Haters gonna hate!

nexe · 3 months

To turn the discussion around quickly and not feel treated like a child but make them feel childish ask a couple of these questions:

How much money do you save per month?
How long could you live without changing your lifestyle off your savings?
Where do you plan to go this year and where have you been the last years? (i.e. vacation)
Name a thing or two that you made yourself and are proud of recently. (e.g. built, wrote, created sth. - in contrast of consumed sth.)
How much time can you spend on stuff you like per week? (caution! some people tend to feel more important the busier they are with duties)

Does this strategy work for anybody else? What are your questions to turn the tables?

circusnachos · 3 months

I try to avoid telling people, when possible. But if the subject comes up, I can just tell them the horror story of the storage unit my sister and I "inherited" when our father died. We have a 10x25 unit I spend every Sunday in, cleaning, donating, trashing. I don't want anyone else to have to do that with my stuff, hence, minimalism.

bananasncornbread · 3 months

I ususally tell the story of my Grandma. She lived through the depression in a particularly rough way and even till the end she could never get rid of anything. It was her safety blanket. The accumulation of the unnecessary to construction the fear of having nothing. I segway from that into my time being homeless and how it was the most stress free I ever was (I live in California and still had a job, so it was easy) and then I tell them that when I got a place and settled I began accumulating thing like my grandma did. At some point my appartment was full of shit that just stressed me out. So when I cleaned it out and began reducing to essentials it was like cleaning out my fear. It was the biggest destresser in my life. Or I will tell them that as an engineer, reduction of complexity with an increase in productivity is an aesthetic ideal.

AGBCIHE · 3 months

As above, I try to avoid telling people. I find it provokes hostility more than anything else, I think some people see it as a direct attack on themselves as they immediately feel as though they're doing the exact opposite by heavily consuming and as though that's something to be ashamed of.

I think I try to relate it to need more than some post-Marcuse ideals of consumerism or whatever - just that I move more than once a year and don't drive, therefore I travel light.

Prawjex · 3 months

When people ask me if I have seen this show or that show, I used to tell them I hadn't, because I don't own a TV. That was immediately followed up with them saying "yea, its one of the few shows I watch.." And they follow up with justifications of why its ok to watch that show. So now I just say no, and don't elaborate on why i've never seen the show

phormality · 3 months

I don't know if I've ever used the word "minimalist" to directly describe myself. Many others have said it about me though. I haven't been met with much hate over it. Most people express a desire to downsize and ask me questions about things they can do. My sister is starting to read some books and starting to purge stuff from her home. I was just over there and she has 90% less stuff on her refrigerator, her bathroom isn't full of shit anymore, and her basement is much more open than it was a few months ago. I'm impressed.

My mom is the biggest critic of it. She mostly just gets upset when I get rid or things. She wants to be notified before I get rid of anything, which makes it really hard to get rid of things. I can't just do it, I need to check with her or deal with the talk about it later when she somehow finds out. She tries to talk me into keeping stuff and I need to explain to her that the stuff hasn't been used in 3-5 years and it is pointless for me to keep. I don't go into some life philosophy, I just take it one item at a time. "I don't use this, so I'm getting rid of it."

MutatedBuffalo · 3 months

Haha. I find the best way to deal with haters is to give their provocation minimum response.

JacketJam · 3 months

I have always been a minimalist by heart, even as a kid.

I never use the word minimalist to describe myself to others though, but every one who knows me, knows that I hate fluff and stuff that doesn't serve me a needed practical use. I have never really gotten any negative responses from that, other than a strange look here and there.

Now being a vegan... that is looked strangely on! lol

But yeah, people not following the norm are always seen down on by some. It's something you learn to live with if you want to be happy.

wetpedals · 3 months

There was an interesting discussion on a similar topic in /r/frugal recently. Definitely some insightful comments worth reading!

IaintgotPortal · 3 months

I was decluttering recently and sold stuff on ebay and facebook. People started asking me if I was broke.

A friend wrote (and I love this): Everything you own, will soon own you. (my attempt to translate german-english)

jstn_ · 3 months

Personally, I just don't discuss my opinions with people. This goes double for religion or politics. Obviously I make exceptions with immediate family and very close friends, but it isn't common.

I'm perfectly open to other people's ideas, I'm just not interested in debating their validity with anybody. My decisions are my own.

Moikee · 3 months

If I ever mention 'consumerism' or 'minimalism' to my friends they immediately think I'm being a pretentious ass :(

But obviously this doesn't change my opinion of things. I can't stand it when people complain about not having enough money yet amassing so much crap they then complain about having no space/having to tidy so often.

sundby · 3 months

If people ask me, I just tell them that I don't like stuff. The more things I have, the more stress and unhappiness it causes me. Pretty simple actually.

willzager · 3 months

I never had really thought about it as something weird until I went home this past year and was talking to my parents about it. When I told them how much stuff I had gotten rid of they looked at me like I was crazy.

whogirl07 · 3 months

I grew up with a bunch of hoarders, and once i knew what was going on, I ran the other direction. I enjoy the simplicity, and have told many people about the luxury of being able to function with ease than worrying or wasting time on things that are not necessary. Some think I am crazy, others are baffled, and others just don't care. But i still enjoy telling them about the minimalist lifestyle, and am willing to answer questions if any one i talk to has some. And some of their reactions can be priceless sometimes.

junglizer · 3 months

You know what really grinds my gears? You America. F--K YOU!

Sorry, couldn't resist after seeing a legitimate use of the phrase "grinds my gears".

gnkbot · 3 months

People have just been conditioned since childhood to view their possessions as a core part of their identity. Your outlook strips away this identity, and that's why people are so hostile.

Just explain yourself in a non-confrontational manner; it may plant the idea in someone's head to simplify their own life.

Rainbowlemon · 3 months

Contrary to the voice of most people in this thread, I'm actually damn proud of being minimal, and love telling people how few possessions I have, and how light and free it makes me feel! I've even converted a few naysayers with the argument that it makes moving house a lot easier.

I think, when it comes down to it, people are aware that they have tonnes of crap they don't need... but some people are natural 'collectors', some people use retail as a form of therapy, and some just simply can't be bothered sorting their junk out.

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