A Radically Simple Life

There are two basic ways to reduce the stress described in yesterday's entry, The Silent Epidemic in a Broken, Deranged System: Stress: simplify one's life and take control of one's life.

The two are not mutually exclusive, of course, but one does not necessarily lead to the other. For example, an unemployed single person who cashes a check from the government and eats fast food has a very simple life. One fellow I knew with this simple life rented a room in a rooming house and spent his time watching films and hanging out with his pals. Life couldn't get much simpler than that.

Did he control his life? Yes, but we would be hard-pressed to declare his adolescent lifestyle positive. To the degree he was dependent and aimless, it could be argued that his control was superficial, since his life was not directed toward any meaningful goals or purpose. He had the same level of control over his life as a teenager on summer break.

We lose control when we become trapped. Being heavily in debt is being trapped; being burdened by too much stuff or too many commitments is also being trapped.

Does the shopaholic debt-serf feel in control? They do when they're shopping--that's part of its appeal. It's the consequences of debt and over-spending that the shopaholic has little control over.

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