The 128 most classic philosophical essays in the world

Chapter 93 Simple life

[Beauty] Lisa Plant
Simplicity is the only way to calm the endless noise outside and return to the inner self.

What is happiness?In my opinion, happiness comes from "simple life".Civilization is only external support, success and wealth are only external glory, and true happiness comes from discovering the true and unique self and maintaining peace of mind.

I've been asked if "simple living" means living like an ascetic, quitting a well-paying job, living off a small savings account, and abstaining from desires?This is a misunderstanding of "simple life". "Easy" means "laid back" and nothing more.High deposits, if you like it, don't lose it, the important thing is to make ends meet, don't let money bring you anxiety.Whether it is the middle class or a retired worker with a meager income, everyone can live as leisurely and comfortably as possible, and everyone is equal in terms of living a "simple life".In this era, not everyone has to walk into the forest with an ax like Thoreau in order to get a sense of peace and ease.The key is the way we treat life, whether we are willing to resist the "wealth center theory" promoted by the media and business, and how we dig out and develop the enthusiasm, truth and meaning of life in our daily life.

Simplicity is the only way to calm the endless noise outside and return to the inner self.When we work overtime and desperately to own a luxury villa and a beautiful car, we collapse exhausted in front of the TV every night; Losing smiles all year round; for endless dates, dressing up, forcing a smile, and finally going home to face only a lonely and pale self, we should really ask ourselves: Why are they so important? ?
The upside of simplicity is this: maybe instead of a gorgeous beachfront villa, I just rent a clean, nice apartment so I can save a ton of money to do things I love, like travel or buy long-dreamed-of camera.I no longer have to be submissive to my boss, I am my own master, promotion is not the only way to prove myself, many people work part-time or freelance, so they have more time for themselves.If I'm not so busy and can push off unnecessary entertainment, I'll be able to talk to family and friends and share a wonderful evening.

We always put too much importance on the amount of material possessions and the quality of our appearance, and exchange money, energy and time for a superior life that is obvious to all, but we do not realize that our hearts are withering day by day.In fact, only the true self can make people truly radiant. When you only live for your inner self and don’t care about your external vanity, happiness will nourish your dry heart, just like rain and dew nourish the dry land.

The less we need, the more freedom we get.As Thoreau said: "Most of the lives of luxury, and many of the so-called comforts, are not only not necessary, but are hindrances to the progress of mankind, for which the wise man would rather live than the poor." A simple and crude life." A simple and simple life helps to clear the barrier between matter and the essence of life.In order to recognize it, we must begin by clearing away the noise and the trivial, recognizing everything that comes up in our lives.Which ones we must have and which ones must be discarded.

More comfort and less anxiety; more truth and less falsehood; more happiness and less misery. This is the goal pursued by simple life.The simplicity of the external life will bring us the richness of the inner world. We will find that a new life is open in front of us. We are delighted by the silent growth of plants and trees. We will open our hearts to the people we love again, express our true nature, and warmly surround ourselves with family and friends, caring for each other, sharing joy, and being sincere.Then we will discover that the inability to be close to others, the inability to communicate with each other because of the distance, is just an illusion caused by haste and exhaustion.Only when we relax and start a leisurely life can we experience intimacy, harmony and friendship.Instead of wandering on the surface of life, we will go deep, listen to the call of the essence of life, and make life more meaningful.

Heart mark notes
The author of this article, Lisa Plant, is an active advocate and practitioner of "simple life" in the United States. She described what is meant by simple life in plain language: simple life is not mean, nor is it "ascetic". Simple does not necessarily return to the pastoral , Simplicity does not mean doing nothing, simplicity means returning to the purity of the soul and the ease and joy of the spirit.Simple life is to present your true self and live a life with clear goals after careful consideration. It is a rich, healthy, harmonious and leisurely way of life.

As long as we start from the heart, follow and grasp a moderate principle in clothing, food, housing, and transportation, so as to simplify our material life and find a new balance point in the inner world, a simple life can also become a reality.

(End of this chapter)