Living With Less. A Lot Less. vol. i know this is NIKEtalk, but insightful read

[rexanglorum]

He makes some good points about not cluterring up your life and your home. To many Americans do have an addiction to novelty and they end up flooding their homes, their garages and eventually some rented storage space and it makes your life less than optimal.

With that said, poverty is terrible, simplicity and thrift are great but they are not so great if they are forced upon you by having no money. I know some people who have downsized their lives and are frugal they enjoy life. What the writer of this article forget is that most people who are thrifty and relatively non materialistic still live like Kings compared to most people on Earth.

The writer of this artiicle would fit in well in the various rich but quasi neo hippie communities in California that I have see nand lived in during my life. In Central Coast Wine Country, in the Hills of Ventura County, in Downtown LA and even in Orange County, I come across adults who are so privileged that they truly consider "downsizing" from eight to five bedroom homes and deferring a few electronics purchase by a year or two to be some sort of virtuous excercise. Wearing cashmeres from more than a year ago does not make a person into an ascetic. The most extreme example of these materialistic, self proclaimed non materialists is when they have a maid and still claim that they are living simply. Having "help," IMHO, invalidates claims being a latter day Thoreau.

 

[smangalang]

This clown just got out of a buffet and is telling everyone in line that is starving that food is overrated.

 

[Jordan8]

rather die enormous than live dormant....pass

 

[ninjahood]

Da author doesnt take into account that people are motivated by different

Things..if a person does BETTER in life so he can afford his lavish things, who's to say

He's wrong for that?. I want da finest things in life im willing to work hard for it.

 

[Jordan8]

 

[00david00]

you a fool

 

[wballz]

Good read. It just shows you one person's paradigm and how he spent some of his new wealth.

I do agree that over-saturation of materialistic goods may lower your satisfaction when you acquire them.

E.g.

- not as excited when I get a new phone

- new Jordans, I'm not as hyped up

Maybe it's a part of growing up. I remember I was dirt poor in college. I'm fortunate that I'm doing well for myself. But if I was wealthy, I would spread the money to my friends and family. E.g. we would go to trips and I would scoop the bill etc.

I would always hear about not letting your belongings consume you. How about intangible items ? Would becoming too much of a philanthropist bore you out as well ? Is there any side effect of being the main man in your entourage where you always pay for everyone when you go out ?

 

[gatzbygordon]

 

[aquatic barefoot]

"A millionaire does not have the standing to tell regular people that money is overrated."


http://gawker.com/5989989/it-would-be-great-if-millionaires-would-not-lecture-us-on-living-with-less

I agree with this guy.

 

[bendover]

I was gonna read but i'm at work making money, ohh weeeelll
*Kanye Shrug*

 

[melo0115]

I think above all else, a lot of you guys are missing the point. Yes people have there own beliefs and strive for different things in life to make them happy. But his life style seemed to change as he gained more information about how we as humans are negatively affecting the environment by overusing materials and wasting nearing half of what we thought we needed.

So if you care about the environment at all, then you might want to change your views on whats needed to have a happy life, but if you just gives no dambs then I guess keeping doing you and being wasteful and turning a blind eye to the destruction of our natural world that protects our lively hood every second of the day as we ride through this cosmic infinite space...

 

[Pedro Navaja]

WRL

 

[Gill Baka Esq. LLC.]

I agree in some respects. However, the concept of living within our means, and enjoying it should ring true with everyone else. This article's true amazement to me is how he keeps on going with startups. The concept of living well, without having a lot of material good should be apparent to anyone that has traveled for any length of time outside the U.S

In Ireland I had a great time in a flat (1 bedroom apartment). It was the first time I saw a washing machine without a dryer. The washing machine was on some sort of environmentally friendly spin cycle and took forever as well. After, the clothes were hung up on a drying rack.

Fast forward to now. I share a 120 square foot studio apartment in S.Korea with my gf. The fridge, closets, cupboards are all built seamlessly and well into the wall. It is basically soundproof. The door lock is touchscreen. I have a bed, a desk, a 42 inch tv, my laptop, and a small couch, and a sink/washer/stove combo. Honestly, it is all we really need. I found that because I spend so much less time cleaning up, buying new things etc I've learned how to cook food a lot better. My biggest expense is finding new foods to try and make.

I spend my days at the library studying, and at the park playing hoops or soccer. It's so nice to be able to clean up my whole place in 30 minutes. I think having a huge house is a big burden, unless you also have a big family. It's going to be apartments for me until I have a huge wolf dog, and 4 kids.

can you post pics of your place, it sounds interesting....

 

[an dee 51o]

Da author doesnt take into account that people are motivated by different

Things..if a person does BETTER in life so he can afford his lavish things, who's to say

He's wrong for that?. I want da finest things in life im willing to work hard for it.

He's not saying people are wrong for wanting material things, he's sharing his experience that living with less is more fulfilling to him.

 

[christopepper]

Thanks for sharing OP.

 

[guzzy]

"Intuitively, we know that the best stuff in life isn’t stuff at all, and that relationships, experiences and meaningful work are the staples of a happy life."

 

[da shoefreak]

He can donate his money to me then if he really wants to live with less.

 

[cincoseisdos]

Not about this life, as evident by my two full closets of kicks...

And the other stacks in my room

 

[blackcease]

Some of you guys are arguing too hard against this.


Think of it like this. When you're a broke high school student living with your parents, you eat what's there. Breakfast at home, lunch at school, dinner is whatever your mom cooks. That's it. Then when you get to college, everybody gets that freshman 15. Basically most freshman gain around 15 pounds the first year, because now they control their own diet. And because they control their own diet, they got a prepaid meal plan that's a part of tuition, and they're not restricted to whatever their parents have, they overdo it. They eat everything. But after they go through that freshman 15, most people realize that it's not sustainable, and unless you wanna be a fat bastard for the rest of your life, you learn to eat responsibly and hit the gym. So that's where this guy is at. All the "stuff" that yall are gonna buy and bring into your life once yall get the money, that's that freshman 15. All he's saying is that the stuff you're chasing after, once you get it, you realize that you didn't really need it all. Maybe some of it but not all of it.

And everybody saying he has no right to tell people who haven't made it to live minimal, that's like saying a senior has no right to tell a freshman to eat right and hit the gym so you don't end up with a gut. It's wisdom from somebody that's been there, that's all. If anything you should be more inclined to take their advice because they've already been through the stage where they overidulged and they realized it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. I think it's a fair statement and the guy has a point. Whether you choose to listen or not is on you, you are your own person, but don't act like he's talking out of his ***, what he said was real talk. Now that's not saying being broke is cool. If you can't take care of yourself and provide basic things then I get it, you gotta go get what you need. He's just saying you don't HAVE to overindulge,

It's actually so random this post popped up now, because I've basically been through what's he's been through when I graduated college (on a much, much lower level of course), and I agree 100%. I've been planning on filling up bags and selling and/or donating at least $10000 worth of clothes that still have the tags on them and other "stuff" that I've barely even touched over the last 4 years. And 10k is a low estimate. I could've traveled brazil and europe with my friends for a whole summer with that kinda money. I'm just saying, experiences > stuff, in my experience at least.

 

[jayhood23]

i hate when people who had it all and decide to change and have less tell us whats better.

i want to have the cars house and the honeys and decide for myself

There's nothing wrong with finding things out for yourself.

I mean, do you listen to every piece of advice people in life give you? Of course not. But why do you hate it?

I hate it because its misleading, and limiting ppl

And in turn they will settle because hey if this millionaire can live with less, so can I. People should strive to have more hence why we go to college, work, and start families right.

 

[girlslovewaffles]

Some of you guys are arguing too hard against this.


Think of it like this. When you're a broke high school student living with your parents, you eat what's there. Breakfast at home, lunch at school, dinner is whatever your mom cooks. That's it. Then when you get to college, everybody gets that freshman 15. Basically most freshman gain around 15 pounds the first year, because now they control their own diet. And because they control their own diet, they got a prepaid meal plan that's a part of tuition, and they're not restricted to whatever their parents have, they overdo it. They eat everything. But after they go through that freshman 15, most people realize that it's not sustainable, and unless you wanna be a fat bastard for the rest of your life, you learn to eat responsibly and hit the gym. So that's where this guy is at. All the "stuff" that yall are gonna buy and bring into your life once yall get the money, that's that freshman 15. All he's saying is that the stuff you're chasing after, once you get it, you realize that you didn't really need it all. Maybe some of it but not all of it.

And everybody saying he has no right to tell people who haven't made it to live minimal, that's like saying a senior has no right to tell a freshman to eat right and hit the gym so you don't end up with a gut. It's wisdom from somebody that's been there, that's all. If anything you should be more inclined to take their advice because they've already been through the stage where they overidulged and they realized it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. I think it's a fair statement and the guy has a point. Whether you choose to listen or not is on you, you are your own person, but don't act like he's talking out of his ***, what he said was real talk. Now that's not saying being broke is cool. If you can't take care of yourself and provide basic things then I get it, you gotta go get what you need. He's just saying you don't HAVE to overindulge,

It's actually so random this post popped up now, because I've basically been through what's he's been through when I graduated college (on a much, much lower level of course), and I agree 100%. I've been planning on filling up bags and selling and/or donating at least $10000 worth of clothes that still have the tags on them and other "stuff" that I've barely even touched over the last 4 years. And 10k is a low estimate. I could've traveled brazil and europe with my friends for a whole summer with that kinda money. I'm just saying, experiences > stuff, in my experience at least.

Exactly! It's nice to know that some people on NT can actually comprehend what they're reading instead of throwing random rebuttals with zero relation to the point of the article.

 

[girlslovewaffles]

i hate when people who had it all and decide to change and have less tell us whats better.

i want to have the cars house and the honeys and decide for myself

There's nothing wrong with finding things out for yourself.

I mean, do you listen to every piece of advice people in life give you? Of course not. But why do you hate it?

I hate it because its misleading, and limiting ppl

And in turn they will settle because hey if this millionaire can live with less, so can I. People should strive to have more hence why we go to college, work, and start families right.

...

People can still strive to do great things and be a great person without having to fill their closets with ridiculous amounts of clothing and personal belongings.

The author is NOT a bum who stays at home and is content with having no possessions. He is probably more driven than 95% of NT and like he says, is a serial entrepreneur who is constantly working. He is just imparting wisdom that the shoes you just bought last week, for which you spent $300 on and waited a week for, probably isn't making you any happier right now.

 

[king milaac]

Ehh.....true, like many NTers i have over 30+ pairs of shoes and I only wear maybe 7 of them regularly. The other 20 or so pairs I have to keep in my garage and just takes up space and gets in the way.

However, I think about the fact that I am proud of what I have accomplished in my life career wise. I can't say that shoes specifically motivated me to work hard, but I think in general, the 3 course dinners, the organic peanut butter, the countless air jordan/kobes/lebrons, the cashmere sweater, these materialistic non essential things, represent that part of me that motivates me to do better.

 

[blackcease]

Ehh.....true, like many NTers i have over 30+ pairs of shoes and I only wear maybe 7 of them regularly. The other 20 or so pairs I have to keep in my garage and just takes up space and gets in the way.

However, I think about the fact that I am proud of what I have accomplished in my life career wise. I can't say that shoes specifically motivated me to work hard, but I think in general, the 3 course dinners, the organic peanut butter, the countless air jordan/kobes/lebrons, the cashmere sweater, these materialistic non essential things, represent that part of me that motivates me to do better.

I feel what you're saying, but honestly I give not a damn about a cashmere sweater. It motivates me not even the slightest bit, it just takes up space in my house. I feel you on the food though. And money definitely helped me and my friends live it up while vacationing in south beach last week. For vacations, good food, good drinks, being able to help my family and friends when in need, and knowing I'll always have a roof over my head, and a room for my my loved ones, money is great. All the other stuff, to an extent, I can kinda take or leave, and right now I'm feeling more like I'll leave it.

 

[hankmoody]