Customer Reviews

Voluntary Simplicity: Toward a Way of Life That Is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Voluntary Simplicity: Toward a way of life that is outwardly simple, inwardly rich, 2nd ed. Duane Elgin.

In 1981 when the first edition of this book was published the ideas were widely regarded as counter-cultural and unnecessary. The book was ahead of its time. Now three decades have passed and the world is a very different place, a place distressingly similar to the one the author warned us about. The global and ecological concerns that Elgin pointed to are now painfully obvious; the inadequacies of materialistic lifestyles focused on accumulating wealth and possessions are evident, and their ecological costs are inescapable. On the other hand, the benefits of living more simply and consciously are increasingly apparent.

Duane Elgin is one of today's most sophisticated social thinkers, and deservedly won the 2006 International Goi Peace Award for his contributions to a global "vision, consciousness, and lifestyle." Consequently, this fully revised second edition of Voluntary Simplicity is about far more than merely the necessity of changing external lifestyles. The book reaches beyond the mechanics of voluntary simplicity to examine the many psychological, spiritual, and cultural benefits of living more simply and consciously. In doing so, Elgin makes clear that voluntary simplicity is not self-sacrifice but rather enlightened self-interest, and that this emerging lifestyle choice can foster individual and collective wellbeing in multiple areas. In fact, it is amazing how many of our global problems would be ameliorated if the ideas in this vitally important book were widely adopted. Fortunately the depth and significance of the ideas are matched by the clarity of style, so that Voluntary Simplicity is an education, an inspiration, and a pleasure to read.

I went into this book thinking it would offer more practical examples of or suggestions for how to live simply, but there is a lot of fluff here, especially with the many survey responses from people saying the same empty thing. Some of the philosophy is sound while other parts of it are lacking in reality. Realistic answers are what the simplicity movement require. Not to mention, the focus of the book is a bit scattered. In one instance, the focus is purely on simplicity for the sake of it while in other parts, it seems the author is talking more about living simply for the environment while never really coming to a clear thesis on his mission. And, whatever he is talking about rests more on empty rhetoric than specifics. I wrote down a few clever quotes but most of them are attributed to other authors the author quoted. I imagine there are other more practical, realistic books on this movement out there . . . I hope.

Have you ever questioned whether we're living at a time when our consumerism has exceeded the earth's capacity to sustain us? Or have you wondered whether our industrial production has contributed to a warming earth that might activate tipping points we can't fully imagine and bring about climate change, including potential flooding, freezing, famine, and species extinction ... maybe our own?! If so, give a sigh of relief. Yes, there's something each individual, no matter how "small", can do to awaken fully to what is happening and what we can do to make a change now, right where we are, to a simpler, saner, sustainable life style, culture, and planet. With elegant competence, Duane Elgin shows us the way with this completely rewritten second edition of his classic, Voluntary Simplicity.

I felt inspired from Edgar Mitchell's uplifting introduction through the 1981 forward written by Ram Das, which explores in detail the needed integration of "West" and "East" (outer and inner), through the introduction, "How the Times Have Changed", where Elgin clarifies six dramatic changes of perspective and values, which create enormous hope for our future. In Chapter One, "Cool Lifestyle for a Hot Planet" through seven chapters concluding with "Living in a Green World", we are guided and awakened to our potential to live conscious, fulfilling lives now that will also secure our future for generations to come. Voluntary Simplicity is short (200 pages), insightful, loaded with resources and highly readable.

I particularly liked the "Pioneers of Green Living", where Elgin reports on the articulate responses gleaned from a 1970's survey of people of all ages and backgrounds who chose a simple lifestyle. Their insights are just as alive today as they were thirty years ago and now even more relevant.

Another favorite for me was "The World at the Tipping Point" where Elgin reviews the key "Global Adversity Trends", as well as two possible scenarios that might play out if there is a breakdown. He also defines the strategies people may use to psychologically protect themselves from the impact of these trends combining to deliver a possible Perfect Storm.

There's lots of hope though. Elgin shows our potential as he reviews humanity's evolutionary journey to awakening. This is a very positive and enlightening section of the book. He shares with us inspiring archetypes for understanding our journey and leaves us with a feeling that we can make the needed changes and together create a sustainable, simple, fulfilling future if we can just align our vision together as we transform our global communications network.

I remember when Buckmeister Fuller introduced me to the metaphor of "Space Ship Earth". With this simple image, I began to see myself on a journey through space with a planet of other crew members and the resources we needed for our flight. With earth seen as a spaceship, efficient use of resources made obvious sense. Fighting across the isles didn't. I began to ask questions: has our on board industrial production contributed to a fowling of the ventilation system? Are we running out of fuel, out of water? Is there a good manual on board?

Voluntary Simplicity is Chapter One in the kind of manual I'd want to have. Elgin lets us know that there is something we can do to become aware of what is happening on Space Ship Earth and how we can change in time to meet the challenge of a world facing an inevitable systems crisis.

Once you've completed Voluntary Simplicity, you'll want to fill out the picture with Elgin's magnum opus, Awakening Earth, and his latest book, The Living Universe. With these works under your belt, you'll have everything you need to know where we are, who we are, and where we're going.

This book does discuss exactly what it the title says, but for me, the emphasis was too much on the philosophy behind simplicity and less on how to accomplish it. That said, if you are looking to bolster up your logic for becoming more simplistic, this could be the book for you. It is well written...but not super practical.

A welcome new edition of Duane Elgin's classic, first published in 1981. This book opened the public debate about simpler living and the joys of enough. We are proud that Duane Elgin is on our Advisory Board at Ethical Markets.

I read the original edition last month. Here's what I had to say:

"It was published in 1981, written in the years just prior to that. So it's three decades old. And in many ways, it shows its age. On the other hand, much of what the author points out, much of what he proposes, still stands today.

At the time, it would have been regarded as a counter-culture polemic. Something from the tree-hugging, granola-eating, hippy-dippy bunch. Something to make the mainstream roll its eyes."

As I was curious just how Mr. Elgin would see things today, I purchased the book. And it was worth every penny.

Mr. Elgin does a solid job of updating the material; more than half of it is new. Gone is some of the fat (I still don't think the survey results warrant so much space), and what's been added is great stuff. Clearly, judicious thinking went into the editing of material.

His message hasn't changed, but obviously, its tenor has, given the situation we now find ourselves in. I won't belabour the point: this book deserves to be read and given due consideration.

If I had to sum it up in one broad notion, I would refer to my constant reference in discussions addressing just about everything in modern life from our obesity pandemic, fitness, finance, education, all the way to personal contentedness and living a purposeful life: effecting a change in societal value systems. The magnitude of this endeavour always makes my head spin, but Duane Elgin presents a convincing case for how we can all contribute to the eventual successful paradigm shift...and why it's imperative that we do.

Uncharacteristically, I'll end with an excerpt:

"We tend to think that we are powerless, helpless, impotent. Yet the reality is that only we - as individuals working in cooperation with each other- have the power to transform our situation. Far from being helpless, we are the only source from which the necessary creativity, compassion and action can arise. The outcome of this time of planetary transition will depend on the choices we make as individuals. Nothing is lacking. Nothing more is needed than what we already have. We require no remarkable, undiscovered technologies. We do not need heroic, larger-than-life leadership. The only requirement is that we, as individuals, choose a revitalizing future and then work in community with others to bring it to fruition. By our conscious choices we can move from alienation to community, from despair to creativity, from passivity to participation, from stagnation to learning, from cynicism to caring."

Personal rating: 9/10

this is a book everyone should read. the author does not preach that everyone must live a life of voluntary simplicity. he just gives the facts and other opinions and many reasons why any level of simplicity can benefit your self, your family and the world. i try to consciously practice a more simple lifestyle than i ever had before. this book has prompted me to take it to the next level. to me its more about the peace of mind that comes with living simply.i would love to make a gift of this book to everyone i care about.

I purchased this book to learn some tips for how so slow down and simplify my life. It makes some good points and is an interesting read.

Well I was hoping for a lot of practical suggestions on simplifying my life, and instead the book is very much more philosophical. In its way it's not bad, but certainly not what I was expecting.

At location 1264 (Kindle Edition) the author makes a huge mistake - a very irritating mistake - when he states: "I do not intend to ignore a majority of the human family that lives in involuntary material simplicity-poverty. Rather, I acknowledge that much of the SOLUTION (emphasis mine) to that poverty lies in the voluntary actions ...".

That statement is obviously not true. It is an inditement of the authors maturity and world knowledge that brings to mind the old joke:
Mother - "Eat your vegetables Johnny. There are people starving in India."
4 year old Johnny - "Lets just mail my vegetables to India."

How many consumer items would you need to NOT purchase so that someone in India could be richer? It makes no sense. Its the same as the water conservationist that insists that because I have a low flow toilet that same Indian can have adequate water. The person (like me) that strives to live simply needs to understand that my low flow toilet is valuable to me (and perhaps the planet) because I need to pump less water. My Indian brethren will certainly not have more water because of it. In the same way, when I forgo a purchase (i.e. of a Tata automobile), I am shrinking (or localizing) the world economy and the poverty of the average Indian will unfortunately be increased, not reduced.

Naive (read stupid) statements like the one the author made harms the simplicity movement by implying that everyone trying to simplify lacks any understanding of economics.

I found myself Laughing Out Loud while the magical and/or infantile thinking just kept coming:

Television could be a great source of information and social control if the author controlled all programming. Would we call him "Dear Leader"?
The Universe (yes ... stars, and deep space) is alive and intelligent.
At one point he correctly points out that the earth has reached its carrying capacity. His solution? We should all live in communes ... er "ecovillages".
I learned a lot, for example, I just did not realize that, "the human family is divided between rich and poor; ... men and women; ... humans and other species; ...". I assume he meant Sarah Palin.
If Americans stop feeding our pets, eating ice cream and wearing deodorant we could eliminate world hunger. I assume people in third world countries would eat the pet food and cream. "I put cream on my kibbles. Very Good"

OK ... OK I'm having way too much fun. I gave him three stars because he is dead on where he does not over-reach.