This may seem strange to people who have followed my blog. I am a big fan of minimalism, so why would I advise people not to become minimalists?
The answer is simple. Minimalism is a great tool, but a poor identity. A minimalist is simply a person with few things. Not much to get excited about, not much substance.
Flourishing should be the goal, not minimalism. Minimalism is a tool to help eliminate the obstacles to flourishing, but minimalism is not the goal. Confusing the tool with the destination is not wise.
Furthermore, becoming identified with a tool will result in being measured by the tool. For example, some people will claim because I have over 30 books that I am not a minimalist. But since I never claimed to be a minimalist, the criticism is hollow.
My goal is not to have fewer things, my goal is to make sure things support my personal flourishing rather than hinder it.
We own things, but we need to make sure that things don’t own us. Nonattachment is the key, and that has more to do with what’s inside the mind than the number of things on our kitchen counter.
But don’t confuse what I am saying. I think minimalism is a very important tool in breaking free from the chains of consumerism. Yes, we should practice minimalism, but no we should not call ourselves minimalists.