When I view minimalist art, I do not appraise it and
declare, “That’s not minimalism. It’s
not doing without.” In fact, the idea
that minimalism is about focusing on that which we relinquish or don’t have is
an entirely distorted perspective on simplicity. Minimalist art does without nothing. It is akin to the old wood carver, who was
asked how he decided what to carve out of his length of raw wood. His reply was simple. “I merely look at the wood, and see what is
in there. Then I just get rid of the
stuff that doesn’t belong.”
I have heard this analogy before, in various settings. Minimalism focuses on finding what should be
there, and nothing more, whether it involves interior design, business operations
or lifestyles. I regularly read blogs
and articles by those who espouse minimalism, simple living, voluntary
simplicity and frugal living. Many of
those writers espouse getting rid of stuff, and living with less. This seems intuitive, since minimal implies
living with the minimum of something. I, too, consider myself to be a
minimalist. I have relatively few
household possessions, keep my wardrobe to the most basic, have forfeited our
second vehicle, shop for bargains, employ those assets that can do double duty,
and so on. These all are tenets of
voluntary simplicity, as it is commonly accepted. Yet, I also indulge myself.
Minimal art does the same.
Minimalist art decries the clutter of unnecessary elements, and, in
turn, highlights the focus, and the most significant facets of the work. In my book, The Last Drop Of Living: A
Minimalist’s Guide To Living The High Life On A Low Budget, I draw the
comparison between minimal living and displays in an art gallery or
museum. The focal piece on the gallery
is not hidden by an assortment of frivolous support pieces. Instead, it likely will be found on a
pedestal apart from other pieces, or on a naked wall, featuring only that
artwork. It is the most critical
component, the only element that matters.
It is not diminished by being alone.
Rather, it is enhanced.
Minimalism should allow us to find the most important things in our life,
and focus upon them.
With that in mind, I built my personal strategy for “going
minimal.” It involved a very basic
process: decide what is important to me, and what is unimportant. Next, I opted to relinquish those things and ideas that may have value,
but that were less vital than others.
Both my wife and I chose to focus on our leisure as vital to our
enjoyment. Essential to those
recreational priorities was the idea of cruising.
Today, I write this blog on board the @Norwegian Pearl, as we
leave the Grand Stirrup Cay for our next Caribbean destination. How is such a lavish holiday
“minimalist?” Simple. In exchange for giving up frequent dinner-out
evenings, a second vehicle, extra home furnishings, a big house, etc., we are
able to apply some of our surplus resources to a great holiday. It is the second of four cruises we will have
taken within the year.
But sacrificing in one area of living and then splurging in
another is like saying, “Well, I stuck to my ‘no smoking’ pledge for six
months, so now I’m going to celebrate by having a huge cigar, or overeating for
the next six months.”
As a dedicated minimalist, I need to show restraint in the area of my holidays, as
well, if I wish to avoid my own internal dissonance. So, I cruise minimally, as well. Websites like @www.vacationstogo.com (+mmilheim@vacationstogo.com), @www.cruisedirect.com, individual
cruise line websites (like +www.ncl.com (@NorwegianCruiseLine@email.ncl.com)) and several other discount providers offer discounts that
may be as much as 80% off the brochure price.
By screening carefully, one can boast of significant savings, and demonstrations
of frugality. By purchasing in a 90 day
window prior to sailing, prices may drop further. By booking inside staterooms, you are able to
obtain rock-bottom prices (inside staterooms, after all, are only used for
eight hours each night, while the rest of our time is spent on shore or on
deck.).
When I factor in the cost of food, entertainment and supplies,
plus the cost of accommodations, I discover that each day on a cruise costs
less than the cost of a budget motel room each night!
Ask the more rigid advocates of minimalism whether we truly
can be considered to be living a life of voluntary simplicity and you will
receive a resounding “No.” That’s fair
enough. They see the world differently
than I do. But tell me, would you rather
live in a cardboard box, eat scraps and proclaim yourself a minimalist, or
would you prefer to get the most out of each moment at the best price while
being ostracized by the self-professed puritans? Live minimally. Cruise to your heart’s content!
