"Most of the luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind. With respect to luxuries and comforts, the wisest have even lived a more simple and meager life than the poor...Our life is frittered away by detail...Simplify, simplify." - Henry David Thoreau
[ Photo of a Shaker dining room from NHStories.org ]
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Comments (4)
I love you Thoreau, but double negatives annoy the crap out of me: "...are not only not indispensable..."
Aside from the grammar issue I agree with you. I am in a phase of my life where I am constantly de-cluttering my home and life and I feel much more grounded and whole when I can pare things down to only those things that I need and love and that make me happy. BUT I realized that one persons' luxury is another persons' necessity so a lot of what is essential is subjective...
Thoreau brought his laundry home to his mother. I'm not so sure he's still the voice of authenticity. His writings on civil disobedience and nature are classics, but he's not my first choice as an inspiring voice on how to make a comfortable home.
More to the point--would HDT have shopped at DWR?
"More to the point--would HDT have shopped at DWR?"
He sure wouldn't have shopped at IKEA...
Ikea was HDT's org. Idea---simple belongings for simple life style. Of course HDT never thought there would be so many poeople needing to shop back in his day :-)