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Why is minimalism desirable?

By adopting a path toward minimalism, one loses in comfort but gains in freedom and peace of mind.

For people who do not have especially favorable material conditions, reconciling the satisfaction of one's basic needs with maintaining a satisfactory way of life is not simple. Reducing one's needs to only what is truly important is therefore a very good way to increase the chances of achieving this.

For people living in material wealth, the danger is getting used to it. In doing so, what was once accessory gradually becomes necessary, meaning on the one hand it no longer really brings pleasure, and on the other hand, it increases anxiety about impermanence. This pervasive anxiety then encourages the adoption of dangerous conspiratorial myths, such as fear of the great replacement, or simply social decline.

Taming Minimalism

A good way to train in minimalism is to practice an activity such as, for example, a multi-day hike. Not only does it have a very appreciable physical effect, but more importantly, it allows one to become aware of the importance of the simplest pleasures, such as eating or admiring a beautiful landscape. And upon returning home, it helps one fully appreciate the extraordinary comfort of something like having access to a hot shower.

The Limits of Minimalism

The goal is not to always go further in terms of minimalism, but to find one's personal comfort point, that is to say, the point below which, despite training, one cannot get used to. This point varies from one individual to another, and also changes over time for the same individual.

Let's take the example of long-distance hiking. The practitioner will progressively lighten their backpack by getting rid of items that, with experience, prove not so essential after all. This is an emancipating approach.
However, once rid of what was not so useful and having reached the point where the weight of the backpack is no longer a problem, there is little reason to go further, especially by adopting items that are just a bit lighter, but very expensive and not very durable. Indeed, this would then fall back into a pursuit that is more about social ambition.

Importance of a Minimalist Approach

Let's take the example of the celibacy of priests in the Catholic Church. It is an issue the Church cannot get out of, simply because it is poorly framed.
By specifying that priests must take a vow of celibacy, rather than promoting a path toward minimizing private relationships to better dedicate oneself to the community, the Church rigidly sets the level to be achieved and, as a result, cannot properly manage those who do not reach it. Hypocrisy from the hierarchy and the community or exclusion; there are no satisfying solutions left.
Conversely, if the Church simply allowed priests to marry, as in the Reformed Church, it would not fully solve the problem by no longer emphasizing the goal of minimalism. Indeed, it is the personal pursuit of minimalism that makes the priest a living example for his community.

Quotes

Concerning the limits of the pursuit of minimalism, in reaction to Epicurean and Stoic philosophies that suggested we can master our physical and passionate self so as never to be dominated by it, Montaigne retorts that this is a noble advice that flatters our highest aspirations. It is also impossible, and therefore counterproductive:
« What good are these lofty points of philosophy on which no human being can rest, and these rules that exceed our use and strength? It is scarcely wise to shape one's obligation according to the reason of another being than oneself. »

Go Deeper

Consult the question 'What is impermanence?'.
Refer to the question 'How to succeed in life', and more specifically the paragraph 'The emotional dimension - Epicurus - taming pleasure'.
More generally, get familiar with Epicureanism, making sure to distinguish the ataraxic approach of the Greek philosopher Epicurus from the aesthetic hedonism often wrongly associated with the word Epicureanism.