Originally Posted by
gerv
I always wonder if my vision of "simple living" might seem pretty misguided to my grandparents... if they were still alive. Sure, I'll ride a bike, but I also take airplane trips. I do several things (like take navy showers...) to save energy, but I use the clothes dryer when it's convenient.
I've also noticed that simple living often means getting set up with an acre in the country. That usually means having a car. Frequently that might mean growing your own food... although there's a lot of evidence that this food is not very ecologically friendly (ie, you might have to travel 10 miles to pick up some organic fertilizer...)
Sometimes I think doing your own thing, doing it efficiently and thoughtfully, avoiding the heap of mythology that is so conveniently packaged for us and having a bit of fun once in a while... that's where I'm headed. I don't know if it's living simply. Maybe not.
I don't go out of my way to live as "Simply" as humanly possible; I just try to to live well within my means in as simple (small s) a way as possible, without getting all Mosquito Coast about it. Compared to most Americans, though, I think I live very simply indeed. I have a few friends and acquaintances who are penny-wise and pound-foolish to an astonishing degree. One very old friend will give me grief for my admittedly stupid $50/mo coffee shop habit, and say no to some dining-out suggestions on the grounds that it's too expensive, never once considering the fact that my total yearly coffee/IPA/going out to eat/book-buying/bike touring habits cost less than what his family pays for car insurance.