Minimalism Documentary

While watching the documentary called Minimalism, I think it is very important for people to realize how sustainability connects with the ways people over consume with materialistic things in our society. Having the mindset of someone that overconsumes, seems to be more of an increased trend here in America. While watching this video, I realized that sustainability can become a complicated to achieve when one does not know the idea of Minimalism. Not being able to know that, means one can never appreciate the minimum, there always has to be more. Therefore, having the most eventually becomes their minimum making that individual want more and more of what they already have. In the film, a great example were people who go out and buy these extravagant homes and barely use the spaces. Then they fill the spaces they do not use with items that are a waste of money. In other words, this is land that is being used for a big home that is actually not needed. These are resources that are already scarce being used more and more for these big homes. This means less land for sustainable agriculture. There were a few people in the film who had a great solution to this. That was to live in tiny houses. They require less resources, they are inexpensive, and they are created to help sustain the environment more.  Individuals need to begin to realize the more important things in society and that is not going out and buying lavish, materialistic items. Materialistic things are not going to help make the Earth more green or sustainable. But the problem is that there are not enough people caring about the environment like they should, but instead, putting their time and money into stuff that takes away from sustaining resources and also takes away a healthy lifestyle for those who are trying to be minimalists, so there can maybe one day be an efficient amount of resources that exist.

3 thoughts on “Minimalism Documentary

  1. I think that not everyone could be a minimalists because as you said some people just do not have the mindset. Others it would not work. I know a family of 8 and for them living in a smaller house as tiny houses are would be catastrophic. It’s not that they don’t care about the earth its just that for them living in a smaller house will not work. The materialistic part of our society is just how it is. I think it would take a while to change it but If people just try even if its not big to help the earth then i think that we will be just fine.

  2. I watched this documentary as well and I think it was really eye opening. I agree that there is a huge problem of people not caring about how their “stuff” effects the environment. I also agree with the comment above me that not everyone can be minimalists,which is completely fine, but I think it’s important to realize that we do have excessive amounts of stuff and it’s so important that we reduce our consumption as much as possible.

  3. Nice insights, everyone. While it may be highly unlikely for everyone to achieve minimalism, everyone can think a little more about how their purchasing affects others and the environment. Also, while it’s not feasible for a family of 8 to live in a small house, it is likely that in some ways larger household units like them could be more sustainable. For example, by living together, there is no need for 8 individual washing machines.

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