As a Barrister you learn brevity creates clarity. As an entrepreneur you learn simplicity is essential. As a philanthropist, you learn that giving rather than receiving brings joy, meaning and peace.
As a result of the introduction of the smart phone, we now live in an era of attention deficit disorder and reduce critical thinking (thinking for ourselves). Without this it is easier to manipulate and steer people, their behaviours and beliefs. Amongst other things, this creates constant noise, prompts and comparisons (lack) which trigger our nervous system 24/7. The information load dwarfs that faced by previous generations. The end result is less community and sense of belonging and purpose, poorer health outcomes, especially mental health and peace. Excessive consumption and turning popularity into a dubious proxy for worth.
Choosing subtraction over accumulation counters these strains. Owning fewer possessions reduces clutter, helps your finances, removes decision fatigue and the anxiety of maintenance, and removes the failing attempt to achieve happiness in fake things (Fakebook). Limiting screen time softens the cortisol spike created by perpetual alerts. Curbing the impulse to broadcast every activity dissolves the need for external validation and re-routes attention to the present. Each deliberate “no” is a vote for quieter evenings, deeper thinking and more attentive relationships.
The benefits reach beyond the individual. Reduced consumption lightens our environmental footprint, and paring back bureaucracy frees life from needless complexity.
Less is More is not austerity. It is alignment. Fewer distractions, fewer false comparisons, fewer possessions that own us. More time for family, craft, learning, and service. Fewer politicies that measure activity. More policies that measure outcomes. Fewer performative posts. More real contact. Less noise. More signal.
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