The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines
B13
VALeDICTIOn
Minimalism: No Small Matter
u Sa p u b p H OTO S • al exand r a l ibar
A minimalist’s revolution for the Earth’s salvation
b y H a nn aH JH an yl l e C. Po
It takes moxie to chase after the ten-digit lifestyle but an even greater resolve to wonder, do all the Lamborghinis in the world truly matter?
infOgra pHiC S • JO SH ua paTriC K C. SanTi lla n
With a head shake, Agdon trailed her fingers across the green canvas, Philodendrons shadowing the gentle brush. “What is at the forefront of people’s minds?” she thought again. To begin with, a college degree and profession, medals and trophies, financial security, and a sense of influence. Humankind, despite its pride in its cognitive abilities, uniqueness, and independence, seems to possess dreams centered around superfluous greens and golds through muddled perceptions of achievement, happiness, and peace of mind. Perhaps in that hubbub, we may forget that things much more valuable need to be decluttered.
MInIMaLISM THRoUGH THe aGeS The emergence of barter among Mesopotamians, late Ming dynasty, Renaissance period, Industrial Revolution, and contemporary era - for centuries, society has built itself upon foundations of consumerism, though the term itself was only properly defined in the 1960’s. Not that the desire for some physical gratification is invalid as, under its banner, society saw higher productivity, market expansion, and technological advancements propelled by competition. Its flip side, though, is exhausting natural resources to satisfy humanity’s
perpetual thirst. Conversely, minimalism sculpts a much different figure. Originally an art and design movement in the 1960’s, the concept has resurfaced into the public consciousness as a simplistic and utilitarian lifestyle through successes of Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things, and online challenges like Project 333 and the 100 Things Challenge. “Minimalism, at least the basics of it, has not changed. Whether you’re talking about one’s way of life like zen philosophy, being thrifty, or simply aesthetics, it all comes back to keeping things simple, not wasteful,” noted Marionne Ysabel D. Agdon in an online interview with the Augustinian. She is a connoisseur of life’s simpler pleasures and advocates for the mainstreaming of responsible consumption among individuals, groups, and systems. Bernie Karganilla, a sociologist from the University of the Philippines Manila, subscribed to a similar idea, referring to minimalism as “voluntary simplicity” borne out of a personal decision to only purchase necessary items or a consciousness that space is finite. “Pinili mo na maging simple lang ‘yong pamumuhay mo [You chose a simple lifestyle],” she remarked, in an interview with GMA Network. Such was also supported by a 2020 study by Kasey Lloyd and William Pennington on minimalism’s psychological implications, which reasoned that the internal and external being often reflect each other, like how a messy, chaotic room results in a similar state of mind. In short, most people get into the lifestyle with a desire to
clear the mind or save money. a LITTeR-BURdened WoRLd According to a 2015 study by Diana Ivanova, Konstantin Stadler, Kjartan Steen Olsen, Richard Wood, Gibran Vita, Arnold Tukker, and Edgar Hertwich, consumerism accounts for more than 60 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, with wealthier countries having more per capita impact. For instance, packaging, one aspect of consumerism and an add-on to almost every purchase, piles up landfills (and even the ocean floor) with plastic massproduced in places like China and India, then transported around the globe. Within these packages may be basic needs or the next “fast fashion” bandwagon, which contributes to the 80 billion pieces of clothing consumed each year, 85 percent of which end up in landfills. It should also be noted that the fashion industry coughs up to approximately 10 percent of global carbon emissions, comparable to the 10.2 and six percent carbon footprint of residential fuel and electricity and oil and gas production, respectively. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) further reports that the industry is the secondlargest water consumer in the world and produces nearly 20 percent of its wastewater, with textile dyeing largely being at fault. The wastage of clothing also pervades the Philippine landscape, with 29 percent of Filipino respondents in a 2017 YouGov survey discarding clothes (including underwear) used only once. Moreover, at least 42 percent of those belonging to the 16 to 34-year-old bracket have bought at least half of their wardrobe for the past year. Such can be attributed to the local culture of making compulsive purchases whenever a sale or discount in
malls is in the equation. “Making and buying new clothes make a lot of waste, and that is not counting the bag that comes with every few items you buy. As a child, I was raised to save money, which helped me become a minimalist. For one, I prefer reusable things and don’t buy new clothes. Instead, I wear clothes that no longer fit my sister. I mean, why waste things when there are other options available,” shared Agdon. As the majority, not just Filipinos, see objects as a sign of social status or a way to induce happiness, more and more products with planned obsolescence are bought, adding to pollution, environmental degradation, and increased climate change, among other issues. “Floods, forest fire, extinction, pollution, overconsumption – in our quest for [financial] freedom, we become trapped under the materials that made us free, if you could call it that,” Agdon asserted, pensive. Adding to this, Rick Hanson, a psychologist focused on personal well-being, in an interview for the film, Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things, voiced, “I think we’re confused
about what’s going to make us happy. Many people think the material possessions are really at the center of the bull’s eye, and they expect that gratifying each desire as it arises will somehow summate into a satisfying life.” ToWaRdS THe aGe oF deCLUTTeRInG The truth of it is, each human being has the freedom and capacity to choose an answer and subsequent reaction. We could blame businesses or governments for the lack of action towards environmental protection, but then, we ignore that market demand and citizen action have an immense impact on market supply and program implementation. Instead, we should act. Said action could be something simple like using eco-bags and metal straws instead of their plastic counterparts or buying fewer new objects unless necessary to save money. It could be sharing impertinent information on social media and joining advocacy groups. It could also be a lifetime commitment to the minimalistic lifestyle and philosophy. Through minimalism, we may distance from past destructive ways and embrace a more conscientious life. As Agdon puts it, “advocating for and practicing responsible consumption to achieve a zero-waste Earth.” “The Earth is our home, and we are all dependent on it for food, water, air, and materials we need to live. Now, it is sending a message that it is suffering because of us. We just don’t acknowledge it. That said, it could be difficult for some people to transition as we’re too used to wanting and having more. But it is feasible, with the right mindset,” she expressed. With every decision to heed the planet’s cry, we make ripples that reshape its future. In this sense, ultimately, every positive action is no small matter.
