I am So Greatly Saddened by the Commercialization of Minimalism

On this website it is easy to see the negative impact that commercialization has on the lives of every individual. But I’m seriously wondering how many people in this sub really understand the philosophy of minimalism. So many people post saying “what is the best minimalist short for women?”, and “what are the best shoes that I can buy to replace my 3 other pairs of shoes?” and so on. <br><br>I’ve read “The Joy of Less” and have listened to many lectures that really impacted my understanding of minimalism. It is not a simple thing to do. Society is so deeply entrenched in consumerism. Taking the road of minimalism is not a decision to be taken lightly. This is a philosophy of life. This is a decision that requires a great amount of introspection.<br><br>I was a minimalist for a few years, and then I stopped, simply because I was trying to seek happiness and fulfillment from the minimalism itself. I thought that simply ridding myself of all of my possessions would be enough to find happiness. But it wasn’t. <br><br>Minimalism is a tool to help us live a more fulfilling life, but it is not the end in itself. Minimalism helps us focus on what really brings us joy. It helps us focus on what really brings us fulfillment. It helps us focus on what really matters in our lives.<br><br>Which is why I am so disheartened by the commercialization of minimalism. Many people here simply want to jump on the minimalist bandwagon because it is trendy. They don’t understand that minimalism is not something you can buy or purchase. It is not something that you can achieve by buying a 100 dollar canvas bag. Minimalism is a philosophy of life, a philosophy that requires a tremendous amount of courage and introspection and effort. <br><br>Yes, for many people, it is very difficult to go minimalist. <br>Yes, for many people, it is necessary to purchase staple items to replace the old possessions. <br>But to purchase something and sell it as a minimalist owned item, to say that you are a minimalist simply because you threw away your trash, is entirely disingenuous. <br><br>It’s just very frustrating to see how many people in here don’t actually understand what minimalism is. It’s just very frustrating to see how many people in here are willing to sell out a philosophy of simplicity. <br><br>I know I’m not the only person who sees this. I see a lot of old timers talking about how commercialized minimalism is, how superficial it has become, and how the philosophy itself has been watered down to something frivolous. I just feel that I am one of the rare voices of dissent in a sea of commercialization.