simple living

“as most of you have noticed ,the 'simplicity' movement has gained followers/adherants/ fanatics these last few years.
it has become an industry in and of itself , almost a pseudo religion to its followersand an object of scorn and loathing to the yuppie bloodsuckers out there.
what is your take on this whole
'lifestyle'?do any of you consider it to be a viable and sustainable reality ,or just another marketing driven fad/delusion ?”

“We've got cymbals...cause we've got a band.

And we've got cymbals in the band.”

“how perceptive budderhopper,now tell me ..what is the sound of one cymbal clashing ?”

“What is a band without cymbals?

Cymbals are grand!”

“MY PLAN FOR SIMPLE LIVING IS TO KILL CHARLIE BEFORE HE KILLS YOU!!!

DROP AND GIMME 50 YOU DIRTY FILTHY MAGGOT!”

“I agree that you need cymbals, but What is a band without a skyscraper?”

“Eat a booger, sargey.”

“Sassafras and I try to live as simply/frugally as possible. We have an 850sqft veggy garden (from which we can and freeze lots of fresh produce), I hunt (1-3 deer per year) and we are currently raising Quail for meat ( I still need a use for all those eggs).

We limit our credit card (singular NOT plural) use, and try to shop cheap.

My motivation in this is to retire no later than 52 years old. If things go as planned Sass will be a stay at home mom in 2.5 years.

The "SIMPLICITY MOVEMENT" attracts a ton of kooks just as this sight does.”

“Birch -
pickle the eggs.
ummmmmm!”

“apollyon,

please give your definition of one who lives/follows simplicity.

please give your definition of yuppie bloodsucker.”

“Gojo, I am not fond of pickled eggs. They are small like an inch long. I may just hardboil them and eat em on my lunch salad.”

“'a man's happiness does not consist of that which he owns"

yuppie bloodsucker:californicus-
grabitallus
aka :polymorphus preverse
caution ! very dangerous , will claw its way thru anyone or anything in order to "have it all"
epidemic to all known and unknown times,places,venues,realities.”

“lol”

“please note ; the preceeding should not be misconstrued (sp)
as being my definative statement on either simplcity or YB's.”

“I bet some froofy restaurant would buy quail eggs from ya!”

“I get a little cynical about anyone who tries to reinvent time honored common sense. "Living within ones means", "planning for the future", "saving for a rainy day" are well known and widely practiced concepts that predate a "simplicity movement".

I don't really know whether it is a lifestyle or marketing driven fad/delusion. My initial, albeit cynical, reaction is that this modern "movement" is nothing more than an excuse for underachievement.”

“LOOK AT MR ROCKBUCK!!!!!! ALL SMART AND FULL OF HIMSELF!!! ALL THAT BOOK LEARNIN IS GONNA GET MY MARINES KILLED!!

DO PUSHUPS SISSY BOY!”

“Gojo if you were closer I'd give you all the eggs you wanted to pickle!

Donman, I don't think any frou-frou restaurant would want quail eggs from Joe Smoe's backyard coop! The thought did cross my mind but there's only 13 of them and some are males so we really don't get enough to market. I think the dept of ag would object too.”

“This whole simplicity thing has gotten very complex.”

“google found 1,690,000 sites from "simple living" in .09 seconds
if nothing else,it has it's 15 minutes.”

“I think this "simplicity movement" has less to do with actually iiving as simple as possible, as so much as doing what you actually makes you happy and not caving into the societal dictum. People need to stop being a bunch of pansies and live as they choose!”

“I have no comment as to whether or not the movement is some type of marketing driven fad. I can say that I like the notion (although I would agree w/ Donman, it's not a new notion) and I pretty much live by it. Sometimes what is consider over-the-top by native MT's, is barely-making-it other places.”

“I try to live simply...all I need is my computer and well the guitar - and of course the GEAR - gotta keep the gear, and I like my books - but that's it - that's all I need. Oh yeah - I got to get around - need my truck...

Then again - I do live in Orlando - probably the antithesis of simple living.

There is actually a magazine about simple living that they sell in the grocery store and I was flipping through it - they made simple living sound so complicated.”

“I think it is a great thing as long as it is kept as a personal way of life. It’s when one begins thinking that this is the way everyone should live or when they view that others are somehow wrong for NOT living the way they do that problems start. Once this type of mentality is taken people become offensive in the way they view others. They will even be prone to such ignorant statements as referring to the non-adherents as “yuppy bloodsuckers”.

Simple living is great. I have learned a lot of cool stuff from reading into it. My life would be a lot more simple if I were single. It would be wrong for me to impose a lifestyle on my wife that she would not be fully happy with. On the other side of the coin I think simplicity comes from within. If one has the ability to not connect themselves to their possessions and they realize that material things are not what makes them happy they can maintain a very well balanced life. I personally believe that we must look at how we use what we have to improve our world.

This is where money becomes true power. Not as in power over another or power to posses more things but power to change lives and the world we live in. Success is good. Money is NOT the root of all evil. I am the stereotypical DINK (double income no kids). I have two SUVs, a large beautiful house with a big deck on it. Do they possess me? Hell no. My wife and I are blessed beyond measure and we realize the source of our blessings and that they are temporal. Take it all away tomorrow and I will still be blessed because it’s not the possessions that bless me.

My general motto is, “Never boast about what you make, but never apologize for it either.””

“Well put Nigal. I tried the google search with "simple living" backpack and this site - "Todd's Desert Hikinh Page" http://home.earthlink.net/~martin74/Links/Links.htm was the first on the list. It's not a bad site.”

“Ain't no such thing as simple livin, unless of course you have money!!!

When you make more $ than you "presently" need you an afford to live simple.

when you have not a care in the world you can live a simple life

Recycle has not simplified my life. What was once a stinkin trash can is now a organized sorted pile of trash. In days of yore it was a burn pile down by the crick, now that was simple!!! farmin!!!!”

“I live some simple life. I duzn't have many possesions, much braid o' #&%!$ likes dat but I do enjoy gittin' into da outdo's. Slap me some skin.”

“I grew up farmin' an' I duzn't think Misita' o' Troof knows much about it. No diggety.

Maybe yo' ass should try recyclin' yourself.”

“"Simple" is my middle name LOL.”

“Simple Man
(Gary Rossington - Ronnie VanZant)


Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say.
And if you do this
It will help you some sunny day.
Take your time... Don't live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass.
Go find a woman and you'll find love,
And don't forget son,
There is someone up above.

(Chorus)
And be a simple kind of man.
Be something you love and understand.
Be a simple kind of man.
Won't you do this for me son,
If you can?

Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul,
And you can do this if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.

(Chorus)

Boy, don't you worry... you'll find yourself.
Follow you heart and nothing else.
And you can do this if you try.
All I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.

(Chorus)

© Copyright 1973 by Duchess Music”

“It be also da descripshun o' da damn mental capasoty o' many sucka's in da
house.”

“I'll take that as a compliment!”

“"Simple Living" is a luxury only the west can afford. Striving for life is the basic reality for most of the world.
Travel and you will appreciate the "simple Life" we have with our 24 hour hot and cold running water, electricity at the flick of a switch and so many other basic "simple" necessities.”

“Travel in da house, travel dair. 'S all good. Y do sucka's post likes they have inside 4-1-1? Y do yo' ass assume sucka's duzn't appreciate da damn sh!t they have? Da bomb!”

“Huh?”

“I don't want switches to flick or water taps.

Simple is a relative term.

"Simple Living" is a luxury? I missed that definition. Is this like the "less is more" thing?

I think it's more of a philosiphy similar to backpacking. To make minimum impact on our planet. To place less emphasis on posessions. To be dependent on one's own wits and mother nature's grace. Self deprivation, minimalism, Quality vs quantity.

I have tried to imagine how intimate Native Americans, 200+ years ago, could be with their enviroment. They would have so much less to think about, and therefore saw more, learned more. I wish I knew some of what they did about the plants and animals surronding us.

We have a lot of Amish in my area and I have studied and admire them. Unlike the "english", they do not blindly rush out and comsume whatever the marketing people are pushing. The make an informed decision, internal to their community, if they can use somethin without sacrificing their principals. That's why you may see an Amish in handmade clothes with only buttons, wearing Nikes.
I think we should all do more of that.”

“Bunyip, how do you define "the west"? We do have huge variances in the US between the children who have no food and the people who spend $500,000 on a wedding and $30,000 on a teenager's confirmation party. It is ironic that we talk about "choosing" to live the simple life. But I didn't think that this was limited to the U.S. and Europe. There is aristocracy and middle income people living amongst abject poverty in many other parts of the world, who could benefit from the "simple living" concepts. The Phillipines comes to my mind only because I have relatives there.”

“The point I'm making is, take a second to think how lucky we are to have the option to live simply.”

“Mother Earth News has been in publication for as long as I can remember. There's nothing new or faddish about this "movement".”

“Oooooooohhhhh...Oooooooohhhhh...

Skyscrapers are grand.”

“I think simple living means different things to different people, and perhaps that leads the the variety of viewpoints posted here.

Foregoing some of the comforts and conveniences available to us, choosing to live "closer to nature," living in such a way as to have minimal impact on the planet, these are part of the mix.

For me, as much as I love being "outside" and appreciate the beauty of our planet, I am not really interested in living without electricity or plumbing or automobiles. I am also not interested in living off the land.

My personal simplicity movement--and as has been said here, these are and ought to be personal choices--has more to do with use of time. My life is far too hectic. Being married with five children, it is not just up to me to make the changes I would like to make, so they will come slowly. But ultimately, the simpler life I long for will include much more time for reflection, for relaxing with friends, for reading. for writing...

These simple pleasures were much more readily available 100 years ago largely because that was all one could do, because of where we were on the technology curve, and because we lived in places of much lower population density.

I personally suspect that the bigger disservice many of us are doing to future generations is not abuse of the planet, but rather, that we don't teach our children to relax, to value leisurely family time around the dinner table...that we allow them to be spoiled by TV and video games, and they don't learn how to love a good book...that, by example, we teach that life is the pursuit of material things rather than the pursuit of deep friendships and loving relationships....

...

Oops...didn't mean to rant. Just my random thoughts.”

“LeSubtil and Fritz, I think you both put it very nicely.”

“I have six chilluns an' am very proud o' dis achievement. Amen!

I be so's proud o' myself dat I started callin' mah woman "Mama o' Six" in spite o' ha' objecshuns. Slap me some skin.

One night we go t' some party. I decide dat it be time t' go crib, an' wanna find out if she be raidy t' laive as well. What it is, Mama! So's I shout at da damn top o' mah voice, "Shall we go crib Mama o' Six?"

She turns around, irritated by mah lack o' discreshun shouts back..

"Anytime u r raidy, Daddy-O o' Foe!"

An' I thought it would be mo' simple dan dat.”

“Simple Man
(Gary Rossington - Ronnie VanZant)
Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say.
And if you do this
It will help you some sunny day.
Take your time... Don't live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass.
Go find a woman and you'll find love,
And don't forget son,
There is someone up above.

(Chorus)
And be a simple kind of man.
Be something you love and understand.
Be a simple kind of man.
Won't you do this for me son,
If you can?

Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul,
And you can do this if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.

(Chorus)

Boy, don't you worry... you'll find yourself.
Follow you heart and nothing else.
And you can do this if you try.
All I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.

(Chorus)

© Copyright 1973 by Duchess Music”

“"Go find a woman and you'll find love"

...if only it were so simple.”

“Mah ho be full o' love. So's much love dat I be tired 100% o' da damn time. She
loves tellin' me whut t' do, she loves t' go shoppin', she loves t' git ha'
'fro done.

Ha' love be runnin' me into da ground. Ya' know?”

“Some yuppie jimmeyed da damn do' o' wassups B-M-damn-W, when sudden-like some Caddy came along an' hit da damn do', rippin' it off complete-like. When da bacon arrived at da damn scene, da yuppie wuz complainin' bitter-like about da damn damage t' wassups precious B-M-damn-W. Homie don't play dat.

"Offica', peek whut they've done t' mah Beeeema'!!!" he whined.

"Yo' ass yuppies be so's materialistic, yo' ass make me sick!!!" retorted da damn offica', "U r so's worried about yo' punk-ass B-M-damn-W, dat yo' ass didn't even notice dat yo' left arm wuz ripped off!!!"

Oh mah gaaad...", sez da damn yuppie, final-like noticin' da bloody shoulda' where wassups arm used ta wuz,

"Where's mah Rolex!!!!!"”

“I went ova' t' Nort' Carolina one time when I wuz some kid t' spot some movie. Dair wuz 8 o' us in da group an' low an' behold, they would not let us in. We had da damn braid need t' steal da ticket but da damn lady said she couldn't do it becuz dair wuz 8 o' us. Da movie wuz fo 17 an' ova'.

Yo' ass wanna rap about simple sucka's. She waint earnin' no Phd.”

“Is simple living the same as the "simplify" that Thoreau's writings speak?
To me simplicity can be as simple as buying all your socks in the same color,or closing all your bank accounts except one.”