The Art of Simple Living has been forgotten by the masses under Capitalist Regimes and hedonistic lifestyles. An increasing amount of clutter has filled up our minds, homes, cities, landfills, and Planet.
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The mass of men lead lives of quite desperation
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– Henry David Thoreau
Why is it that Henry David Thoreau observes that most men have never considered the idea of home or what a house is? He saw people just wanting to have a particular house just because their neighbour has it.
People never deeply consider what a house really means to them, instead they measure their own success and happiness by comparing them to their neighbours. This leads people to spend way beyond their means, striving to attain a similar standard of living without considering whether it truly aligns with their needs or financial capabilities.
Why do you need 8 bedrooms so that none of your imaginary friends can sleep in them? Why are there 3 swimming pools on the same property? You’ve got a swimming pool water allergy, you don’t even swim.
“I must have 18000 sqft of good-for-nothing lawn because next door Kevin got it.”
This notion is present in any given scenario, be it phones, clothes, possessions, or lifestyle. You love to copy other people just because.
You don’t need that Stanley Cup Karen! You’ve got 46 of them already.
Neither do you need that toaster that was kept on the aisle for 364 days but because it is Black Friday, you must have it because it’s a whopping 2$ off!!!!
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It’s a characteristic of wisdom to not do desperate things
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– Henry David Thoreau
Why are we so desperate to just fill our lives with constant meaningless chores? And why do we take pride in it like it’s some kind of achievement? Oohh you spent 5 hours cleaning your house Debra, because of excessive furniture and stuff? That’s sad. Why hoarding has become America’s National Hobby.
“Nothing to do this weekend? Let’s go to the mall.” Why? Why can’t you go to a park, library, mountain, hike, garden, Why?
Thoreau said he had 3 limestones on his desk and upon the realization that he’ll need to dust them every day, he yeeted them out of the window.
Our minds need to be undusted first before all this other dusting.
What’s the point of keeping your house spot-on clean when your soul is rancid?
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We fill our minds with stupid thoughts, houses with stupid things, and life with stupid chores
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– Malay Khatri
Hoarding is an illness. You should be ever ready to get rid of things, people, and beliefs. That’s the sign of a healthy individual.
Material possession corrupts our minds faster than cancer cells.
Step out. See all the facades of Maya masquerading as divine.
Why the airplane first-class suits have more bedrooms than your current residence? Why do we spend so much on luxury rather than safety(Hello Boieng!)?
Why are there mansions with 18 bedrooms and 400 bathrooms still being built and bought? What do the purchasers of these empty castles want to prove?
It’s lunacy and you’re not far from it.
Because billionaires don’t know what to do with their money and neither do you. Where do you spend your paycheck?
If only humanity was obsessed with decluttering as much as hoarding, the planet would be thriving along with people.
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From the desperate city, you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with bravery of minks and muskrats
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– Henry David Thoreau
” Primitive man’s life was such simple and naked. He dwelt in a tent and was either threading the valleys, or crossing the plains, or climbing the mountain tops. But lo! men have become tools of their tools. The man who independtently plucked fruits when he was hungry is become a farmer; and he who stopped under a tree for shelter, a house-keeper. We now no longer camp as for a night, but have settled down on earth and forgotten heaven.” – Walden (1854)
It’s so ironic that all the best works of art depict the expression of man’s struggle to free himself from his chains. For e.g. Sisyphus by Titan, the Resurrection of Jesus, Shrimad Bhagwat Gita.
It’s always a story where the odds of success are next to impossible.
And it is sad that we only want to witness these struggles and never actually want to embark upon them ourselves.
By making such stories worthy and appreciated we sneakily excuse ourselves from it. We give reasons such as “But they were mighty, and I’m not; They were gods and I’m just a mortal, Thye had the courage and I don’t.”
You see the moral license we give ourselves for the inaction. We spectacularly refuse to break our chains, fight our biggest battles, and win our fears.
Stop blaming anything and start taking action.
Break your chains. Lose your lust for the comfort of inaction. Pick up the hammer and shatter all your false beliefs. You’re worthy and were always.