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Choosing SIMPLICITY & FULFILLMENT - YouTube
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hello today i want to talk about the
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voluntary simplicity movement
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it is inspired by an article that i have
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read
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wealth is not a bad thing of course and
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for those of us
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living in wealthy countries we are
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blessed and thankful for it
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but the way that we see consumption and
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status
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leaves many of us still feel deprived or
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lacked
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we are not necessarily happier and quite
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often we feel stuck in this
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rat race of having to spend more money
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work
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more feel more stressed out and burned
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out
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the time we spent working just for
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accumulating more and more things
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is time that we lose to spend on things
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that
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give us actual meaning in life such as
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community or
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social engagement more time with family
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artistic or intellectual
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projects to find more fulfilling
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employment or
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political participation more focus on
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sustainable living methods
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spiritual exploration reading
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contemplation relaxation and so on
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none of which need to rely on much money
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voluntary simplicity can be understood
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as an
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empowering expression of freedom a
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choice to live
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with fewer market commodities in a
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belief that a better life
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and a better world will result
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voluntary simplicity is an oppositional
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living strategy
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that rejects the high consumption
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materialistic lifestyle of
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consumer culture and that strives for
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the simple life or downshifting
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sometimes it is also called
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the quiet revolution and this approach
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to life
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involves providing for material needs as
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simple
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and as directly as possible and to
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direct
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more time and energy towards
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non-materialistic sources of meaning
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and this generally means accepting a
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lower income and a lower level of
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consumption
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in exchange for more time and more
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freedom
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to pursue other life goals and according
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to this philosophy of living
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personal and social progress is measured
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not by the display of
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wealth or status and the notion of
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simple living is
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not new of course it has been very
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prominent in
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a lot of big names that we know from the
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past but it
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is becoming more and more difficult in
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our past modern life
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where it seems that consumption and
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luxury are
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glorified as never before we are not
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against technology or
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science but we don't believe in this
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omniscent omnipresent
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view that science has today in our
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society
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we are willing to explore alternatives
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in all aspects of our lives and our
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health
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and we don't just take a narrative that
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is given to us
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for granted money provides power in the
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market
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power to purchase and consume desired
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commodities
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whether goods or services consumption
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by satisfying market references is
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supposed to lead to well-being
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in essence this is the economic
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foundation of consumer culture
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its fundamental prescription is that
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people should seek well-being
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in higher incomes and more consumption
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the problem however is
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that the pursuit of income and
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consumption can easily distract people
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from what is best in their lives
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functioning to lock people into a work
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and spend cycle that has no end
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and attains no lasting satisfaction
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many simplicity theorists argue that if
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people
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in affluent societies are prepared to
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rethink their relationship with money
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and with possessions
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they just might be able to free up more
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time and energy for the pursuit of what
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truly inspires them and makes them happy
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whatever that may be lowering standards
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of living
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measured by income consumption can
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actually
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lead to increased quality of life
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measured by
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subjective well-being when we work less
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we have
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less stress and we can be of a greater
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value for our communities
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or even just for our friends and family
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we can bring more value into their lives
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by being more present
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devoting more time being able to listen
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and so forth
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it makes me feel good that i can choose
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to live simple
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in this world that is increasingly
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becoming more complex
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and i want to share that for those who
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are searching for an easier way
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different paths and alternatives but of
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course
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you do you and live the way you want to
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there is no judgment involved
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and the only thing that matters is that
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we're living the way we want to
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and that we are listening to our own
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needs and wants
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and we respect those of others thanks so
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much for watching i really appreciate it
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and i hope to see you next time again
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