Welcome to the last life standard of the Simple Living Challenge before we get to the how-tos! To review, some of the reasons we want to live simply include:
- Do Justice
- Learn from the World Community
- Nurture People
- Cherish the Natural Order
- Nonconform Freely
Although being green is trendy, we still live in a consumer culture. I watched parts of The Story of Stuff the other day and it’s downright scary how we are bombarded by the message that we must consume.
The photo above was taken in a coffee shop in Seattle that’s a ministry to its neighborhood. Churches are being planted today that go into a neighborhood that some might say is needy, build relationships, and uncover the gifts that the people who live there maybe never realized they had. It’s called Asset-Based Community Development, but in layman’s terms it means looking for the gifts instead of looking for the needs. What a concept!
We are trained almost since birth to want the next new thing. As part of my job I train groups for cross-cultural interactions, and part of that is helping North Americans realize that they have culture too, and a way of looking at things. The following except is from a handout called Why Do Americans Act Like That? that they give to businessmen who are relocating to the U.S.:
MATERIALISM / ACQUISITIVENESS:
Foreigners generally consider Americans much more materialistic than Americans are likely to consider themselves. Americans would like to think that their material objects are just the “natural benefits” that result from hard work and serious intent – a reward, they think, which all people could enjoy were they as industrious and hard-working as Americans. But by any standard, Americans are materialistic. They give a higher priority to obtaining, maintaining, and protecting material objects than they do in developing and enjoying relationships with people. Since Americans value newness and innovation, they sell or throw away their possessions frequently and replace them with newer ones. A car may be kept for only two or three years, a house for five or six before buying a new one.
Even if you don’t identify with that description 100%, it’s important to recognize ways in which we have been trained to NOT live simply.
Can you think of an example?
Next week we’ll start putting the principles into action, beginning with stewardship and money.
For more simple living ideas check out Simple Lives Thursday and Frugal Friday
In my opinion, it’s a struggle to live “simply” when we’re inundated with constant information. The progression of technology has aided in bringing too much “static ” or “noise” into our lives . We need to edit out all of the minutia and truly concentrate on the passions of our core beings.
excellent point! How does one do that?
Ienjoyed your post. I think a lot of people are being forced to live more simply these days because of the horrible economy. I know a lot of people who are doing more family nights at home, less expensive activities, simpler holidays/birthdays and have come to realize that they really like it.
Oh Yes! My husband’s family is Mennonite and I knew nothing about simple living before I met him. The contrast in our families is remarkable. If I tell my family I only shop for clothes at thrift stores now, their response is to buy me new clothes. If I tell my husband’s family where I get most of my clothing, they share their favorite thrift store advice! Being around Mennonites all the time, it’s hard to judge where the rest of our country stands on things. If I ever wonder if an idea is unconventional, I have only to call my mom and listen to her rant about how we are hippies and our children are going to be soooo weird!
That is SO funny! Since I live in the “NGO world,” I too forget that while I’m beating myself up for not being frugal or eco conscious enough other people think I’m borderline branola.
For me, I think figuring out how to live simply in today’s world is a bit of a balancing act between how to live simply and how not to feel like I’m a hermit in society. I can’t completely drop out, so I need to find a way to live simply (both “materialistically” simple and “light on the land” simple) but not get left behind by advancement in society, which can also be a good thing.
Hope that wasn’t just rambling 🙂
Jessica