How Minimalism Got Toxic: The Dark Side

I’m a newbie to minimalism, but I’m doing it my way. I’m keeping my colorful bedding 😮 (ikr!) and I’m not dropping hundreds of dollars on a “sustainable” article of clothing. Goodwill is my go-to. When I’m ready to buy new clothes, I’ll give one piece and buy one piece and so on…

Americans have the tendency of destroying every good idea.

I mean, you can pretty much trust influencers to ruin everything.

As much as it got hyped up for monetization, it’s gonna trend down because the hyping itself is the problem.
Approach minimalism with less extremism. Place it in your life as one of the many principles that are worthwhile to live with.
Minimalism is great. Just avoid the hype and the blogs/vlogs that making them toxic.

Perhaps part of the problem is not minimalism as a philosophy but rather influencers trying to monetise minimalism content. Trying to repackage and promote rather than living a minimalist lifestyle and contributing to the work in more meaningful ways IRL

Love your focus on how this whole thing is just another marketing scam!

How might my life be better if I owned fewer possessions? No idea, and I have no interest in finding out. Throw out all you want, do without, bask in the beige-ness of blank walls, what do I care? I love my stuff, If it breaks or gets lost: no big deal either.

It was only a question of time! All this talk about the perfect minimalist home always brought up only one image in my mind: a clean, clutter-less, stripped down to basics jail cell

There is an endless amout of ways we can unpack our emotions and psychological desires and intentions. Mental decluttering is a bottomless well to explore.

Thanks for making this great video. I loved your thoughts on how a simple concept can get so ugly because of commodification leading to extremism and control.

I liked this mainly "right message at the right time". I wasn't receptive to the minimalist movement because people who've been through really hard financial times know that having a "bomb shelter" can make all the difference. You know, those clothes other people might throw out, but that will save you if you find yourself TRULY broke again and won't be able to buy even used clothes for a long time. That free table or chair a friend was getting rid of that you put in the basement or stick in a corner because your old one is GOING to break someday and now you won't have to find cash to get a new one.

THEN my parents passed away, and I had so much that I couldn't emotionally bring myself to go through. It's been 6 years since my dad passed away, and I've only now been able to "just let go" of some of the things I truly didn't need, won't use, and no longer feel emotionally obligated to hang onto.

But at the time, people my age who hadn't lost their parents yet were ruthlessly parroting minimalist talk -- just toss it! "Just" donate it! As though psychology doesn't exist, going through it wouldn't be traumatic, and parting with any remaining HINT of my parents wouldn't hurt at all. THIS video puts the person first again, rather than the emotionally anorexic and bulimic "just starve, buy this, and get rid of more" commercial minimalist. This video actually references "self-determinism".

Minimalism started in the 60’s as an aesthetic movement created by artistst. The phrase “less is more”, by Mies Van der Rohe was a mantra and still is in the luxury and fashion industries. Richard Wollheim in 1965 started the term. Years later a couple of social media “influencers” made the world believe this is a new term. This is crazy! No wander people does not know what its origin is and what it is all about. ;(

same thing happened to the 'vegan community'

minimalism should be more like a mindset and it will look different for everyone. i like the konmari and just self-sustainability versions of 'minimalism'.

because like anything else in life we can begin to spiral. we reify it all and forget the essence of why we began doing somethibg. and also ppl just change

Trends are just that….trends!
Just move on and keep living beyond your means.
If you can’t figure life out on your own then good luck finding your place in the world!

Minimalists became as toxic as the extremists vegans.

Just a trend, not a movement. For people living in underdeveloped countries, American/European minimalism looks like a regular middle class life.

My sense of minimalism is just that there's a lot of stuff you never need to buy. I've never bought a T.V. or silverware or a towel but I've never not had any of those things. There's just enuf stuff out there already.

If your life still depends on social media, you are not living a minimalism.

I think what the "minimalist community" (ridiculuous) doesn't realize is that if you are not naturally a minimalist, you can't force yourself to be one. I am a minimalist without effort and I've always have been, because all I care about is computers. I could be poor and happy, as long as I have food, water and my MacBook Pro with an internet connection. (That's our future, btw.) The fact that people tried to make a community out of the philosophy of minimalism is contradictory, because part of minimalism is not needing a community in the first place. A minimalist must be their own person, not relying on the approval of others. (That's what homeless people are, btw.) If you like owning stuff, you can't be a minimalist. It will never work.

It’s comical that even minimalism can’t get away from the pressures of social media. I try to live with less to stop the madness of overconsumption and creating more waste than necessary. If you’re buying stuff to be a minimalist, you’re doing it wrong.

Seems some have taken minimalism to the extreme and now ranting against it. I live as simple and minimalistic lifestyle as possible. It may not be for everyone. It's always the individual choice.

there was a mac makeup minimalist ad on during this lol

To me, minimalism is simply put “ mindful consumption”.

I wonder if there is a hoarder community and if they have similar drama. Sharing, arguing, and debating on the principles of hoarderism.

Minimalism was never the issue, social media is and always was. Social media users perverted the very idea of minimalism 'the loosing of anxiety over material things and only keeping thing for their function alone' f you are now anxious about how all of your furniture matched you've absolutely lost the plot

As a person who likes watching the same thing over and over I belive minimalism pr is good enough for people like me. And I must say it shows me something that seems very obvious... If I don't like something, I don't use it, I don't need it, I C A N get rid of it. Moreover, if I don't like it and I don't need it, I C A N not buy it. Minimalism showed me that I have a choice.

Watch Absolutely Fabulous S2 E4 New Best Friend from 1994. Toxic minimalism is new? 😆

Maybe cause it ends in ism. Another ideology cult??

Social media is toxic

What the helll? Isn't this environmentalism? There is always the absolute opposite? Everything is packaged...🎉

OMG people think for yourself. Do whatever works for you. But I do think we need to be intentional & think of the climate & the treatment of people working in toxic environments to satisfy our lusts.

The issue you're describing of people dropping minimalism because how toxic community members being the way they are is the exact anti-thesis of minimalism.
Part of the message of minimalism is to stop trying to impress the wrong people with the wrong things. This social media craze was exactly that. This is as anti-minimalism as it gets.
You're saying that in order for minimalism to catch-on it had to be commodified in a way. True, but if you look how Matt D'Avella out of all people does his content on minimalism, he's never over the top. He specifically says himself that minimalism is about intentionality.

The problem is the -ism, minimalism or maximalism etc. Try You-ism, your lifestyle should reflect You not someone else. Be Brave, Be You 🎉

Minimalist for me is just not carrying so much stuff in my pockets, nothing more nothing less.

I find it sad for the kids from the minimalist videos I’ve seen. Their bedrooms are just bare. Literally two beds with grey/white bedding. That’s it.

Interesting topics but impossible to listen to due to the over pronunciation. Apologies if you have a speech impediment

I've gotta say that although I love the IDEA of a super small capsule wardrobe, it's just not practical. I do laundry every Sunday and am not about to do laundry every other day because I have 2 shirts. I think there's a happy medium with a smaller wardrobe but not minuscule one. Having less stuff is a good thing. Having nothing is probably not. It's about balance.

commenting on Toxicness of a movement dedicated to letting go. Welcome to Hegel!!

I consider myself a soft minimalist. But, when I heard Josh and Joshua Becker say, "Even if you use it often, you should still maybe get rid of it."

I was like, "Hubba whaaaa?"

One thing ive come to understand is the basic principle of not embracing overconsumption.

But the "aesthetic minimalism" element? God, that look is sooooo bland!

I mean literally, some of these minimalist apartment videos are people who look like they live in a blank piece of paper 😅

Nothing wring with a few nicnacks and some interesting decor. Just not to overload your home with it

Anyone who thinks Kondo pushed for minimalism didn't hear a word she said

I live with my mother who is a hoarder. I look foward to the day where I can live alone without so much clutter. I see these images of minimalism, and I feel envy, and angry.

my cousin was a minimalist before they had a name for it, the reason...she's mental, she says she doesnt deserve a real bed so she sleeps on the floor. many other examples. she's also anorexic and a self rightous twit. Nobody likes her

We should just do what works.. have stuff that's practical for you, rather than lots of disposable stuff that takes time away from what you really want to spend your time on. Too much stuff becomes a chore in itself. And we know that environment affects mental well-being.. but when Marie said 10 books total.. my to read queue per bed side cabinet is piled higher and it reminds me of what choice i have next.. There is nothing wrong with living in an upper class post modernist ikea showroom if that's what works for you, but it's not universal. We are all different.

My idea of minimalism came from my Buddhist teachings. More related to detachment leading to a clear peace of mind, than how many shoes should I have and hoe many pieces of furniture I should own. I agree about a misconception of having less meaning happiness. I think Just being OK with having less should be OK, happiness not guaranteed. Any thoughts?