living in this consumerist world, it’s perfectly normal and healthy to be a part of it. The hard balancing act is not falling into overconsumption. And realizing that it’s not about what everyone else has, but what YOU want.

[@michapowell]

I love Ronald L. Banks' videos! He has such a grounding and spiritual approach to minimalism that doesn't focus solely on the aesthetics of the minimalist movement. I'm new to your videos and I am so glad to have found your take on how commercialized it has become, and as someone who used to get caught up in the "look" of being a minimalist, I'm glad to have gradually come back to basics and just use what I already have and keep attracting more of what brings joy into my life.

[@mssarahmr]

I come from a hoarder household. Like a real bad one. I was always looking for my things because it would just get lost in the mess until it resurfaced days, months or even years later. So when I moved out with my boyfriend I got a shitton of tstuff myself. Now I could have these things with them not getting lost or being peed on by cats. But so I was and still am, hoarding myself. When I found the minimalist movement I ate those videos up. I watched every Video and documentary I could find. However it was more the people cleaning and rationally decluttering their homes. I was appalled by the minimalism videos were people just got rid of stuff for the sake of getting rid of stuff.

[@Cocktailkatze]

I got rid of a lot of items with memories attached to them during my minimalist phase. I hoped to achieve freedom. I was particularly influenced by those “I only own x amount things” videos. Now I really regret that and can never get them back.

[@wkt2506]

I'm really sorry 😔 These are the stories that worry me. I don't know how old you are but do you think being influenced like that is particularly a young person's thing?

[@xuhongmao7292]

Absolutely Fabulous lampooned minimalism in one episode, with people constantly bumping into white furnitures in a stark white room. It was back in the nineties.

[@xuhongmao7292]

@@mahjojo9031 Sorry, what I meant was that the show was aired in the 90’s. It turned out that the episode White Box （Season5 ), was aired in 2004). It was no a flash back, because Saffy was a grown woman, and she ordered her mother to change the white room back into a proper kitchen. Miranda Richardson played the clinically insane designer, Bettina.

[@Arionid]

where are the cozy minimalists at? the ones that live with few unnecessary items but dont arrange them immaculately in a sterile flashbanged environment

[@FlipTheBard]

Funny to think that this pattern repeats evertyime. Something starts to pop up and attract people's attention > it gets popular > people start doing it/following those that were doing it > massive communities are created around it > shit happens/add toxicity > it becomes toxic

[@FlipTheBard]

@@andreakhaid Everything becomes a competition, and that makes everything becomes boring because not everyone wants to compete with others all the time for everything. We just want to enjoy something and that's it.

[@pahaahv]

After two years there will be a video of how toxic it is that everything is super toxic. Metatoxicity. 1st world problems. People have sh1tty goals with the sign of a good goal, they don't have good friends, they have too much time and start doing stupid sh1t.

[@Sibilahabiaunavez]

The problem is that social media become all in a competition. True minimalist doesn't need rules, I don't need other people tell me how many items I need in my life.

[@SpecialBooksbySpecialKids]

Love your videos!

[@fiorellino]

I just recently dived into this movement just because I want to improve my space. The thing that made me question some of these influencers was when one of them said they don't use smartphones at home and they don't have any internet at their place. I mean... that's too much for me. We are dependent of the internet, bills, taxes are payed through the internet. If you have to go to another place, consume resources and time to get there just to pay your electricity bill it's not minimal to me. I did apply some minimalist techiques but having nothig is just too extreme. Just do what works for you.

[@giabarnes1777]

Exactly! I'm right there with you. I'm more into decluttering because the clutter has gotten out of hand. There are certain things I love ( like books), that I have no intention of getting rid of. I think everyone should do what makes them happy and feeling peaceful in their own space.

[@WoollenMaple]

Exactly, I have to have internet for my smart metres. Pay my councul tax, manage my bank accounts, also my job

[@sonofmoses3740]

I don’t think minimalism is problematic in practice, it just social media and capitalist tendencies that ruined the movement.

[@cupofoats]

One thing i often saw in the community was that minimalist content creators kinda made it as a solution for your mental health. No clutter in the house = less distractions and more productivity. They say you can travel more without worries, save money and be a happier person than the people who hoard stuff. They also made it into a economic and environmental solution, but do nothing with it or even contribute by clickbaiting aesthetically pleasing items in your house instead of thrifting/diy/etc - they all bought new stuff to fit their aesthetic. Yes, it's less, but it's also more expensive and a waste - especially for people who don't like the lifestyle anymore and rebuy everything. The reason why this is a problem is because they earned money from people who were desperate to achieve happiness that they advertised. It attracts a lot of people who are depressed, obsessed with hustle culture and control. You always see people being unsure how many items is enough. You had people turning extreme minimalism as a competition. Then it will warp people's perspection of what makes minimalism helpful for your life. Then you will have people who will criticise others for not being minimalistic enough. No, it's not only the fault with the audience, the problem lies within minimalism to begin with and using profitability clickbait to attract people to begin with. They destroyed their own movement

[@Jennybwanders]

I felt like I also had to be getting rid of stuff all the time. I was always asking myself, how much is too much? I've now found a happy medium for my lifestyle

[@EsperTinaVI]

Sounds like the problem isn't minimalism, the problem is that these people are influencers who have made their niche something counterintuitive to the capitalist machine that youtube thrives off of. The minimalists out here who aren't influencers are living their best lives. 😒

[@skullshapedbox]

I agree with you! As someone who grew up in and spent much of my early adult life in poverty, the minimalist thing never made sense to me. But everyone is different! I did like the aspect of a purge, getting rid of all the old things that have no reason to be there. I have adhd, and tend to have piles of clutter all around my home 🫣 so that part definitely resonated, because that's where I felt I needed the work. Maybe minimalism appeals to the bourgeoisie because of (subconscious?) issues with their consumption?

[@mmp495]

Just stay away from extremism and minimize your time with social media. Balance in life is the key.

[@methos-ey9nf]

My take away from this video is not that minimalism as a philosophy is toxic, but that social media and capitalism is toxic. Capitalism requires ever more consumption to function and then social media turns our lives into a capitalist endeavor. The idea I have taken away from minimalism as a philosophy is to live an intentional life, or at the very least try to consume with intention. So for me it's been hugely useful because it makes me think "Why do I want what I want? Do I want to spend my time and money on this?". And I apply this to not just "stuff" but experiences... like setting goals in life and working towards them. I'm not always successful obviously as I'm human and we're all flawed emotional animals, but it's nonetheless extremely helpful if not spending time on social media trying to compete. And therein lies the rub... you can't do that if you're trying to run a business selling a lifestyle, now you have to compete and get more extreme. But the same would be true for many movements and philosophies.

[@chrixMiller]

Minimalism can exist as a philosophy without any requirement to be sold or adopted. Like any other philosophy or study of meaning. Being accepted is not a need. This video offers very little, dare I say minimal, in ways of proving the minimalist philosophy as toxic or otherwise. Maybe social media influencers were toxic in how they went about pushing some perception of the message, but that in itself does not make the philosophy wrong. Even anecdotally no proof has been offered here to suggest a minimalist lifestyle is toxic.

[@user-ws1fs8re1u]

I agree. They were trying to 'sell' minimalism

[@actionforanimals4862]

Minimalism isn't about being an ascetic.

[@pisceanbeauty2503]

We need to stop expecting so much from various aesthetic movements. I miss when aesthetics were just aesthetics, something that brought joy and may reflect one’s personality but isn’t meant to materially change the course of one’s life or in some way be a driving force of a social or political movement.

[@FourThreeSeven]

I consider myself minimalist. But im not insane with it. I just dont buy alot of crap i dont need and I throw away alot of stuff if i notice im not using it, also have zero debt. Its good for me. But just like everything, some people take it too far and get obsessive.

[@kaunas88]

We all have to decide where we want to draw the line in terms of how many possessions we have. We need to do so purposefully and thoughtfully, but our needs are all different, and whatever choice we make in terms of how many things we have, there will be tradeoffs. There is not one perfect solution for everyone.

[@TheBioBoner]

Watching this video, while in my room that has every wall covered ceiling to floor in anime merch and laying in my bed covered in stuff animals, was very interesting. Do I need all of these things? No. But having all of these things in my space help me feel happy and safe and comfortable. I just know that if I were to try and be minimalist, I would be completely depressed.

[@HYPERxSONICxFANx2012]

same here

[@mike4490]

I NEED TO CONSOOOOOOM

[@SamElayan]

I want my time back. This video underlines the problem with the social media craze, not with minimalism itself. Keep it simple.