Minimalism is just another form of conspicuous consumption, a way of saying to the world: ‘Look at me! Look at all of the things I have refused to buy!’ — guardian
I always thought domestic minimalism requires maximum household help, made of mostly immigrant domestic workers. So, whenever I see those shelter magazine pictures, I whisper "sonsofbitches, they are hiding something."
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My stuff was not just stuff, but a reminder that I had a foundation of support of people who had loved me growing up: a painting I had done as a child that my mum had carefully framed and hung in our house, a set of antique Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls my ferret once chewed an eye out of when I was 15, artwork my mum had collected over the decade we lived in Alaska.
Pass me that minimalist bong Noam Chomsky
That's because you don't know what real minimalism is.
A real minimalist's home looks rather "normal", you would just think: this guy is pretty neat. Reducing housework is one thing all minimalists share. It's about making time for important things.
Fake minimalist, as in what we call in architecture, require a lot of work. Buying the right things to look minimal. Not buying other things, which mean you must pay someone else to do those things. (Such as not owning kitchenware so you must eat out.) Those are handicaps.
Minimalism on the other hand frees you.
Dated 3 days prior, contains content:
http://thefinancialdiet.com/minimalism-just-another-boring-product-wealthy-people-can-buy/
Someone cleaned their room and posted a picture of it online. A real scandal for design media in 2017.
Real minimalism is a good way to initiate a divorce.
WARNING: Media critiques of "minimalism" are really lazy bashing of all modern architecture, which is quickly lumped into a good old vs. bad new argument. I've seen it many many times. It starts with the white on white, then quickly out .....
In this media calculation, good modern design is exclusively for the wealthy while the rest deserve "affordable housing" or something like Pruitt Igoe. Why the NYTimes doesn't cover architecture anymore
Chemex, Good modern design can be made widely available. Architects just don't serve the masses for many reasons ranging from business structure, cost benefit, ego, to erroneous licensure laws, and anti-young entrepreneurial culture. Hard to do Architecture will remain exclusive and limited in its demographic scope until this changes. Young grads should be getting their feet wet with small projects independently and serving that market rather than intening in big firms and focusing on toilet stall details.
Trust me the work is there but the surface needs to be scratched. Until then It will keep going to the "design" build contractors thats rack in the big bucks with easy to do architecture.
So true!
Chemex: This piece isn't that, though. It's not critiquing the aesthetic, but pointing out that the current trend of #minimalism as a lifestyle of decommodification is, in fact, a commodification in itself. The difference between actual minimalism, and the superficial aesthetic of #minimalism. The point is that the latter is just the latest form of conspicuous consumption for the privileged.
The author even points out that there's nothing wrong with this kind of consumption, but that to pretend its anything other than consumption is dishonest and silly.
Economics is just one thing. Failed to point out the obvious. Lack of kids. Minimalism is impossible with kids. This aesthetic is a reflection of a single lifestyle. For those with kids, especially the ocd ridden ones like myself, a fantasy of an unattainable domestic cleanliness .
There's great potential for satire in a 'Minimalist Mommy' article about getting rid of your kids.
That has onion written all over it. I think you should give it a go.
Minimalism is only for the wealthy as a veritable army of servants is required to maintain pristine, naked spaces that are without any visible signs of life.
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