Simplicity, Simplicity, Simplicity!

That is the cry of my new anti-consumerism hero, Henry David Thoreau, in probably his most famous work- Walden. I still hold a soft spot for Tyler Durden as well, but compared to Thoreau he is a little off-the-wall.

If you haven’t read Walden, I recommend changing that ASAP. It’s a tedious read at times (especially if you aren’t 100% awake), but well worth it. The funny (and disappointing) thing is that one of Thoreau’s key messages- shunning a life of needless consumption and luxury, and instead living simply, is much more relevant today than it was in the mid-1850s. If HDK can see how materialistic society has become, I for one do not want to know what he has to say about it…

Especially on Black Friday, the unofficial holiday where we celebrate by rushing to the store in the middle of the night to buy more crap we don’t need and often can’t afford. It reminds me of a commercialized version of trick-or-treating, except that the goody-seekers have to wait in obscenely long lines and sometimes trample each other in pursuit of whatever the hottest must-have item is. Also, these treats don’t come for free, although with a handy-dandy credit card you can avoid worrying about that fact for the time-being.

Thoreau would most definitely be blown away by it all. Here’s a small taste of the philosophy in Walden:

“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.”

Interesting. Was this guy really an American? We must not have invented the materialist-driven American Dream yet, which basically says that acquiring more prizes is in fact the surefire route to a good life.

“No man ever stood lower in my estimation for having a patch in his clothes; yet I am sure that there is greater anxiety, commonly, to have fashionable, or at least clean and unpatched clothes, than to have a sound conscience.”

Boy would Thoreau be confused by the paradox of fashionable jeans today. Wearing old jeans that have been remedied by a patch? Preposterous! Buying $75 Abercrombie jeans that were made with holes in them? Now that’s more like it!

Heading into the heart of the holiday season, we should keep Thoreau’s message of simplicity in mind. That’s not to say we need to do as he did; drop everything, venture deep in the woods, and live primarily off of homegrown beans, but instead to question and reconsider the materialistic, unnecessarily complicated world in which we live. Simplicity doesn’t mean deprivation- it means ignoring and getting rid of the burdensome to concentrate on what’s most important.

“Yo, that 60 inch LED HDTV is pretty slick! Just remember though, it’s unlikely to leave you any more fulfilled at the end of the day.”

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Bertrand Russell Financial Advice

Well, I don’t know of any specific financial advice he might have given, but I think we can derive some from one of his more-famous quotes.

Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

I agree 100%. Even the busiest among us sometimes need to completely ignore the to-do list and cut loose on some genuine fun. A laundry-list of productive accomplishments isn’t very appealing if it leaves little or no time to simply enjoy ourselves.

Money is the same way in my mind. When it’s all said and done, what will matter more- a fatter bank account, or a life of memories that occasionally required some more liberal spending?

As someone who is really passionate about personal finance, I have to be careful here. It’s possible to crash and burn (think big spending spree) after too much incessant coupon clipping and general self-deprivation. On the other hand, we could fall into the abyss of frugality, developing an OCD-like addiction to spending as little as possible. If you find yourself eating brown rice seven times a week and never going out on weekends, this could be you.

Save for legitimate times of hardship, we need to loosen the reins once in a while. Whether it’s an $8 jumbo funnel cake, a 10-gallon hat reminiscent of Jim Carey’s, or a Halloween costume for your dog, don’t neglect to invest in some carefree enjoyment from time to time (in moderation of course).

Money you enjoy wasting is not wasted money.

I’m sure Bertrand Russell would agree.