Simplicity | Unexpected Leisure

February 5, 2013February 3, 2013

Government By Stuff

I have always critiqued those arguing for small government because in my viewed, cutting government just to cut it can have disasterous consequences. One must in all fairness ask whether those who argue for few possessions are open to the same critique. Read more [...]

May 7, 2011

The Role of Stuff and How It’s Changing

One of the schools of thought that came out of this community was the Veridian Design Movement that was active near the turn of our century. They were concerned with how we ought to consider living and our environment in the 21st Century. Read more [...]

March 3, 2011

The Zen of Stuff

My spouse and I have moved several times in our married life and each time it happens I am stunned by how much stuff has accumulated. This is a common thing. We've helped friends to move and they express similar dismay at how many things seem to have wormed their way into their lives. Generally, they don't view this as a good thing Read more [...]

February 8, 2011

Simplify, Simplify!

Simplicity is not simple, and it is not easy. You can do it, and it can have a remarkably exhilarating effect on your life. But there's a catch. Read more [...]

February 2, 2011February 2, 2011

Toward a New Aesthetic of Ostentation

The imperative to keep up with the Jonesâ€™ has driven many a consumer to spend beyond their means. Purveyors of stuff, particularly expensive stuff know this and pitch their wares accordingly. As a culture we have seen an entire set of standards developed and imposed on us to dictate what we buy and why we buy it. Read more [...]

January 17, 2011January 17, 2011

Sunday Book Review: “The Book of Tea”

In the early 20th Century a Japanese art expert named Okakura Kakuzo wrote a slim volume called â€œThe Book of Teaâ€ wherein he attempted to bridge the cultural gap between East and West. He used the Japanese tea ceremony as a medium for explaining some of Japanâ€™s less well-understood aesthetics and cultural values at a time when Japan was trying to â€œwesternizeâ€ itself as quickly as possible. Read more [...]

January 13, 2011

Saving Money, Saving Time

What are you trying to save? Most of us want to save money, but thinking in those terms is not sufficient. You want to save time as well. Read more [...]