...Argue whether or not "Simple living" would be beneficial or, even, possible in modern society In this contemporary society, simple living is an uncommon practice. However, making one’s life simple requires consistency, determination, and demanding practice. Everyone perceives the meaning of simple living differently since it is a deliberate way of living. For example, some people are willing to forgo everyday amenities such as cell phones, televisions, and the internet whereas some others are not, but instead are ready to give up things like expensive cars, jewelries, large homes, and so on. Although, downsizing one’s life requires people to do without certain things, it’s satisfying and rewarding since it helps to reduce expenses and consumption, alleviate stress and hassles in life, and improve the quality of life. Simplifying one’s life makes one refrain from frivolous spending and excessive consumption, which will consequently increase savings so that expenses can be met on time. One would be well-budgeted to meet unforeseen circumstances. Moreover, most people do not know the difference between needs and wants. For instance, a Mercedes Benz, which is a luxury good could be considered a basic necessity in this modern society. Everyone needs the basic necessities, that is, food, water, clothes, and shelter to subsist. However, reducing unnecessary possession and consumption on these necessities would be of a great deal of help. For example, instead of eating outside...
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...Simple living The term ‘Simple Living’ is introduced in the text ‘Simple Living, Recession-Style’ by Elizabeth Scott. The idea is to “pare down and get rid of all the extra “stuff” that we think we need, but don’t.” By getting rid of what does not really serve us, one can enjoy the important things in life, such as relationships and family. By not getting distracted by unimportant things, one can focus on becoming a better person and getting “a better understanding of “who we really are.”” Elizabeth Scott is very positive to the idea of simple living. She was introduced to it in ‘Simple Abundance’ by Sarah Ban Breathnach. She says this way of living could result in less stress, stronger relationships, and a more meaningful life. It is not all, that choose this way of living themselves, a lot of people are opting it out of necessity. They need to save money, due to the fact of financial problems. She makes it clear that the experience of living with less, may feel hard when not voluntarily chosen, but family togetherness will still be the end result. Judith Levine is also very positive towards the idea of simple living. She has written the book ‘Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping’, in which she describes how she and her partner did not buy anything unnecessary for a year. In the interview she explains how thinking about ones choices also is a part of simple living, for instance instead of buying biodiesel one can buy biofuel made from plan cellulose. Judith Levine introduces...
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...gather his thoughts away from society. Thoreau writes in Walden: "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived" (Thoreau 1028). Thoreau was an educated man who chose to live in poverty to explain to his readers that life can be as simple as nature. According to some critics, life cannot be as simple for various reasons: “This is contrasted to the human society from which he isolated himself, of whose utilitarianism, materialism, and consumerism he was extremely critical” (Environmental). In order to agree with Thoreau, one would need to have the same open mind and the ability to see and think outside the norm of society. Those who disagree with Thoreau do not believe that one can still “live deliberately” (Thoreau 1028). The critics clearly see that living such a simple life as Thoreau writes about is impossible. Life cannot be as simple as nature for many reasons. One reason is the outcome of life is not always simple. Thoreau wrote about the outcome of planting a seed: “Many think seeds improve with age. I have no doubt that time discriminates between the good and the bad; and when at last I shall plant, I shall be less likely to be disappointed” (Thoreau 1024). In this quote, Thoreau explains that if he plants his own seeds, whether the outcome is good or bad, he would less likely to be disappointed....
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...Student: Lance Huang Outline: The topic is contrast between the city life and the country life, and the contrast is based on self experience I used to be. The city life: busy, pressure, hard work, achievement, convenience, shopping, movie, entertainment, the air pollution, the busy mass transmission system, my parents, my siblings, coldness between people, everything is complex The country life: my old and stubborn grandpa, my tender grandma, the nostalgia, the tangerine garden, the old house, living on the mountain, fresh air, comfortable atmosphere, the life without worry, get up early, quiet, seldom going to the town, no many shopping store, do not have to worry about the relationship between people, simple food for every meal Possible idea for contrasting: complex relationship to people versus simple relationship to people, the convenience life versus isolated life on the mountain, the irregular and regular work and rest life Text: Everyone has her own image to the city life and the country life; therefore I have my own idea to these two kinds of life style. To me the city life is quite different to the country life, and the comparison sources are my life experience and my memory. I lived with my grand parents in the country in my childhood; after I finished my first year in the elementary school, I came to live with my parents in the Taipei County. From then on, I go back to my grandparents’ old house when it is summer or winter vacation. Under this situation...
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...job they may enjoy. Upon becoming a “12” they will be given their permanent assignment .When Jonas became a “12” he was given the assignment of being “Receiver”. As Receiver he must hold all memories from the past. Things become clearer as Jonas goes to his trainings with The Giver. The way of life that he and many of his ancestors had been taught was missing so many elements. The Giver explained that all of these things were obsolete in their life of “sameness”. Without the strong community influence this would be a completely different story. As Jonas progresses through his training the memories overcome him. After seeing the video of his Father releasing the smaller twin he burst into tears. This so called “simpler” life that he’s been living is an ugly lie. After receiving an assignment the chatter among the 12’s is loud. Though things seem upbeat you can sense Jonas’ tension, stress, and worry. He is not exactly sure what to expect from his newly chosen position. This will be a transformation into the most important “Elder” within the community. Growing up we only know what we are taught. In a utopian society people are stripped of all “obsolete” emotions....
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...Living life as we are meant to Life is much simpler that we make it. Life is easier than we are living it. All we need is our basic instincts to live a simple and happy life. Annie Dillard is saying in "Living Like Weasels" that things are easier when your choices are made with instinct and carried through rather than analyzed. We all know that life through an innocent, and simple mind is a wonderful thing. That might be why we remember childhood as an easier time. We grow up and things get complicated and we loose that innocence or mindlessness. “The weasel lives in necessity and we live in choice, hating necessity and dying at the last ignobly in its talons.” (Dillard 100) Choice is something that we make day in and day out. I believe that Dillard is saying that the mindlessness of a weasel is simple to the core and it only making choices based on pure instinct rather than vanity or personal motive. It is a simple mind of a wild animal that uses necessity to make its choices. “People take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience-even of silence-by choice.” (Dillard 101) We choose to ignore our basic natural instincts for personal gain that we hoard for our future needs, but we don’t ever have the time to enjoy all that we have acquired. So why do we move so fast to gain as much as possible to overlook that we don’t have the time to enjoy it. Dillard is arguing that life is moving by to fast and so much is happening right before our eyes. We are so busy with our day-to-day...
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...Reading the excerpt from Walden helped me appreciate life as it is. The novel Walden, by Henry David Thoreau, is a day to day account of his experiences at Walden Pond. Thoreau focused on the idea of a simple life and encouraged his readers to simplify their lives as he stated, “Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail.” It may have been easier to live by his theory of a simple life in the 1800’s as opposed to today because of the latest advancements in technology. The American population has become very dependent on the luxuries of life (such as the computer, the car, the cell phone, etc.) that it would be more difficult to live and function without them. Thanks to the media and advertising, there is a constant race between people to obtain the latest technology or even fashion apparel. For example; about a three weeks ago, a pair of Jordan sneakers, the Concords, were released in stores. Almost every teenager in America battled to buy these sneakers. It got way out of hand, to the point where a group of boys stabbed a young man just to steal his sneakers. Thoreau’s idea of living a simple life should be taken more into consideration these days. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The general public is more materialistic these days than ever and it would be very difficult to break them out of this habit. Thoreau...
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...Franciscan Values in Action As I was contemplating on what to write about on Franciscan Values one thing would always come to mind, the Amish schoolhouse shootings in Nickel Mines, PA in 2006. A gunman killed five girls in a brutal attack on the school. I remember thinking how horrific it was and how I could not comprehend how a human being could be so violent and evil to be able to do that to young children. Then come to find out they actually forgave the gunman and held no grudges against his family, this was truly remarkable to me. I thought how can these people behave this way? I dismissed them as religious fanatics and admired them for their beliefs .I then soon forgot about it until now, while I was studying about the Franciscan Values it brought back those thoughts of that shooting, and how they forgave that gunman and his family, if anyone lived by those Franciscan Values it must be the Amish of Woodhull N.Y. Everything falls into place; they created a caring community by their love of god and the scriptures. They live this every day; they are in always church, it is wherever they are, it’s the particular way they dress and live, they are always showing their faith. By dressing the same, males one way, females another there is no emphasis on the individual which they consider boastful, thus respecting each other’s dignity. They foster loving relationship with their family and friends; there is no divorce in the Amish Community. The Amish will offer anyone hospitality...
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...it. However, not all women have the same tastes and interests. In order for perfume ads to be successful, advertisers cannot just use one kind of formula to appeal to attract women. Sporty women compared to high class conservative women probably do not have the same taste in perfume, as would a teenager compared to a 50-year-old woman. Advertisers must use a variety of tactics to sell women’s perfume in order to appeal to the different types and personalities of today’s women. Many perfume ad campaigns nowadays use simple women doing simple things but clearly enjoying it. The ad campaign for Clinique’s perfume lines is a very good example of this. In the May issue of Teen People, the ad for Clinique’s perfume, “Happy,” shows a woman wearing a sleeveless turtleneck sweater. Although not clearly shown, the girl seems to have a huge smile on her face but is hidden behind her turtleneck. The caption of the ad says “Clinique happy.” Although it is a simple ad, it deems as effective toward women. Featured in a magazine targeted to teens, the girl in the ad is young looking, which would relate to teens. As for older women, it would appeal to them as well so they too can feel young and fresh again. Another ad for a Clinique perfume is for “Simply,” found in Cosmopolitan magazine. The name of the perfume alone, says it all. The ad shows a bottle of the “Simply” perfume set on top of a table with a woman’s fingertips lingering on top of the bottle. This ad doesn’t even use a woman’s...
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...seem to be unaware of its importance and are raising serious concerns for the well-being, or it would not be wrong to document, the survival of this home. Many efforts have been made by the ecological friendly individuals residing on this planet after a realization of this hard fact. (Padalkina). In an attempt to do so, the researchers have put forth a term called degrowth that makes the core of this subject matter. Degrowth simply means a change in the living style of the inhabitants that means a cut in the production and consumption activities of the individuals so that such an economic system can be developed that is in line with the ecological system of the earth (Lazonick). Hence, forth, degrowth is a process through which ecological wellbeing can be assured and earth, the home of the human race, can be saved from the destruction; as with the current life style it is a fastly approaching this end (Latouche). Following are the five ways through which this objective can be achieved: * Sustainable degrowth involves a simple lifestyle so I will choose to live in smaller homes as to avoid the rush of big buildings on the planet. * The transportation patterns need to be altered. I will prefer to travel less by car or plane that can add significant ecological problems for the planet. Instead, I will prefer to walk by foot or bicycle. * The eating patterns need also be changed. I should switch to more home based food rather than moving towards the fast food chains that...
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...Affluenza The United States has transformed from colonies under British rule into a developed country in just hundreds of years. The Industrial Revolution has accelerated development by increasing the amount of products in the same amount of time. The United States is pretty on the outside. However, there is an epidemic called affluenza that affects the lifestyles of millions of people within the nation. Affluenza is a social disease, as it affects not only the rich but also the poor. According to the dictionary, affluenza is defined "as painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of the over-load, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more." In recent years, the U.S. has entered the age of affluenza completely. Therefore, a book which is named after the disease is written to introduce the symptoms, explain the causes of the disease, and provide the treatment to cure affluenza. After taking the self-diagnosis exam from that book, I realize that I am somehow infected by the sickness and I recognize I have symptoms of it. There is a symptom that influenceed my lifestyle indirectly. Although I am not under any stress, but my parents are affected. They work almost 7 days a week, from 8 am to 7 pm, about half of the day. The reason that they keep working is so they always want to buy something extra to our household, such as furnitures which does not fit in the apartment. For instance, I have two computers so there is always a free one for my...
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...James A Life of Simplicity We are always taught while growing up that we must always aim for the stars, that life can always get better, if and only if you aim big. We are taught that a great life can only be achieved through material and monetary means. That your self worth is only equal to what you own. The aim of society is no longer to be free and live a life of comfort but to be a part of the bigger picture and feed the machine. Henry David Thoreau expresses his concern on these issues in detail in his works Walden and “Civil Disobedience”. Life should be led with simplicity. This is Thoreau’s mantra as he began his two-year experience of minimalist living. Thoreau is explicit that life should not be so difficult and so overwhelming. That life should be just what you need it to be, no more no less. It’s an odd train of thought into today’s culture. We are always aiming and asking for more. Whether it is the newest cellphone or the newest video game system (which are both overpriced and offer little to no modifications). Thoreau speaks on this, “Most luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind.” This statement is still true to this day. What good does it do us to have the biggest, most gas guzzling vehicle on the street? How do we benefit from excessive means of social media? The short answer: nothing. While most people will agree that, in general, a majority of the most...
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...Imagine a cherry tree in full bloom, its roots sunk into rich earth and its branches covered with thousands of blossoms, all emitting a lovely fragrance and containing thousands of seeds capable of producing many more cherry trees. The petals begin to fall, covering the ground in a blanket of white flowers and scattering the seeds everywhere. Some of the seeds will take root, but the vast majority will simply break down along with the spent petals, becoming part of the soil that nourishes the tree — along with thousands of other plants and animals. Looking at this scene, do we shake our heads at the senseless waste, mess and inefficiency? Does it look like the tree is working too hard, showing signs of strain or collapse? Of course not. But why not? Well, for one thing, because the whole process is beautiful, abundant and pleasure producing: We enjoy seeing and smelling the trees in bloom, we’re pleased by the idea of the trees multiplying (and producing delicious cherries), and everyone for miles around seems to benefit in the process. The entire lifecycle of the cherry tree is rewarding, and the only “waste” involved is an abundant sort of nutrient cycling that only leads to more good things. Best of all, this show of productivity and generosity seems to come quite naturally to the tree. It shows no signs of discontent or resentment — in fact, it looks like it could keep this up indefinitely with nothing but good, sustainable outcomes. The cherry-tree scenario...
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...In the Hayfield "In the Hayfield" by Julien Dupre represents the simple life style of a peasant farmer in the 19th century. In the 19th century farming was a difficult job for simple people. It took up a lot of time and farmers usually worked from dawn to dusk only getting a break on Sundays. I feel like this painting by Julien Dupre represents this because of many things he included in it. There is a young woman about the age of 20 directly in the middle of the painting in an action pose. She is in the middle of turning some hay when it's almost as if someone takes a snapshot of exactly what's going on in that moment. The left side of the young women there is a little village with a few cozy looking houses. The artist probably just modeled some houses that he saw in the country side. On the right side there is five men throwing hay onto a house drawn wagon. This also makes the painting realistic because what would a young woman be doing out in the field far away from the village by herself. It makes sense that there are others helping her with her work. The task seems almost never ending with the long rows and mountainous piles of hay. The subject matter of the painting is still life. He is trying to portray what it would look like in fall harvesting hay in the 19th century. This painting looks as if the artist just took a picture of a person in their daily life. She has her lunch basket along with which shows me that she will be out there all day. The scale of the...
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...The Alchemist : Journal Entry #1 When the book began with the character’s name, Santiago, I was somewhat skeptical. I thought that the entire story may have been poorly written, given that translations aren’t always perfect due to grammatical differences between languages. But only within the first few moments of reading I found myself immersed into a simple and short, yet gripping, story of a young-adult’s search for destiny. When the author introduced Santiago as a shepherd travelling the land in search of nothing but a simple life, I was confused as of where he may be going with the story. When he mentions a merchant’s daughter that he has a slight infatuation with, I expected your typical love story: the boy meets a girl, the boy likes the girl, the boy tries to impress the girl, they find a mutual interest in each other, the boy makes a mistake, the girl gets upset, the boy tries to apologize, the apology is usually accepted, and then happily ever after. There may be a twist thrown somewhere in there, but nothing to get too excited about. Anyways, Santiago’s journey leads him far from that. It struck my interest that it turned out to be a philosophical writing, rather than a romance. The realism of Santiago as a character is great compared to some other readings. He provides me with someone I can surprisingly relate to. I didn’t think there would be much relation between me and a Spanish shepherd from maybe 500+ years ago. His decisions remind me that we are all still very...
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