Do you live a simple, non-materialistic life?

Question:Or do you have to keep up with the Jones'?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Or do you have to keep up with the Jones'?

Yes, I lead a very simple and non-materialistic life. People are often surprised to find out what my line of work is because I don't worship the almighty dollar and do lots of charitable work, too, as a volunteer with community agencies or by donating my services to the poor.

My brother has to drive the latest vehicle and dress in the latest fashions but I'm not the least bit like that. It's funny how we're so different but we are.

Many, many years ago, I had a past life regression that explored my feelings about weath and power. In it, I was the queen of a kingdom in the north, I lived in luxury but my husand, the king, and I did not love each other. He blamed me for being childless but he wasn't able to father kids off any of his many mistresses either so the problem wasn't with me. It was a cold, gloomy region and I felt alone, unloved, empty. It was an interesting past life regression because I saw how it didn't matter how rich you are, you can't buy happiness.

is this just a poll?

I don't care about the Joneses.

But we live a very comfortable life....we've given away a lot of our material things....but we have a life that's fun, full, and busy.

So we're more in the middle.

yes, (simple, non-materialistic) but not out of choice.

Edit: oh, philosophy of living. No, I don't have to keep up with the Jones' and wouldn't try to if I could.

yeah I have a hard time buying stuff even when I need it
and I actually do stop to smell the roses lol :)

Not at all. But then few Americans do. In our culture, We are raised to be materialistic. However I live in a highly Amish area and whenever I see them I envy their simplicity and apparent happiness and lack of stress. I do wish I could be more like that, but unfortunately Its hard to mix that in when consumer driven "more more more" is what you deal with every day.

as simple as society permits.

I don't desire to keep up with other people's toys, for the most part i find collecting goods a human vice. except for things that are really useful and frequently used to their full potential and the user appreciates the full capabilities of the object. for example someone who has a 250 000$ piano just because it looks nice in their house and they can't really play i find is ridiculous. but someone who is good enough to truly know and appreciate the piano, not like a connaisseur would but as a musician would, if they play it and use it as intended and not just collect a bunch of pianos to show off. then i find it would make sense for someone to own such a valuable piano. as far as tvs and stereos and stuff i couldn't care less as long as the one i have still works, and even then, some of those things i don't need.

Basicly..but not by choice. Poverty tends to keep me humble.

I've never cared about how the Jones live...don't even know them...are they happy? Good!
All I need is the basic necessities of life, and I could live in a tree house in the forest. Content.
But, one thing...I'd like mosquito spray, until I find out how the old timers did it with no screens on the windows and no fan.

No, I am hopelessly enmeshed in the consumer culture

yes,im like a bear or deer in the woods.

I can't remember the last time I bought anything [food exempt]

I like writing,learning,making things,painting I don't see what more I could want.Buying more clothes when there is nothing wrong with ones you have is very odd also.

I Learnt long ago if I bought anything that it inevitably ends its life in the garage.

I certainly don't keep up with the Jones', I like my computer and home comforts, but as a whole I make do with what I have.

Do to a great turn around in my life, more is less to me. I had much and sickness and job loss took care of that. Now I have a little more than basics to the consumer world but I am more content. Keeping up the Jones keep me on depression meds and exhausted. Now I am on less meds and not near as tired. I can enjoy what I do have instead of wishing I had the time and strength to enjoy my wares.

For the most part, I live a simple life. But 'simple' today is not what 'simple' was thirty years ago. E.g., I'm sitting here right now drumming my fingers on a keyboard to communicate with people who could live on the dark side of the moon for all I know. How much simplicity in that?

I don't have any materialistic interests. That is, I don't take pleasure in ownership of item X. I don't take pleasure from displaying what stuff I do own. This is not a matter of 'philosophical commitment,' but only a factual observation about my wants.

Philosophically, I view my wants as PRIOR to any ethical ruminations, mine or anyone else's. I want what I want when I want it for irrational causes, for BEING who I am. The doings follow. The ethical rationalizations follow that.

And it HAPPENS that my wants are simple, my needs are few.

With this appreciation of my own ethical status quo ante, it would ill-behoove me to comment on others' behaviors--including acquisitive or display behaviors--from a 'morally superior position.' They are who they are, and their wants are no more deniable than mine are. If they suppress their wants to adhere to an ethics of self-denial, I might pity them for that--but I won't say a word to them about it. They must find 'the right way to live' using their own hearts and minds.

I will admit, though, that it is very annoying to be chid for my 'low life' lifestyle. I do no more work than I must--and I can live on a very small income, hence, I do little work. It might surprise you to hear that many people find this a thing worth remarking on, and that they do.

And there are laws that force a certain amount of 'keeping up with the Joneses.' You cannot, for instance, forebear to water your lawn--nor forego maintaining a lawn--in some neighborhoods. 'Community standards' must be met--but those 'standards' come from the competitive 'Joneses,' not from me. You want to have a rusting Ford pickup on cement blocks in your front yard? Fine with me. Not with the Joneses.

Hm. This is turning into a rambling monologue, isn't it? I'll cut it off here, despite that I haven't really reached the ILLUMINATED MOMENT that you've been waiting for.

"Tee-hee," said he, and ended there.

Financial necessity makes me rather frugal.

I did, but certain people in my life have made that hard right now.

No, unfortunately, I do not. It has nothing to do with the Jones.

But it is because I'm a collector -- it isn't the things -- it is the looking at whatever it is -- books, loads of books and I've read most of them already.

I did collect dolls, but I'm moving away from that and getting into the enjoyment of making clothes for them. My granddaughter's love them; we learn a lot about children in play. Once my little granddaughter's boy doll was hitting her girl doll. I stopped it and found out what she had to say. "She wasn't doing what she was supposed to ... etc." After our little talk about why it is never right for a boy/man to hurt a girl, she came back to the boy, slapped him, and used a few karate kicks before she got a new boy doll. She does not live in a home like that, and I have no idea where she picked it up. But I had the chance to change a 4 year-old's mind and inform her parents so they could check out her friends.

Occasionally, I go on buying binges -- which I'm paying for right now. That stops me from doing it -- especially when I make myself return everything I bought.

I know that I do this when I get very sad or absorbed in the difficulties of my life right now. That's part of breaking the OCD.