Against accumulation: lifestyle minimalism, de-growth and the present post-ecological condition

Abstract

The post-2008 financial crisis era has seen an upsurge in popular cultural narratives that implicitly challenge principles of economic productivity, consumption and growth by lamenting a so-called 'world of too much,' advocating ethics of minimalism, and renouncing everyday busyness. Narratives range from lifestyle advice on simplicity and de-cluttering private homes, to quests for the reduction of individual labor, communication, social contacts and distraction. This article questions these narratives in terms of eco-politics. Using Kate Soper's concept of 'alternative hedonism,' the article analyzes a selection of five self-help books and one blog that promote lifestyle minimalism in order to interrogate their potential in stimulating de-growth eco-politics through popular culture. Drawing on post-ecological theory, it argues that narratives of lifestyle minimalism are paradoxical in that they resist yet at the same time promote capitalist cultures of growth. To overcome this limitation, it is crucial to understand and transform the narrative premises of lifestyle minimalism in ways that contextualize problems of 'excess,' 'clutter' and 'a world of too much' as intrinsic to the current system of capital accumulation. The article concludes by reflecting on the potential of an eco-movement that joins the alternative culture of minimalist hedonism with the eco-political agenda of de-growth.

The financialization of anti-capitalism? The case of the ‘Financial Independence Retire Early’ community

“…(Witkowski 2010, p. 249) Practices of 'culture jamming,' led by pioneers such as Adbusters, seek to expose the lies and manipulations of marketing, in the name of individual autonomy. Reduced consumption or 'lifestyle minimalism' become a source of identity and a life project, though one that sits comfortably in a neoliberal culture of enterprise and responsibility (Meissner 2019). Ethical consumption seeks to account for the negative externalities of capitalism and to channel the power of consumer activism towards different modes of production.…”

Small Houses, Big Community: Tiny Housers’ Desire for More Cohesive and Collaborative Communities

“…They differ, however, on the role they impart on environmental sustainability. While being a core theme for voluntary simplicity, saving the planet and reducing one's ecological footprint are only secondary concerns in minimalism (Meissner 2019). Despite these more "individualistic" life prescriptions, many adhering to these lifestyle movements entertain, however weak, views of community.…”

Kohti kestävää kuluttamista: Materiaalitaju kuluttajien ja materiaalien aktiivisen suhteen hahmottajana

“…2016). Toisaalta kotitalouksien arjessa on korostunut myös halu vähentää muovituotteiden käyttöä henkilökohtaisissa arjen valinnoissa osana minimalistista kuluttamisen eetosta (Meissner 2019). Viimeaikainen keskustelu muovin ympäristövaikutuksista sekä yhteiskunnalliset toimet muovijätteen vähentämiseksi (mm.…”