Comments on: Meet the Guy Who Owns Only 15 Things (Not Counting Undies or Socks)

By: Sandeshells

Sandeshells — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 23:48:05 +0000

Reminded me of when I used to hitch the country, me and my back pack and Earth shoes. My back pack was bigger and had more things but understand the freedom that it brings… I miss those days. It did get old after awhile and wanted a place to call home. I didn’t see a journal in your items, the one thing I regret was writing down where I went and who I met. Best of luck to you. Sandy

By: SavageBuick

SavageBuick — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 22:44:58 +0000

I see an ipod, headphones and a few other things not listed on the 20 items list.

By: ruthieb

ruthieb — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 12:10:22 +0000

What does he wear when his jeans are being washed?

By: boolfrog

boolfrog — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 01:15:29 +0000

but this guy doesn’t LIVE anywhere…!..he uses other people’s things…pots and pans..etc etc…

By: tabaleao

tabaleao — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 20:07:22 +0000

He doesn’t own higiene products? stuff to cook?. not buying.
and always wearing the same clothes he must smell really well :S

By: shanky0o

shanky0o — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 19:44:58 +0000

Wait, why do you need to show off the brands on all the stuff.

Pardon me, for I’m not a US resident and hence unfamiliar with most of these names. Do they all provide affordable, long lasting and ecological products? Or is this just promoting another form of consumerism.

By: Imiel Visser

Imiel Visser — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 17:38:31 +0000

So what happens when his washing takes two days?

By: 216stitches

216stitches — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 17:30:13 +0000

Yelling “inspired!” as I run to closet.

By: European

European — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:29:55 +0000

I definitely have got the same tendency in me, wishing to reduce stuff to a minimum. It hits me when I get desperate about the immense time loss of having to sort it all the time. Usually, I then end up getting rid of many clothes, but they do tend to creep back in, which can be invigorating, though. Giving away books is a different matter. I expected a liberation from giving them away in stacks, but what followed? Empty shelves for quite a while… Lol…

By: Everpresence

Everpresence — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 01:07:47 +0000

@ Tillietoo2: Merely being a ‘senior lady’ is not necessarily reason enough to prevent one from living extremely simply, if that happens to be the way of one’s sweetest way of one’s heart-guidance. Peace Pilgrim began walking across country when she was (in her 60′s? 70′s?), and all she carried was a few items in the pocket of her sweatshirt. She didn’t bother using money; she lived on a very substantial faith. She was known to say, “You can’t give me anything I don’t need.” She said, “I walk until given shelter, I fast until offered food.” All of our logic- and fear-tinged excuses are overcome by the experience of the inner divine awakening. [Google search: Peace Pilgrim]
@ y2k_mad_hatter: Again, to paraphrase Einstein, ‘Great and free spirits have always met with vehement opposition from those of sheeple and slave mindset.’ Those who still live by a degree of slavish unconsciousness cannot stand to gaze upon nor tolerate those who live free of the mess of fears that rule the general herd. Why does the enslaved ego feel a need to pull down those whose consciousness has attained to life by higher laws? Why denigrate them…when you have the option to laud them, and thereby to uplift and liberate your own consciousness.

By: Tillietoo2

Tillietoo2 — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:16:06 +0000

Good for him, but I being a senior lady would not be able to even close this. Possibly a person of talent in this field to help me pare down to less . I ahve a one bedroom sr. apt, small & a full storage with the rest of my things. I will not throw away my lifes memories that help me remember ths happier times !!!!

By: msmax

msmax — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:45:58 +0000

What an inspiration!

By: y2k_mad_hatter

y2k_mad_hatter — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:43:17 +0000

Everpresence, there would be no hotels or people’s couches to crash on if we all adopt this philosopy. It will be back to the caves / tress for us and we will be killing each other and animals to survive again. The choice is civilisation or roaming nomadic populations. He is just freeloading kindly.

By: Everpresence

Everpresence — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:28:07 +0000

It’s always been the same, throughout history—those who jettison the false, the superflous, the destructive aspects from their lives… are thenceforth ostracized, vilified, and often crucified by the teeming herds who rely upon their allegedly sophisticated yet vapid superficial social identities, material acquisitions, snide commentaries, and collection of unconscious conditioned insipid conformist “values.” Give the man an A+ for having set his sights on a lifestyle that doesn’t whole-heartedly co-operate with or contribute to the mindless headlong rush toward global destruction.

By: kiltswagger

kiltswagger — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:18:09 +0000

I like the premise but need more info. Where does he sleep? Eat? Launder his few clothes? Does he have income? From what source? I’d love to simplify but I’m no Mother Theresa (she owned 2 outfits and her Bible.)

By: sdunlop

sdunlop — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:57:42 +0000

I’ve currently cycling around Asia with 20 kilos plus a bike. That’s my accomodation, transport, food, bicycle repair kit, clothes, camera and laptop. every item I own is essential and I have a lot more than 15 to be independent. If I had any less items it wouldn’t be more sustainable, I’d just be putting the ecological cost of cooking into someone else’s carbon footprint and if I wasn’t cooking my own food I wouldn’t be able to get fresh ingredients with no packaging. Theres no need to have only 15 items so long as you only have what you need.

By: y2k_mad_hatter

y2k_mad_hatter — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:59:50 +0000

The point I (and others are making) is that it is possible to minimise what we own but not all go back to owning only 15 or less items. If we did that, society as we know it would cease to function as we require all different specialist trades operational for society to work. Otherwise it’s back to the cave, killing each other to survive and a much less civilised approarch to day to day living. The guy should be writing about Spring Cleaning if he wants us to do anything useful, and ways in which you can achieve this in the average household. We can’t all suddenly become nomadic bloggers. *another 5 cents* flip

By: Abirgulal

Abirgulal — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:41:25 +0000

Its way more than 15- esp. with his lifestyle, take a good look. If you see the pilgrims like the vaarkari’s or the quaali singers outside Salim Chisti’s dargah’ all they have is whats on their body. They are artists, craftsmen, farmers, cobblers what haveyou (- either by choice or of course by circumstance.) No insurance or state security either. Thats minimalist, try that A.H.

By: Liz

Liz — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:20:44 +0000

Oh sure. Easy to do when you’re basically a kid. My 25 year old brother in law does the same. It’s called living on other people’s couches. Not what you’d call a lifestyle you can continue forever and really accomplish much other than travel.

By: indianaflint

indianaflint — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:07:13 +0000

minimalism is grand but i’d at least want a blanket to sleep under [or to wrap around my legs while washing that one pair of jeans]

By: fearlessadvisor

fearlessadvisor — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:33:43 +0000

As a long term practitioner of Yoga, I can tell you that it’s not the number of your possessions, but your attachment to them that brings suffering.

Ralph
http://mayallbehappy.org

By: cinderellen

cinderellen — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:24:56 +0000

I think it makes a good point, and you do not have to downsize so drastically to see it. I shed more than half of my possessions last year to move cross country and although it was hard to let go of each thing I have to agree it is liberating. I find myself thinking twice about acquiring anything new (except books, of course!).

Obviously this young man is not self supporting – no household equipment or even backpacking basics.

By: cchase

cchase — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:36:59 +0000

FYI if you “like” this it will show a picture of a woman in her bra on your facebook page.

I agree with the other comments-it’s cool to minimize, but after traveling around the globe this man is going to need more than 15 items to live life. You can minimize and streamline your life without becoming a vagabond.

By: Codexborgia

Codexborgia — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:41:47 +0000

Why so many negative, sarcastic comments? Reading the article, he’s not wagging his finger at at the rest of us consumers. He is simply making a statement that it is possible to do with less (much less). Something to think about. Thinking out of the norm to live more ecologically conscious.. Isn’t that one of the reasons you signed up for an alternative news blog in the first place?

By: debunker

debunker — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:37:05 +0000

Well… he owns fifteen things now. A good journalist would follow this guy for a while until he reveals that he actually starts accumulating possessions like everyone else with means.