Choice, Constraint, and Everything In Between
Just yesterday, I was ranting about how we tend to reduce people into neat boxes and ‘isms’ and this feels like WP is doing just that. An attempt to categorize anyone who engages in or practices minimalist living as a minimalist. A box probably as small as the idea behind the ism.
According to Google, minimalism is a lifestyle and design philosophy focused on reducing excess, prioritizing simplicity, and living intentionally with only what is necessary. It is a wonderful idea, really,
Simplicity in all areas of life is a good practice, and living with only what is necessary goes a long way in pushing back against the consumerism culture we’re steeped in. There’s beauty in neutral colors, joy in uncluttered spaces, and freedom in focusing only on what brings value.
But here’s the tension : can it still be considered minimalist living if there wasn’t a choice? If we haven’t bought the excess because we lack the ability to, not because we wouldn’t want to? Do the benefits still apply, or does the allure fade when minimalism becomes something forced upon us rather than intentionally chosen?
It’s hard to call it minimalist living when the reality is a lower-than- average wage that only affords a studio apartment instead of the mansion we dream of, or one meal a day because the five- star menus we’ve screenshotted remain out of reach. That’s not a lifestyle; that’s survival. And survival doesn’t always carry the same joy or clarity that intentional minimalism promises.
At the same time, minimalism doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. Maybe we practice it in one area- a pared-down skincare routine- but indulge in another, like food, clothing, or design. I am still of the idea that people don’t fit neatly into boxes, and neither do their lifestyles. The benefits of minimalism- focus, joy, freedom from clutter- can still be felt even if we don’t fully embody every principle.
So, while I admire minimalism as a philosophy, I remain cautious about reducing it to a neat label. Its benefits are real when chosen : clarity, intentionality, and a life less burdened by excess. But when imposed, it risks being less a philosophy and more a constraint.
What I am trying to say in so little words is I cannot claim to know the full benefits of minimalist living because I have never intentionally decided to live that way. What I do know is I value joy, focus, and simplicity. I like neutral colors, and I believe in focusing on what truly brings value. Perhaps that makes me a simple being, but not necessarily a minimalist. And maybe that’s the point- the benefits of minimalism are best realized when they are chosen, not forced, and when they fit the contours of our lives rather than the confines of a box.
NdukuOutLoud 
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