Minimalist Lifestyle in The Era of Late Capitalism

 

Minimalism: A Documentary About The Important Things

In this era of late-stage capitalism, life has become a race. It has always been in this neoliberal and industrialist economic hierarchy. We are frequently chasing after something. Society has become goal-oriented. Whatever our goal is right now, in five or ten years that might not be relevant to us anymore. The neverending, inescapable, exhausting ‘Corporate Rat Race’ lowers our energy and enthusiasm levels, harms our health and wellness, snatches our youth and deeper meaning of life. From morning till night, all the unnecessary sufferings, needless struggles, family fights, financial crisis, academic and work pressure, mental illness, uncertainty of future, vulnerability of climate change, instability in all the sectors of the state, persistent hopelessness and dissatisfaction of all spheres of people should remind us — it’s not us, it's late capitalism.

 

There are many psychological reasons for our human obsession with constantly acquiring more. More luxurious things - branded products, expensive houses, fancy cars and other lavishing things that we do not need. But the media, advertisement and fashion industry are always promoting these to create an illusion, set a bar for our lifestyle, put a parameter of happiness and peace, make us feel that these endless things are our needs. Being easily manipulated, we start to work extra hours, get loans, be in debt, cut off human connections, disregard our health, family and stop caring about what we actually want.

 

Even after being able to afford all the material things, we are never happy. This is not a new phenomenon. Trying to prove it as something new means — to make people think that, “maybe this is a new problem and it needs a new solution”. Consequently, we try to solve it by belonging inside a capitalist economy and structure without understanding capitalism. Which will eventually fail and make us more frustrated (which is already happening). The only solution is bringing the country and the people under an anti-authoritarian, anti-capitalist, stateless system of socialist economy by uprooting capitalism.

The Minimalists: The Less Is Now

Now if we talk about the plot and summary of these two documentaries, both promote a minimalist lifestyle that involves living with fewer resources whether in terms of a house or possession. It is a part of the thought process how a person chooses to live with all the minimal things in life and yet be satisfied. My take on minimalist lifestyle is, it should be more radical rather than optimal.

 

Millburn, together with his childhood friend Ryan Nicodemus, is one of The Minimalists. The two-man team has a mission to spread a message that less is more, that letting go of material possessions opens people up to better human relationships and more meaningful lives, not to mention free time and saved money. They have found a receptive audience. Millions of readers flock to their website, updated regularly with thoughtful blog posts and podcasts, seeking advice on how to focus on the things that really matter in life.

 

Synopsis: Examining the many levels of minimalism by looking inside the lives of minimalists from various walks of life.