“You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need.”
-Vernon Howard (A Quote By Vernon Howard).
Minimalism: A Simpler Life
Imagine a simpler life: a life based around one’s needs rather than wants, a life of simplicity. Although this thought might be hard to ponder, especially in today's fast-paced society overwhelmed by fads, crazes, and a demand for more, a new way of living, minimalism, defies this modern lifestyle. Ryan Nichodemus, author and the founder of The Minimalists- an organization that teaches the practice of minimalism through podcasts, blog posts, and tours- describe this simple way of living as- a tool used to rid oneself of excess materialistic possessions to focus on achieving happiness, fulfillment, …show more content…
In our world today, society has become addicted to spending- owning multiple vehicles, and spending ungodly amounts of money to prove one’s wealth has become the social norm. This lifestyle not only puts pressure on society, but it creates unnecessary stress in one's life to meet these expectations. Contradictory to society's current beliefs, minimalism goes against this norm. Interviewees from the documentary discuss the multitude of benefits they have received since seeking a more simple life. These benefits include: decrease in stress, both financially and mentally; less decisions one needs to make; it is a more environmentally friendly; and people hold a higher significance to the possessions they do …show more content…
The most common rhetorical appeal used in the film- pathos- taps into viewers emotions when the interviewees discuss the different ways that their lives have benefited since becoming minimalist. An example from the film is presented when Joshua Millburn- author of The Minimalists- discusses the day he made the decision to become minimalist; he was so caught up in his job that he did not know that his mother was dying of cancer. He discusses how he “had never cried in his adult life until then” (Minimalism). This taps into viewers emotions, because oftentimes society is too involved with their jobs and doesn’t make enough time for their loved ones. Ethos is used throughout the film with various interviews with authors such as Ryan Nicodemus and Tammy Strobel, and doctors such as Juliet Schor, a sociology professor at Boston College. The filmmakers express logos in scenes discussing the spending habits of Americans today. A graph is presented covering the amount of money spent on pleasure in the 1970’s- around $8,000- to now over $40,000 on leisure. These rhetorical appeals help strengthen the arguments presented in Minimalism and persuade viewers into considering a minimalist lifestyle.
A scene in Minimalism showed the other side of the argument of practicing a minimalist lifestyle, when one interviewee argued that they didn’t want to rid their home of their books
-Vernon Howard (A Quote By Vernon Howard).
Minimalism: A Simpler Life
Imagine a simpler life: a life based around one’s needs rather than wants, a life of simplicity. Although this thought might be hard to ponder, especially in today's fast-paced society overwhelmed by fads, crazes, and a demand for more, a new way of living, minimalism, defies this modern lifestyle. Ryan Nichodemus, author and the founder of The Minimalists- an organization that teaches the practice of minimalism through podcasts, blog posts, and tours- describe this simple way of living as- a tool used to rid oneself of excess materialistic possessions to focus on achieving happiness, fulfillment, …show more content…
In our world today, society has become addicted to spending- owning multiple vehicles, and spending ungodly amounts of money to prove one’s wealth has become the social norm. This lifestyle not only puts pressure on society, but it creates unnecessary stress in one's life to meet these expectations. Contradictory to society's current beliefs, minimalism goes against this norm. Interviewees from the documentary discuss the multitude of benefits they have received since seeking a more simple life. These benefits include: decrease in stress, both financially and mentally; less decisions one needs to make; it is a more environmentally friendly; and people hold a higher significance to the possessions they do …show more content…
The most common rhetorical appeal used in the film- pathos- taps into viewers emotions when the interviewees discuss the different ways that their lives have benefited since becoming minimalist. An example from the film is presented when Joshua Millburn- author of The Minimalists- discusses the day he made the decision to become minimalist; he was so caught up in his job that he did not know that his mother was dying of cancer. He discusses how he “had never cried in his adult life until then” (Minimalism). This taps into viewers emotions, because oftentimes society is too involved with their jobs and doesn’t make enough time for their loved ones. Ethos is used throughout the film with various interviews with authors such as Ryan Nicodemus and Tammy Strobel, and doctors such as Juliet Schor, a sociology professor at Boston College. The filmmakers express logos in scenes discussing the spending habits of Americans today. A graph is presented covering the amount of money spent on pleasure in the 1970’s- around $8,000- to now over $40,000 on leisure. These rhetorical appeals help strengthen the arguments presented in Minimalism and persuade viewers into considering a minimalist lifestyle.
A scene in Minimalism showed the other side of the argument of practicing a minimalist lifestyle, when one interviewee argued that they didn’t want to rid their home of their books