Big Living Space = Small World

Shrink

We humans almost instinctively feel the need to bring that which gives us pleasure, joy, closer to us. It is the reason why we expand our living space, our home. We want to bring all the things we like together in one place, in a controlled environment. A safe environment.

  • Want to go swimming? Instead of a lake/beach trip, get a pool.
  • Want to have a cookout? Forget the local park, put a grill in the backyard.
  • Like to play games? Forget the local arcade, pool hall, and bowling alley. Bring games to the home in the form of video game consoles, pool table, ……. there is a home version of everything.
  • Exercise? ….. meh. We’ve got a treadmill at home.

Having all the things you like to do in one controlled place is convenient, …. so yeah ….. I get that. Is it safer?…… of course it is, because it’s in a controlled environment.

The problem with a controlled environment however, is that nothing new ever happens. Everything happens exactly as we planned, and we are not exposed to anything new. The experiences are always the same. How long can we expect to have the same cookout, in the same environment, with the same people, and continue to grow as people. We want everything we do to be in a safe, controlled environment (controlled by us), but expect to become more cultured, more rounded people. This is a contradiction, clearly.

So the price we pay for convenience, control, and security, is lack of exposure. Which in the end means lack of growth.

If we are to grow as people we need to get out of the house, try new things, have new experiences, meet new people. The stranger and more awkward for us, the better, as there is much more learning potential outside our comfort zone.

A Minimalist feels no desire for a big backyard, because a Minimalist is open enough to new adventures, new experiences, to believe that the entire world IS their backyard. Limiting ones self to the experiences they can fit in their personal plot of land is small minded thinking, and perhaps a tad bit paranoid.

Big property -> small mind.

Small property -> open mind.

We can never have much growth being exposed only to what we permit in our backyards just because IT IS CONTROLLED BY US. We can only grow as people when we are in situations where we DON’T have control of our situation. It’s the only time we are learning anything new.