description of a simple life

[jennypenny]

Here is part of a post from another forum I read. I liked the description of a simple, ERE-type of existence. It got me wondering why the word "simple" has taken on a negative connotation. Maybe because people think simple means "easy"?
Z. was tall and lean, with a round polished head and a fondness for a good, simple life. His pleasures were those of earthy, free people: he liked good food, strong drink, stinky grass, pretty girls and old friends. He had little use for television, except to watch an occasional film or sporting event, and much preferred to spend his free time among the people of his life, whether sitting in our run-down neighborhood pub, playing bocce or soccer in a park, or joining someone at their home for supper, chess, and a movie. Z's wisdom was that of a man who had lived as he liked, by whatever means he needed, and by giving up those things which prevented him from doing so. He was the embodiment of the old hymn that "Tis a Gift to be simple, tis a Gift to be free." He had very little: his books, his friends, a walkup flat, a dim little pub, a home village of farmers and farmer's sons. He had exactly enough to be happy and free and serene. His advice was always the same: to be simple was to be free and to be free was to be happy. And he was right.
Z. had no car payment, no mortgage, no debts beyond his monthly tab at the Secondhand Speakeasy. He was perfectly happy to walk all over the city on a sunny day, miles in each direction, to reach a museum or park or favorite restaurant. On a rainy or cold day, a ride on the tram was an excuse to rubberneck and relax for a bit while playing the eternal Prague game known as Spot The Pickpocket. He spoke three languages (Czech, English, Russian), and had worked all over Europe at varying levels of legality, just to see what lay over the horizon.

(empasis mine)
The full post is here: but note that it's a prepper/libertarian/SHTF forum, so skip it if that's not your thing.

[My_Brain_Gets_Itchy]

I think it's because people thing simple is less.

Less for them really is less.
Rather for the minimalist, less for them really is more.
Simple to me is like a Stereogram.
The illusion that more is more hides the real image of simple.
But once you train your eyes, it becomes easier to see.

[chenda]

This really is a lovely post Jennypenny a really sums up what we should strive for. I mean, why to we spend out life's worrying about petty trivial problems ?? Like today, I was at work worrying about sales targets. I mean, it's f*cking sales targets. Who should really give a sh*t??? Its not like i'm performing heart surgery.
Been in a pub with a friend and a glass of wine, listening to christmas classics really brings things into perspective, life is too short to fret about bullshit....simple stuff is the important stuff.
Anyway, speaking of Christmas I hope everyone on this forum has a fantastic one, your all awesome and I love you all :):):)

[Chad]

The majority of the time I encounter "the simple life" from others it's as what they consider a positive not a negative. They seem to use it interchangeably with "average man." They seem to mean that they don't want to stand out or be better than others. The term "better" usually seems aimed at intelligence.
I must admit I always thought of it as a negative term. For me it didn't mean identifying what matters, but labeling simple person or one that has no depth. I always wondered why people just wanted to be simple or average.
Obviously, that is not what that quote is saying.