Yes, I guess I do live a life of little or no material possessions. But why?

Because I don’t need much. Most of what I own is related to the services I want to offer, and I want to offer those services with such low overheads (costs) that I do not have to make other people fund my service or my ambitions or my things. I want to own only enough or have just (righteous) access to sufficient so that I am not a burden to others.

Other considerations: To own is to carry responsibility. To own therefore is also to be owned, and that is not often considered by the ego. A car, once paid for, demands fuel, registration, repairs, regular maintenance, insurances (plural), replacement … and it is a similar story with a house, jewellery, artwork refrigerators, TVs, PCs, gadgets – don’t you get tired of updating and upgrading gadgets?

I know what craving is, and once I realised that (though belatedly) I found it much smarter and more fulfilling to learn how not to crave rather than to satisfy craving via consumerism. One learns how not to crave only by a certain kind of honesty about the self and the transactions that lead to the obligations of ownership. Simple prohibitions only intensify craving and make one vulnerable to price hikes. Prices are often set according to perceived desire, lust, craving of the thing on sale… market demand.

I also think that simplicity is more beautiful than clutter, and simplicity is not as expensive, nevertheless, if simply cost something, I would pay that cost… and in a way it does cost something. Simplicity means I can own more of my life and that means I gain personal sovereignty over time and decisions and that is very important to me … it is called freedom. It is not just a matter of thrift (budgeting and skimping) it is a matter of personal fulfilment. If I can be fulfilled within simplicity, and I am, why would I buy into the obligations that are always associated with complexity, clutter and ownership?

One cannot buy contentment, it is an inner state, achieved through release from craving, ambition and obligation from all things except to love provided one can find how that is done – to love. It can’t be done from things as source. The obligation to love is an irresistible inner imperative and in that sense, it is not an objective obligation; it is consistency with the loving self. In any case, that has nothing to do with things.

Craving for things is to be owned by things, to serve them and their replacement… that means it is planning for the loss of personal sovereignty into the future.

Basically, I honestly think that whoever thinks they own stuff is to a great extent owned by that stuff. Do you ever wonder why some people choose to take vows of poverty as a lifestyle? There must be something in it! I think it is worth investigating.

I offer this text from Matthew’s Gospel, not as a moralism, but as an indication of an alternative way to look at things, investment, and existence. Some consider the speaker to be tough on the material aspects of life, but I think he is just putting things in the best and most functional order for human wellbeing in all its aspects:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt.6:19ff)

Versuade Pakistan – Fareeha Robert