Sid
10-04-2006, 11:29 AM
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0688121195.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
When you get into camping, you realize that civilization is so o o o over-rated. . . .
Elgin offers this support in a gentle and convincing way - he offers no directions, for he says "Because simplicity has as much to do with each person's purpose in living as it does with his or her standard of living, it follows that there is no single, "right and true" way to live more ecologically and compassionately."
His goal is to move his readers to live more simply because it makes more sense, not because we are told we 'should' do so, or because it is a trend. He hopes to move us from within.
He offers compassionate, thoughtful reasons to live with less "things." He also gives a history of simplicity's roots - using thoughts from a diversity of views: Christian, Eastern, early Greek, Puritan, Transcendental, and (one of my favorites, of course!) Quakers. He recalls an experience he had with Elise Boulding, a well known Quaker, which helped move him more toward voluntary simplicity (worth reading the book just to experience this with him.)
It makes more sense, according to Elgin, for the good of the planet, of other human beings, of our children's future, of our own quality of life, now. And the reasons are many - not economical OR spiritual OR environmental OR community - but any and all of those (a reader can focus on one that moves the individual)
He offers information on ways of thinking and acting that lead to a simpler life, and though I fall way short in my own actions and behaviors, I never felt judged. I did feel moved. In his final section on revitalization, he offers ideas for how we might make simplicity happen.
Most of what he says I liked, though I'm not fond of his idea that "voluntary" changes in consumption would be made if a higher tax was applied to "luxury goods, gasoline, alcohol and cigarettes." While that might make changes, they would certainly not be "voluntary." However, that is one small suggestion, not a fixed line.
Voluntary Simplicity, Revised Edition: Toward a Way of Life That Is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich (http://www.amazon.com/Voluntary-Simplicity-Revised-Outwardly-Inwardly/dp/0688121195/ref=cm_lm_fullview_prod_5/002-9283923-7021660?ie=UTF8)
The Complete Guide to Country Living (http://www.ruralize.com/CompleteGuide.html)
New Liberty Village (http://www.geocities.com/%7Enewliberty/)
The Simplicity Resource Guide (http://www.gallagherpress.com/pierce/index.htm)
Thirty Ways To Get Sustainable - At Home (http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC35/30ways.htm)
Preparedness Nuggets Pages (http://www.justpeace.org/nuggetsindex.htm)
When you get into camping, you realize that civilization is so o o o over-rated. . . .
Elgin offers this support in a gentle and convincing way - he offers no directions, for he says "Because simplicity has as much to do with each person's purpose in living as it does with his or her standard of living, it follows that there is no single, "right and true" way to live more ecologically and compassionately."
His goal is to move his readers to live more simply because it makes more sense, not because we are told we 'should' do so, or because it is a trend. He hopes to move us from within.
He offers compassionate, thoughtful reasons to live with less "things." He also gives a history of simplicity's roots - using thoughts from a diversity of views: Christian, Eastern, early Greek, Puritan, Transcendental, and (one of my favorites, of course!) Quakers. He recalls an experience he had with Elise Boulding, a well known Quaker, which helped move him more toward voluntary simplicity (worth reading the book just to experience this with him.)
It makes more sense, according to Elgin, for the good of the planet, of other human beings, of our children's future, of our own quality of life, now. And the reasons are many - not economical OR spiritual OR environmental OR community - but any and all of those (a reader can focus on one that moves the individual)
He offers information on ways of thinking and acting that lead to a simpler life, and though I fall way short in my own actions and behaviors, I never felt judged. I did feel moved. In his final section on revitalization, he offers ideas for how we might make simplicity happen.
Most of what he says I liked, though I'm not fond of his idea that "voluntary" changes in consumption would be made if a higher tax was applied to "luxury goods, gasoline, alcohol and cigarettes." While that might make changes, they would certainly not be "voluntary." However, that is one small suggestion, not a fixed line.
Voluntary Simplicity, Revised Edition: Toward a Way of Life That Is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich (http://www.amazon.com/Voluntary-Simplicity-Revised-Outwardly-Inwardly/dp/0688121195/ref=cm_lm_fullview_prod_5/002-9283923-7021660?ie=UTF8)
The Complete Guide to Country Living (http://www.ruralize.com/CompleteGuide.html)
New Liberty Village (http://www.geocities.com/%7Enewliberty/)
The Simplicity Resource Guide (http://www.gallagherpress.com/pierce/index.htm)
Thirty Ways To Get Sustainable - At Home (http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC35/30ways.htm)
Preparedness Nuggets Pages (http://www.justpeace.org/nuggetsindex.htm)