Personality traits of people who practice voluntary simplicity?

[Ultralight]

I was thinking last night about the types of people I have encountered in the voluntary simplicity and minimalist communities.

I have noticed that certain personality traits pop up again and again.

It seems like people who value simplicity as a lifestyle are:
-Individualistic (in their personal lives, not necessarily politically)
-Question askers
-Focused/even a bit controlling
-Contrarian

Thoughts? Anyone else seen this or other traits come up again and again?

[razz]

Sounds like a form of fanaticism. Why do you exist?

About six months after DH's passing, I was having a self-pity party as I walked down a street. Life was not much fun and I was wrestling with that concept. A woman walked by, flashed me the most glorious smile and said, "Hi". That was all. My pity party was over.

i decided that for the rest of my life, I would follow that woman's example and greet each person with a smile and a hi. It has been great fun. Some respond with enthusiasm, some not at all but in my regular walks, I talk to everyone via a wave, a smile or a nod. Those that respond share first names and chat. I am giving each one validation, social interaction and some joy and enthusiasm with life. It might be the amount of overnight rain in my rain gauge or whatever. Some have expressed need for greater listening and empathy, some to celebrate a new birth or special event, some to reminisce about the past.

I exist to give and serve but within parameters of my choosing. Why do you exist?

[sweetana3]

Fighting against our consumerist society requires energy and commitment. It is against the mainstream and usually requires asking why.

As I have gotten older and no longer care about what other people think of me, I question the purchases I consider to make sure they are best for me, the family and the environment. No longer in any quest for beauty, I consider health the best gift of all.

[SteveinMN]

It seems like people who value simplicity as a lifestyle are:
-Individualistic (in their personal lives, not necessarily politically)
-Question askers
-Focused/even a bit controlling
-Contrarian
I think I could say the same thing about computer programmers (developers). Or lawyers. Not to diminish your claim -- and not in any way to associate masses of computer code with simplicity and minimalism -- but it may show that many interests seem to attract people who have the personality attributes you listed.

[LDAHL]

Some people prefer coffee to tea. Some people prefer free time to more things or expensive experiences. I don’t think you need to dress up such preferences in ideology or psychological profiling to understand them.

[catherine]

I love the idea of voluntary simplicity (obviously.. that's why I'm here) and rather than writing up a code of traits of followers of VS, I prefer to think about and read from and about the "heroes" of the VS movement like:

Duane Elgin
Richard Gregg
The Nearings
William Coperthwaite
Thoreau
Many spiritual leaders like Gandhi, Quaker Richard Foster, .. shoot, that list could go on and on.

I admire them all.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I don't think the opposite of minimalism is necessarily materialistic (as in must run out and spend on a ton on the latest shiny).

I think it's just a different way of viewing things sometimes, like some people keep things because it reminds them of times past, and it's just a way of anchoring their life, a way of making sense of it. As in: this thing takes me back to high school (ok some of us would rather not go back there), to my first job, to an old friendship, to my grandfather's house, etc.. Maybe they even hope to keep such memories when their memory grows less sharp etc.. I'm not strongly like this though I have some element of it, I'm playing devil's advocate.

As for advocates of voluntarily simplicity:
maybe moralistic sometimes (live simply so others may simply live) - my framework is often moral, I don't apologize, just realize little is entirely black and white

[Ultralight]

I was thinking about this at work just a little while ago, before I arrived home for lunch.

A coworker of mine lives very minimally. She does not have a TV, she has no clutter anywhere in her condo or her cube at work or her car. She is neat and organized. She lives as a minimalist, but does not claim the title.

She lives this way so she can take part in her hobbies -- rock climbing and skydiving. She saves money and is always ready to grab a rucksack and go to a cliff or drop zone.

I think that minimalists are drawn to certain hobbies and/or those engaged in certain hobbies tend to be minimalists.

Rock climber, traveling nomads, sky divers, trout bums, backpackers, and such -- these folks tend to live their daily lives minimally so they can maximize their hobby time.

[SteveinMN]

I think that minimalists are drawn to certain hobbies and/or those engaged in certain hobbies tend to be minimalists.

Rock climber, traveling nomads, sky divers, trout bums, backpackers, and such -- these folks tend to live their daily lives minimally so they can maximize their hobby time.
I think you need a sample size greater than two. I also think you're making a mistake many people make in statistics. Association is not causation.

[Teacher Terry]

When I think about my younger self and all the time and $ I wasted collecting stuff I find it sickening. The only good thing is that many of the items have been donated to fundraisers for people to pay medical bills so that feels good. I was just at one on Saturday where a basket I made with beautiful old beer glasses was a raffle item.

[Ultralight]

I think you need a sample size greater than two. I also think you're making a mistake many people make in statistics. Association is not causation.

I am aware of all this. But thank you for pointing it out.

I am just musing and mulling over some ideas I have had, some observations.

[Tammy]

The answer is probably unique to each person - for me minimalism is attractive because:

It’s cheaper
It’s cleaner
It’s less work to clean
It’s less stress producing to look at
It’s easier on the earth

So in my world, your dog would be a deal breaker. Definite deal breaker because of asthma and allergies - it would kill me over time. Possible deal breaker because of clean and neat not being met - animals belong in the barn.

[JaneV2.0]

Yeah--not liking animals--in or out of the house--would be an absolute deal-breaker for me. It's one way I separate the sheep from the goats, so to speak. I couldn't care less if a potential mate is a minimalist (mine definitely was) or not, but I care about his capacity for compassion.

[Teacher Terry]

I have allergies and asthma and 3 dogs. They are not dirty. Dogs are pack animals and need to be in the house with their family unless of course they are strictly working dogs which is mean. Not valuing animals is a huge deal breaker for me.

[JaneV2.0]

I'm a laissez-faire housekeeper and firm believer in the hygiene hypothesis anyway, but if even if I were a germophobe, I'd still have companion animals.

The driving force behind Tiny Kittens, a feral TNRM support organization in BC, is a woman with allergies to cats. She just sucks it up and carries on, snuffling as she goes.

[Teacher Terry]

My pulmonary doctor said when the 80lb shedding machine dies do not replace. No problem as he was my son’s. One Maltese preferably but 2 max if he is too lonely. Dogs do not sleep in our bed.

[Teacher Terry]

However, cats send me to the ER.

[Zoe Girl]

How about mellow, live and let live, slower moving,

The comments you made about controlling don't resonate with me at all. I have been a voluntary simplicity person for as long as I can recall. However I don't truly care what anyone else does. Sometimes in another person's house that is very full and nice I get overwhelmed, other times I kinda like it (I really like full fridges, love to eat). I also don't stress about what people think of me or my space that much. Voluntary simplicity is partially because I don't want to take care of a lot of stuff, except yarn.

Maybe that is also a Colorado value. After moving from the mid-west I found it was refreshing that no one really cared that much what I did. You can wear cowgirl boots and jeans to a nice event, or dress up because you feel like it.

[iris lilies]

I was thinking about this at work just a little while ago, before I arrived home for lunch.

A coworker of mine lives very minimally. She does not have a TV, she has no clutter anywhere in her condo or her cube at work or her car. She is neat and organized. She lives as a minimalist, but does not claim the title.

She lives this way so she can take part in her hobbies -- rock climbing and skydiving. She saves money and is always ready to grab a rucksack and go to a cliff or drop zone.

I think that minimalists are drawn to certain hobbies and/or those engaged in certain hobbies tend to be minimalists.

Rock climber, traveling nomads, sky divers, trout bums, backpackers, and such -- these folks tend to live their daily lives minimally so they can maximize their hobby time.

But these people are not minimal when it comes to gear.