Great video. I think a lot of people miss the core point of what makes Marie Kondo's method so valuable, she stresses focusing on what you want to keep instead what you want to get rid of, and being grateful and mindful of every object you have in your life. It's not actually about folding your clothes and arranging things neatly, but the care it represents.
I have started folding all my clothes with care, according to the advice from the book, and my purchase of clothes has gone way down. Simply appreciating my clothing drives down my need to consume it. While I've been purchasing second hand for a while now, folding mindfully has helped me cut back on the amount I have
I think that the minimalism trend has been on the rise for a while now: I've been watching a lot of youtube videos over the last year or so, anyway. But the reason her way is so appealing, is because she doesn't advocate to just get rid of everything and live on the bare minimum. Learning what things you want to take with you into the future is an important part of her process... I feel like it really is about being more discerning about what you do and don't want, and not just about creating a space that looks a certain way.
I agree. One minor criticism I have is this video is that it is equating Kondo with minimalism. If you actually read her books and watch the show, she never applies goals to her clients. From my perspective, several of the people on the show also ended their episode with more clutter than I'd be comfortable with (and I have a lot of stuff).
Yes I like Marie Kondo because she is clear that the goal is to make it easier to live a happy life, and that your house doesn't have to be perfect but it just needs to have space available for happiness to dance freely.
I love her way of doing things! It's such a useful way of looking at your stuff and thinking about what I actually want. I love my book collection and couldn't stand to throw any out, but applying her method to clothes is really useful. I went through a phase four years ago where I would not wear jeans and I now have a million pairs of khakis. Plus throughout my life, my granny has brought me stuff from charity shops and clothing that she didn't want. It's so useful to go through everything and ask do I ever wear this, is it important to me, "does it spark joy?" If I never wear it but my granda bought it for me before he died, I keep it because it reminds me of him. This video didn't seem to actually address the actual kondo method of asking these questions before throwing it out.
I think there are a lot of facets to this conversation, about the KonMari method, traditional minimalism, and consumerist culture. I think an important part, is that the people who are the more extreme minimalist rarely talk about doing it just for the aesthetic, but because it's more eco friendly, and cuts down on wasteful spending. I think that for a lot of those people, it's more of a lifestyle choice (a lot of them are also vegan): and it's interesting to me that it's not accessible to everyone. I've read a lot of comments about people saying that they couldn't afford to get rid of everything, because if something broke, they wouldn't necessarily be able to replace it. Clothing brands that are ethical are also really expensive, and can be hard to find, etc. And in that way, consumerist culture takes less energy, and a lot of people need that. A lot of people don't have time to wash their capsule wardrobe every two days, or to research which brands are ethical. It's easy to have the cash on hand for the things that will serve the purpose... but aren't ideal. Not to mention the ads constantly in our faces- about perfumes, about furniture, about clothes. Not only promising a better life (we know that buying that makeup won't make us models with a yacht, but there's a reason that image is being paired with that product) but that good feeling of having bought something we want. The escapism of shopping. It's all made very, very attractive. And in my mind, in the middle is the KonMari method. Reducing the amount of things that you have, so you can give them a little more of the attention they deserve. Paying attention to what you want and don't want, so the next time you see an ad that looks really nice, you can remember that you don't actually like it in real life (and in that way, cutting down on wasteful spending and support to brands that sell bad products- even if they do have a good marketing team.) But also still giving yourself the freedom to try new things that you won't necessarily love, and permission to let it go if that turns out to be the case. And allowing yourself to maintain a comfortable lifestyle- I keep some clothes that aren't my favorite, because not having to do laundry every couple of days gives me joy cx. And all while doing it in a space that's comfortable, and designed to cater to your needs and wants. It's not perfect, and probably won't work for everybody, but nothing is. I just know that using this method has noticeably improved my life, and if it's doing the same for others, that's definitely not a bad thing.
I write half-paragraph reviews in the tags on my MAL. This helps me think a bit more about how i felt about the thing, and also makes the list ideal for showing somebody what my taste is, or more quickly and accurately reccomending stuff to other people. The utility of MAL far exceeds the work put into it, or any concerns i have about putting on appearances, at least for me, so far.
This is why I don't like MAL. When I used it, I found myself completing shows I didn't enjoy just to have a "completed" on my list. The ratings part I especially dislike, but that's kind of off topic. If you're interested it's because my feelings about an anime can't really be crystallised into a single number, and that number is only truly meaningful to me, other people have different tastes, or criteria for what makes a 10. How much value an anime has is a very unhelpful way to see media. The emotional or philosophical impact of art shouldn't be measured on a scale of 1-10
I would love to hear a disabled take on this, because as a wheelchair user with chronic pain I am constantly reminded of living in a body and of the objects I use to inhabit the world with less difficulty and less pain. Being able to ignore your body is a privilege, it means your body doesn't cause you constant distress and the world around you is mostly designed for you to navigate it. I am constantly reminded of being other, of being dependent on objects, when I have to make the decision between propelling myself forward with my hands an carrying something. Looking at tiny houses makes me sick to my stomach because all I can think of is how much it would hurt my knees to climb up to a loft bed, and how many of those jutting corners and thin walkways would leave me bruised when I inevitably bang into them. There is so much to be said about how abled centric the design and cultural perception of objects and spaces is, and I personally don't have the time or energy to say it, but oh boy does it need to be said.
I wouldn't call Marie Kondo's method minimalist. Its about keeping only things in your home that you love, its really that simple. If you have a ton a books, keep only the ones you truly like. If you actually do love them all, keep them all. I did the Marie Kondo method on my makeup collection, and while I did get rid of a couple of things I was holding onto 'just because', I still have a rather sizable collection, because I love my makeup collection. I feel like some people become defensive when confronted with their hoarding tendencies.
thats exactly right. I didn't need to downsize my large book collection bc I already only own copies of books I love. but for makeup, I tried to get into it when I was 18 and the instagram style makeup was becoming the norm. I had some fun, but now at 22 I hardly ever wear makeup besides 2 simple glossier products and lipstick. I got rid of nearly everything else bc it wasn't sparking joy anymore. clothes as well. I now have a capsule wardrobe that is much larger than what is considered a minimalist wardrobe but thats bc I'm doing what I like, not what fits someone elses description. she doesn't want us to discard everything and fit all of our possessions in a backpack, just only keep what is useful and meaningful to each individual
Exactly! I never got why people got so upset over this whole book thing. She never said throw away your books. If people actually listened to what she says about the matter they would know that you can cover every wall in your home with books if that's what makes you happy.
Tanya S I’m not sure where you got that from. If you have read Kondo’s book or the show, you’ll see that she advocates for keeping the things that only sparks joy. If they don’t spark joy, don’t. If having a lot of books make you happy, then keep them. If a certain item reminds you of someone and that makes you happy, keep it. There are a couple of other comments that explain her approach much better than I’m doing, but I thought I put in my two cents on her philosophy.
@@yunakovc What's extreme about that? Why do you need a box of miscellaneous crap you never open? But at the same time, she makes it very clear that if your box of mystery crap you never open fills you with immense joy, go ahead and keep it.
Tanya S. Did we read the same book? She specifically states over and over again to go through each item, hold it in your hands, and THEN decide if you want to keep it or donate it. Nowhere did I see her write to indiscriminately throw things away. In fact, she says don't do that. Repeatedly.
Tanya S. I agree. Kondo is just another 'guru' making a fortune out of telling people how to live their lives. What about the joy of finding something you had forgotten you had and how pleased you feel at rediscovering it? The only thing that needs decluttering is the planet. Decluttered of 'gurus' like her!
EveLang1 Have you seen the show? There were plenty of times her clients rediscovered old things that made them happy and she always told them to keep it as long as it makes them happy. She never tells them to get rid of things indiscriminately; her entire method is to be _deliberate_ about the things you keep and throw away. She tells people to go through each and every single thing and deliberate over whether that thing gives them joy or has a purpose in their life, practical or emotional. For some people, they need to let go of emotional items as they become a burden to them, but for others they rediscover and keep them. Compare and contrast the episode with the widow and the episode with the “empty nesting” parents: the widow felt burdened by the amount of stuff left behind by her late husband and felt like she wouldn’t be able to move on without getting rid of some of his things. In the end she only kept the clothes and items that she felt were positive reminders of her husband and their relationship with each other. With the parents, they had tons of christmas decorations all over the place and they decided they wanted to keep all of them. KonMari _did not_ tell them to get rid of _any of them_ but instead showed them methods to store and display the items so they can have space to move around. There was also an episode where one dad still kept a sippy cup that his godmother gave him and KonMari didn’t dismiss his feelings or suggest to throw it away _at all_ . She only suggested to make it a decoration instead of taking up space in the cupboard. Marie Kondo doesn’t want people to “declutter” for the sake of decluttering. She wants them to become aware of the things they own and make space for future things they might want to keep.
Mari Kondo specifically draws her relationship to objects from Shinto spirituality as well. Everything we have uses precious resources given to us by the Earth we live on, therefore every object is imbued with a fractal of the Earth’s consciousness and soul. “Ownership” is relationship, and her approach to decluttering centers on cultivating appropriate relationships in your life. Holding yourself accountable for properly using and taking care of the things you have means passing on the things that make it overwhelming to be in right relationship with the objects in your life; if the volume of laundry that needs doing means that laundry doesn’t get done, it’s much better to only keep the things that make you feel good about taking care of them. We find this idea in many indigenous cultures as well. The term “Indian giving” comes from the white colonists of North America being shocked that Native Americans would take back gifts that were not being used in a good way, as the concepts of “ownership” were very different. Things made by your hand, with your prayers and the gifts of the materials used to make an object, needed to be used well in order to live up to their purpose. White settlers saw a gift, and owning objects in general, as having unequivocal say over the use and fate of that object. Relationship vs Dominion. I enjoyed your video and specifically what it had to say about corporate culture and the idea of advertising the self. I think we are at a turning point where we are again choosing relationship or dominion as a way of interacting with the world. The outlets we have for this are proscribed by a larger consumerist culture, and I very much look forward to a time where that isn’t the case and we can more fully inhabit our bodies and experiences
I agree. I was sort of expecting a point pertaining to this, about how younger generations are more conscious about the sustainability and environmental impact their actions have. The convenience of single use plastics has become heavily criticized around the world, as well as things like "fast fashion," so sites like ThredUp have cropped up, as well as a rising popularity in thrift shops, whether in donating or shopping from them. I feel this is connected to the "relationships" you mention. Also that younger generations are more aware of their funds, so they question the necessity of their purchases a lot more. Hence why article titles like "millennials are killing the diamond industry" are rampant. There's a lot of questioning whether something is practical and functional; its usefulness rather than the status it'd impart being more important. Lastly, I think there's a lot of disillusionment about the "American Dream," capitalism and consumerism. Especially in the former where people are questioning what success means to them and whether that has to mean owning this or that house, car, family unit, etc. And for the latter, questioning whether "bigger is better," "more is better." I think challenging those perceptions had a lot to do with the creation of the tiny house movement.
@@make_it_aesthetic I think this is definitely a big part of it! I was just more interested in the image/idea of these ideals than the actual practice of them. There was a part I cut out that actually related this back to the digital/immaterial. That many may have become so disgusted with the way we use resources, produce waste and take up space that transitioning into immaterial spaces seems like the only way to cope. It was cut both for time and because I'm not sure I actually believe it's accurate, haha, I just know it reflects something I feel. (sorry if you weren't looking for a response from me, I just thought this clarification might be useful)
Designer here. Shhh, Insider secret: Colours are chosen each year by a small group of people. This group chooses & decides what colours are going to be "in style" for that year. First the colours go to high end groups. These groups create textiles, fabric, wallpaper, carpeting & such. The _following_ year they'll be found in stores mass produced. This is why you might _love_ a colour &/or colour combo BUT never find anything in stores to match it with. For example if you are on a peach kick for your bathroom, you are _not_ going to find accessories at the big box stores in peach right now 2019. You'd have to choose something neutral. The colours that retail carry are from the "in" colours that have been pre-selected. Oh, once those pre-selected colours hit Wal-Mart type stores they are "old", "yesterday" or "so last year" in the high end world. LOL Hope this helps someone. Have a great day y'all. 🌼
I've been watching videos of Disney outlet stores, and have been repeatedly struck by images of piles of rose gold mouse ears heaped in discount bins. That incidental image just seems to say so much about consumerism and desire and how it all manifests in this one, no longer coveted, tangible instance.
If you're an artist, this collection of images will actually help you by acting as reference. Though I'm assuming that wasn't your intention when you started collecting.
Every time I watch your video essays i'm so blown away with how much care and in-depth philosophical thinking you can incorporate. Its like watching a symphony orchestra, the images we're watching and the sounds are so together that they portray perfect meaning and understanding while still entertaining some aspects of humor or satire. Not only this but your philosophical arguments are always grounded in a sense of reality, that what can be taught online can have any impact on our physical lives.True art is not without these things and as i watch more of your essays I really appreciate their core ideas and the time you put into them.
I honestly think we're trying to get rid of stuff because homes have become investments and many can't afford a home. Are we thinking... 1) If I spend less money on crap and focus on securing a place to live, I may be able to afford a place. 2) Due to the lack of security of tenure, 'I can't keep hauling this crap to a new address every 4 years'.
i volunteer at a local opshop and the old people whove worked there for years say this year we gotten the most donations ever. it's a similar trend to over opshops around us. they're saying its because of Marie Kondo lol, everyone is cleaning out their houses now.
We're having the same thing happen where I volunteer. So many things are coming in but we need more people to buy it all! I had to help some ladies bring in a huge haul recently that included a really expensive looking statue of Artemis and another statue that looks like it's made from some sort of silver. It's insane what some people are just giving away.
We've also been getting a lot at the store where I volunteer. I thought the trend would end around February -- assuming the donations were unwanted gifts, or being donated (rather than tossed) because of people's resolutions -- but they keep on coming. Slightly unrelated to Marie Kondo, though emblematic of this current societal shift, is the fact that more people are coming into the local stores as well. Not just the elderly, but also young/middle-aged adults buying clothes, and people my age (13-16). 2019 seems like a good year for thrifters and the people they buy from.
The Boomer generation is now downsizing, often as a necessity, as the generation plows through its senior years. At the same time they are also having to unload "stuff" their parents collected or used over their lives. It is no wonder that all the Thrift shops are overloaded with donations! Decluttering (minimalism - relationship with "things" and identity) dovetails neatly with the need to simplify that often comes with older age. And indeed, later life is a time for reflection about identity and who one is or was, as well.
My friend ran out and bought to her books. Not ask me if she's rental? No. But I'll write them and they're full of s***. The first paragraph of any book set you up for the rest of it. And I read both those books you bought. And Marie kondo is full of s***. You do not base permanent decisions off of temporary emotions. Not every human being in your Social Circle will spark you Joy. There are days when you want to get rid of your pet. And there are days that you have that human in that pet in your life. The same thing goes for what you own. You shouldn't be asking if it's Parts you Joy that's a temporary emotion. You should be asking what is its purpose. Is it helping me to become a healthy happier human being?
Grim Soul An object making you a happier, healthier person is sparking joy though. Marie Kondo’s method directly addresses utilitarian objects and how they do spark joy because of the service that they provide you. Her method is rooted in analyzing the relationships we as human beings have with the objects in our home. Why should you have a closet overflowing with clothes if you only really like/wear a handful of them? The excess is not serving you, thank it and then send it on. A hammer may not be your favorite object in your house but when you’re trying to hang a picture you will be thankful that you have one, so it sparks joy. If the method doesn’t work for you, then it doesn’t work for you but don’t oversimplify it just because you think it’s dumb
@@NerdOutStuff123 I think that you missed the point of my statement. Joy is an emotion emotions are temporary. Nothing Sparks Joy 24/7. Human beings do not operate that way. This is nothing more than a pseudo remedy for people who don't want to deal with the internal factors of why they hold onto so much things. The only question you should be asking is what is its purpose? There are many things in life that Sparkles Joy, drugs are one of them. Alcohol is another. But what are the purpose of these objects. Why were they or are they in your life in the first place? You don't make permanent decisions off of temporary emotions.
@@grimsoul9779 i think you're focusing far too much on diction, sir. It's clear that you agree with the basic idea of the person you're responding to-- it just seems to me that you want to disagree... and that's fine, just don't burst a vessel over it, you seem quite upset
It makes me sad when people misunderstand Marie Kondo's methods. She clearly states to never give up on the items you truly love, only tries to help people see they are keeping too much, and that item already gave them joy.
Great video Grace, loved it. So much effort and thought. The acceptance of transience/not commodifying *the appearance of experience* is, I think, the harder step people will have to take after de-materializing, and you definitely point that out here.
I enjoyed this video, I just have a note about Marie Kondo's stance towards books. It has come up a lot, and her simple answer is, "If having the books sparks joy, keep them." She's just against keeping things for the sake of having them. people will always collect things, and be proud of their collections. I have a number of books myself, but having seen her show and listened to her message, I found quite a few that I was just holding on to for no real reason. Several of the books I have are from college or just random study and were even outdated in their methods. Those were much easier to get rid of, haha.
Thank you! Yeah, my favourite response (the these responses, haha) has been the tweet from comic artist Jamie McKelvie that I briefly used in the video: "So sad to learn that Marie Kondo is breaking into people's houses and throwing out all their books. (I assume this is what is happening based on some reactions on twitter)" I don't know why Marie Kondo suggesting we remove the things we don't like/need from our lives has been translated as 'Marie Kondo demands everyone get rid of everything right now!', and yet it's this mistranslation that I'm most interested in, haha.
I think minimalism also appeals to the increasingly complex world views and lifestyles we have developed. If I feel overwhelmed by a situation, before I declutter my mind, I declutter my immediate surroundings, easing me into the more time-consuming process of making sense of the world.
My mother grew up in a scarcity manner. She is a hoarder. My sister responded by making her own house perfect and tidy in full mid-century modern. I have responded by efforting towards minimalism. My motivation is a fear of being rooted, despite being well in place. I'm 30.
I definitely know what you mean, but it’s replaced magazine photography for me, so I do have less junk. More importantly, because most people might not consider this- Instagram is also a place where millions of regular people who suffer chronic illness/disease/disability follow each other, creating an environment that has totally changed my life. All of the hindrances that have isolated me from typical society and those I know IRL, which you become ashamed of, have now been normalized. I am suddenly represented all over the place, in all types of people going about their lives all over the world. I don’t know what other platform could’ve handed me back my self worth so efficiently, and I started off more confident than most. I wish Instagram had existed when I was a teenager. This isn’t just my experience, like I said, it’s likely millions of users who feel this way. It goes overlooked because boring butt models intensify everyone’s body dysmorphia etc etc.
One time I pulled up the search function and the explore page directly under the search bar had a video going of some girl's lips being punctured/injected/needled in a perfectly spaced arrangement leaving "aesthetically pleasing" equidistant beads of blood on the perimeter of her lips, left in an almost smiling pout. I hope she had anesthetic for that video but it was horrifying to watch. I definitely selected the "show me less" option.
I'm really glad I was recommended this video, I've subscribed now. When I first got into minimalism, there was this need to buy all these minimalist, organizational things. I was definitely attracted to the idea of it, the clean home, all those things. But in the past year I've been really strapped for money, and have had to stop buying things that are non-essential. It's only that experience that's really made me understand my desire to stop being consumerist. I just hope that when my finances do improve I won't fall back down the hole.
The way you tied keeping sentimental objects and trying to keep memories was so smooth and really helped to round up a very thought out point, as well as the slight contrast of pointing out the fact that society wants to go back to quote 'being' rather than 'having', society today wanting to live authentically, experiences rather than objects, but also commenting on how there to no way to just 'be' there is no authentic lifestyle within the minimalist movement because that movement was advertised to us, and you can't advertise just being. The way you talked about all this got into the things that you wouldn't immediately think about as a consumer and it's a healthy outlook to have
I like to keep a ton of books because when I roll over in the morning I get an eyeful of my bookshelf and its very satisfying. It's like an art installation.
I've been somewhat of a minimalist since my early teen years because of very frequent moves, so I always felt at home in this trend. I'm glad we have a digital space where others can satisfy that collecting itch without excessive physical space.
tbh I think that the Kondo method is a pedagogical one more than just a step by step guide. The thing about it is that pedagogy at first sells you on the idea of having that skill, but then must deliver on bridging your current state with that idea. In that sense I feel that Kondo is just using the spectacle of people performing her method to promote it as an aspiration, but for once the method being sold has an idea beyond that aspiration. It does change people's relationship with objects and detaches them from that aspirational living, *independently* of how well the final result measures to her standards, a new relationship has been established. imo Kondo is just following the rules set by our consumption system to subvert them. There is no other way it could have been popularized at this time, and I think blaming her for playing the game so to speak tries to devoid her method of a meaning and purpose it does have and delivers on. Furthermore I think we build a lot of dichotomies, in this case consumerism-anticonsumerism, which make it easy to antagonize sides and feel like if one idea about ourselves isn't true now, it won't be true forever. The idea of a pedagogy or education helps me a lot because it is inherently about change and giving people the chance and the *means* to cross boundaries.
Am I the only one who comes to her channel every day hoping she has uploaded? This is one of the best videos I saw on youtube, no kidding. The way you intertwine so many references... the words you use, the sources you choose... this is a piece of art and I'm showing it to all my friends and family. Thanks for such great content! Greetings from Brazil :)
I don't get why you're not more popular as of late, these video essays are really killer. My favorite form of content now as it's compact, but not too short as to not hold any substance. That and the visual presentation is pretty tidy as well. They're also made with intention, so I know you're never going to waste my time and I won't soon forget the ideas you share, and even if I do they won't be lost in a sea of the day-today that I WILL forget about. Keep it up duuuuuude.
Great video! I think another aspect that can't be disentangled here is the issue of rising population and limited space. Our generation has grown up with ever increasing rent costs, and the idea that global warming is going to erase finite land as our population exponentially grows. That micro-homes and minimalism has risen at the same time, I don't think is a coincidence.
Damn Grace. You did it again. I do love the end point, as I've seen so many friends buy wholesale into this culture. One even accidently threw away her wedding ring.
With only having a limited understanding (from my own perspective) surrounding many of the elements described in this video, I felt that you have done a fantastic job in explaining how our overindulgence in owning physical items rather than investing our time and energy into the human experience is becoming more and more prevalent in our society. This was a very interesting and thought-provoking piece and I thank you for sharing it with the world.
I was recently in a conversation with a professional organizer or, as she has deems herself, a decluttering consultant. She bases a lot of her process on the KonMari Method. However, she does not have people declutter their books as the second step, as Marie does. She notes a difference between Japanese and American culture. We place a much higher value on books and their information than they do in Japan. I appreciate the added perspective on why this is from this video. The closing thoughts on this video were lovely as well. I enjoy things like the KonMari Method because it encourages intentionality and moments of reflection. It is also not surprising that this idea has been turned into an item we can buy. We want that ideal self, however, it takes a lot less time and effort to buy something "minimal" than it does to dig through the trenches of our minds, hearts, and physical bodies to decide if we really want what is already present - material and immaterial - in our lives, why it ended up there in the first place, and how we can go about keeping ourselves from adding more unwanted things to the already overflowing closet.
Another knockout essay from the most underrated channel on UA-cam. Your channel name and given name are well deserved. Thanks for 'being' a subscription I enjoy 'having'
Great video essay! What we are being sold now in the form of "being" instead of "having" has its own problematic status driven consumerist issues as well. The main one being that all the stuff that a lot of people have keeps being made, again and again, cheaper and cheaper, only for it to fall apart within a season. Items are designed for obsolescence. Even where an item "sparks joy" it falls apart leaving the same old desire to buy more, or hunt down the new and improved version. The ability to have the kind of items that allow you to build a relationship with them, and be free of the need for further purchase for a substantial amount of time (like 5-10 years) is being made extremely difficult.
minimalism is aesthetically pleasing and nice to think about only needing a few items to be happy, but at the end of the day i like my house full of knick kacks :)
God this video is so dense and touches on so many important topics (each of which so dense they could have their own 30-minute video essays). I love this video and I'm going to watch all the documentaries you mentioned. Not to sound corny but this video really spoke to me, thank you for making it. I'm glad I found this channel.
Brilliant video. Also, on the note of how advertising objects has changed over the years, I find myself watching childhood 80s commercials a lot lately. Damn the ads are so refreshingly corny and blatant. "Look at this thing! Isn't it great? Look how happy these people are with the thing in their life! They're on a bicycle!"
Yeah. I hate how so many of the commercials nowadays are about some ideals or causes that the company obviously doesn't care about, like gender equality or world peace :D I'm almost starting to prefer the "you'll find your true love if you use this deodoroant" type of commercials.
I'm not sure why UA-cam recommended me your video but I deeply appreciate it. I feel that Pinterest is very much meticulous wishful daydreaming, and as with standard daydreaming, serves as escapism. For me, I like to collect things pertaining to my "dream house." Although, an interesting confliction I've been feeling is that, as my fiance's earnings go up, and the ownership of said house becomes actually viable...I'm starting to question whether I'd honestly would want to live in it, or if it was more about giving life to the idealizations of my younger self who thought that having a library in my home would be the most amazing thing. Though speaking of that library, when I was little, I didn't have many friends; books were my friends. It made sense that I'd want to be surrounded by them. However, the more I collected, the more they became a status symbol. I was proud of the sheer volume of books I owned. They had become a commodity. One that, as you mentioned, served to advertise myself, "Look how intelligent, nerdy, cool, (etc.) I am!" Now I think I hold onto them out of a sense of nostalgia, and that thought saddens me. I wonder if it's a similar thing with others, like collections of shoes, purses, etc. and why there's so many videos showing off people's collections. Btw, have you seen the video George Carlin Talks About "Stuff"? ua-cam.com/video/MvgN5gCuLac/v-deo.html
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! I know I've already replied to your other comment with stuff I cut out of the video but I'm going to do it again! There's an episode of Bojack Horseman where the character Diane talks about her childhood fantasy of having a 'Belle Room' (a la Beauty and the Beast) and then is horrified when it becomes a reality. I think that explores the same kind of emotions you're talking about. I do it too when I walk around fancy department stores imagining I own items I can't afford to build a fantasy life I'm not convinced I actually want, haha. I haven't seen that video, thanks for the recommendation!
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat Replying here because I don't want to hijack Mari Ko's wonderful comment. But no need to apologize! It's always lovely when the content creator replies, especially when it's to add further insight. I completely understand why some things would need to be cut out. I feel that there's a lot that has contributed to our shifting mentalities on materialism, so it's a lot to cover. There's also some topics pertaining to this that are what I call "rabbit hole" topics (after Alice in Wonderland.) One such topic is that I believe that younger generations are more critical and cynical about commercialism because they're more aware of the manipulation tactics and history of the market. For example: Diamonds www.gemnation.com/base?processor=getPage&pageName=forever_diamonds_2 www.engagementringbible.com/how-debeers-made-diamonds-a-girls-best-friend/ Deodorant www.bustle.com/p/the-super-sneaky-history-of-how-advertisers-convinced-you-to-buy-deodorant-31270 www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-advertisers-convinced-americans-they-smelled-bad-12552404/ Shaving en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_removal_of_leg_and_underarm_hair_in_the_United_States Not to mention things like food labels. @Subliminal Origami touched on this, about how a market for "music rooms" was created. This is basically the premise of most advertisement - creating a market, "need," for products. It really does have you questioning just what exactly does one need in one's life and to what extent have we been manipulated and conditioned. Personally, it makes me feel really gross, but I would still call this a boon of the "age of communication," (yay, Internet!...which is another rabbit hole.) Edit: Forgot to add, since you mentioned "coping," that besides tiny houses and digitalizing our hoarding, I would also say that there's a definite rise in people wanting to live "off grid" or "homesteading." The aesthetic movement equivalent is called "cottagecore." Basically, "simple living," which I wonder if one could consider as another take or form of minimalism.
@@make_it_aesthetic Yes! I find the ways that advertisers are trying to get around this awareness of manipulation really interesting too. The subsequent increasing trend towards native advertising as a tactic feels so insidious. :/ Stop trying to hijack my brain! I know, it's like a whole warren down here, haha!
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat I find the use of "influencers" almost as bad. I think it's really low of advertisers to use our in intrinsic trust of people we like and admire to dupe people into buying products that they don't need. I know it's nothing particularly new, like celebrities promotions, but it rubs me wrong. Pretty Pastel Please did a mini series about how some influencers get paid to lie about products they promote: ua-cam.com/play/PLF9qH1Gbjf1nepLOb3PdCYd98N0C2wXiN.html As for native advertisement, rather than feeling like my mind is being probed, I feel like my privacy is being violated and I hate it. I always go into settings and take off "targeted ads" if it's an option.
@@make_it_aesthetic I actually include influencers as part of native advertising but I know it's a grey area. Like, there are YT channels I really like that do sponsorships (which I totally support, people gotta eat) and they'll do funny sponsor messages, which I'll watch because they're entertaining. But that's exactly the trick the advertisers are pulling so I don't know how to feel about it! ಠ_ಠ I've also heard podcast sponsor spots where they try to incorporate it into the podcast episode itself. Just play distinctive music over the adverts so I know when to stop pressing 'skip' lol
This video is massive. And not just because I've read all that stuff, but because it forms a whole, a piece of art in itself -- just about art. Thank you for this video!
I appreciate you putting this video together. I've always felt burdened by things and hated receiving gifts because of it. Towards the end of your video you mentioned people who are unable to replace objects lost due to economic means. That reverberated with me. I don't like having things because then I have to take care of them, and if I like them and they break/ fail then I probably can't replace them for a long while without incurring debt. You've given me some new concepts and perspectives to think about during my next bit of introspection. Thank you.
Forget "tidying up once and for all." I love to discover cool bargain stuff, bring it home, enjoy it for awhile, and then donate while it can still "spark joy" for someone else. No more bins of stuff saved "for later," and no more bingeing on bins to "get organized once and for all."
So amazing! I can't get over the mastery that was this video. So much research, well curated visuals and music, cohesive thoughts. Thank you so much for this. Thankful to UA-cam for showing me this on my recommended! You have gained a subscriber and expect a patron as soon I start making money on my own.
To me the concept of minimalism or decluttering is really simple... I have less stuff which means less cleaning, I have less stuff which means less constant visual overstimulation, I have less stuff so more room. It's easier on the eyes for me, a more calming environment (less distractions) and it saves me a lot of time. I've decluttered most of my space, but there are still things I want to get rid of/give away (mostly a lot of pants I no longer really wear). Even then all my pants fit in one drawer which is why I'm putting it off (also because laziness!). I know where everything is, which also saves me time. I think Kondo is inspired by the concept of "ma" in Japanese culture. The "space"/emptiness is really important and has its own energy, that energy in the space will also affect our mood and well-being.
Really nudging my brain into unfamiliar territory right here, very enjoyable. The remark at the end that decluttering might work towards an attention to 'being' instead of 'having' is very interesting because that thoughtful appreciation I imagine might actually stem from a distillation of everything we already have and describe ourselves with. Seems like refining lines before actually being able to reinvent. Also it's hilarious witnessing strong opinions and discussions about something one could hardly care less about, all that taking sides regarding Kondo. The video was perfectly enjoyable with introducing the matter also through many sources besides Kondo, Baudrillard and contemporary context.
The aggression and defensiveness that people show when someone merely SUGGESTS they get rid of their junk really shows you how toxic and unhealthy their relationship with their stuff is.
I'm living with a family member who gets defensive even if I suggest they remove their junk from my room. Setting boundaries of this kind takes actual work. You need to be persistant, but also sensitive and not too persistent, and even present convincing argumentation as to why you can't store it if you have the space... /sigh/. To be fair they grew up in a very poor houshold, but still. Sometimes I wonder if this is the reason why I'm so drawn to the idea of minimalism.
What makes you think that everyone who collects things has 'junk'. Collections are often very valuable financially. Many people collect for the joy of collecting, because they love what they collect. Then they get bullied by people who absorb this kind of minimalist philosophy. In my experience it is the people who go on about 'getting rid' of things who are the aggressors, I've seen it so many times.
@@evelang182 Once again, you're showing off your ignorance. How many of these defensive comments have you made on this video? If your collection sparks joy, Kondo wants you to save it and even display it. No one is bullying you for collecting. No one is coming to your abode and telling you to clear it out. Well not yet. Something tells me the city might.
pinksalamanders How many comments have I made on this video? Well I don't know but why don't you tell me? Maybe you've been keeping count. I haven't . Maybe the decluttering mentality applies to UA-cam comments too? I already stated somewhere else on this video how I witnessed seeing someone bullied and harassed to ill health and then death by someone constantly going on at them to get rid of their collections. When they died their grasping family was soon there selling off their collectibles that were worth a tidy sum.
This video was incredible. Thank you for making this and explaining more about this decluttering culture. It really hit me when you mentioned that now images are the new objects. I usually try to spend some time decluttering my phone from old images and bunch of screenshots...
Surprisingly not mentioned: The size of our fantasies (and what we can believably attain) are shrinking as the owning class continue to drive down wages.
Well thought out video! I'll peep the rest of the channel. The video essay genre is very competitive right now on youtube, I'm glad this one blew up. Great moves, keep it up. Proud of you
This is, as far as I can remember, the first video I've seen of yours. I liked it a lot. Thank you for making it. I adore the KonMari method and admire Marie Kondo a lot, and examining how they exist within human society is, I think, very important. I look forward to watching more of your videos.
Most of the "minimalist" videos they just display another way to consume and own that is considered to be more elevated, but it's still a lot about consuming and showing it, mainly because most of that movement turned something highly political (radical left) into a kind of marketable lifestyle. I don't think it's all bad but it certainly not random that the deep political aspect of it has disappeared, or is, at best, displayed only trough zero waste stakes and individual goals that do not question the general (economical) system that brought us here.
This is so fascinating to consider post pandemic (when we get there), because I feel like I observed a big rise in 'cozy maximalism' after the first lockdown, when our gaze was very much centred on our domestic space...
I've been homeless, lost everything I owned...including my clothes that were stolen out of my car. Now that I have a place, I'm collecting lots of shit and loving every second of it. 😜
And that's a slippery slope to hoarding. I'd be careful if I were you. A number of hoarders I've seen have had similar experiences. Theres a line between having lots of stuff and hoarding. Be very careful not to cross it.
Jezabel, I am glad that you now have a place and can collect lots of stuff. Enjoy it all! You keep doing you!I'm now at a different point in my life--where getting rid of clutter (which doesn't necessarily mean getting rid of stuff) is giving me the greatest joy.
Very cool and all the best to you, also! Life is to be experienced, and having such a broad experience can only be enriching on the other side. I honestly believe that the size of the hole you fall down is equivalent to the strength you amass by pulling yourself out. The very process of doing that may make your collecting of things more wise. It would be totally fine if you didn’t want to put in the effort to ‘re-dress’ your life, but the fact that you are enjoying it means, I think, that this is a wholesome act.
Is funny how hoarding, or rather their psychology, works. Specially because your background. Hoarding after being poor is just an instinct of survival, it calls you to keep things because your experience is "I never know when I'll need this, I'll never know if in the future I will have the necessary resources for buying again this thing". I know, my own family was living in a precarious way and my parents still hoard a lot of things even after 20 years of leaving that live. Because I was little and didn't feel the same about objects is more easy for me discard things that I know i will not need in the future. Even in the "what if" scenarios.
another excellent and beautifully edited video. tangible evidence of the ephemeral - that's the root of it all! we love to display what cannot be displayed - intelligence, spirituality, frugality - our egos desire others to see how "good" we are, how smart, etc. instead of building relationships with others, we build relationships with stuff (or, alternately, a lack of stuff). both are defined by our things and how we want to be perceived by other people. i love how you bring up the idea that companies have stopped selling us stuff but started selling us ideas, ideals. its not like that hasn't always been the case but as you point out its soooo obvious now. ugh. thank you for this great vid!
The idea of a move from being, to having, to appearing is fantastically elegant. I'm inspired to finally get round to reading some Debord! If anyone knows a good place to start I'd be grateful to hear it.
Grace, this is a really interesting interpretative take on post-consumerism and the western cultural shift away from how it's been in the past. I also love that you're moving out of the realm of what we view as traditional film-media, and into a more cultural and broad perspective. I'd love to see your take on the current upswing (again?) of artistic and psychological horror, but not specifically like the Babadook or unnaturalism via Evil Dead.
Thank you! Glad your enjoying the less film-centric videos. I don't think I have much of interest to say about horror trends right now, but I do love talking about horror so you never know. :D
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat That's super fair, and I'll look forward to your next video, whatever it may be! Maybe something on hate-watching, a'la the uptick in people watching things like Riverdale, The Kardashians, The Emoji Movie? sorry, I have no self restraint and need to stop.
The "aspirational life" that we create on Pinterest is also being introduced to Instagram now that you can save posts into different folders. I know I tend to like things on my feed and then if I like them enough I save them to different folders. Fashion inspiration, art I like, places I want to visit. I find myself curating so many online collections and in my mind, I'm creating alternate lives where I bought that item of clothing or visited that place I saw someone post about. It's so strange. Sometimes I get off Instagram and have to ground myself in reality again and remember all the things I actually have and all the things I have actually done. That point about images and brands ignoring (or maybe making us forget) the physicality of our bodies and the everyday act of living is so interesting and one that I have been trying to put into words lately. It's so true that seeing advertisements and images of things to buy/things to experience both creates a need in us for that thing, and also makes us forget about the act of obtaining it, having it, storing it, and potentially throwing it out later. This is also aided by the fact that online shopping is so easy nowadays and much easier than going out and buying the thing with our own bodies (putting in the PayPal login is much less guilt-inducing than handing over your cash). Great video!
Well said. Personally, I feel like Minimalism is based on following an aesthetic trend now more than ever. I guess from the Marie Kondo hype, we are "inspired" to believe if we get rid of more stuff, it will automatically lead to a happier life...
This is brilliantly written and presented- I too feel that the rise of KonMari decluttering is in essence a direct response to the consumerism that dominates much of our identities. In essence, it's about decoupling yourself from what you own, removing any societal shackles to "own" things that you don't desire, and calling attention to them while simultaneously lettingthe things you do remain in the background of your life.
Thank you for a very well rounded perspective on this trend. Really challenged my own conceptions (having incorporated copper into almost all my spaces, and vicariously living through home makeover videos). I am very surprised that you don't have more subscribers! Isn't this kind of well-rounded video making decluttering for your brain? Very on-trend ;)
As an Indian guy who grew up in the 90s/00s of a middle class family, stuff Kondo discussed here are so obvious to me. (Not trying to be dismissive, just surprised) It's weird how different (contemporary) cultures have different requirements for objects (and good and bad stuff born out of them).
The fact that appereances can be commodified always messes me up, I haves me second guessing a lot of the things I do. Do I like minimalism because I want to be instead of to have, or do I like the aesthetic alone and I'm just pretending, how could you even differentiate between the two
Thank you so much for sharing this insightful view point! It has made me reflect deeply on the minimalist ideology and why it's taking up so much power, and what does it says of our era epistemologically, it totally shifted the way I understand our worlds episteme... Thank you again, I can't thank you enough!
@@SkyreeXScalabar I can even buy a house+ regular house has more space than a tiny house (Also I was talking about the "lifestyle" not the architecture style)
Minimalism is such an expensive lifestyle. Living an ‘uncluttered life’ is really just visual shorthand for ‘i’m rich enough to not need to keep things around for just in case’. People who are lower income simply can’t afford the luxury to just get rid of their spare pens, the clothes they don’t particularly love, or the furniture that they got second hand. Their ‘clutter’ is security in an insecure financial situation. If they had to go through the effort of saving up to purchase an item, simply throwing it out because it no longer ‘sparks joy’ seems wasteful. In minimalism, having no excess clutter indicates that if you ever need an item you do not have, then you can simply go out and get it. You don’t need to keep it on hand just in case you can’t afford it when you need it
In part you are correct, if they didn't have the money to own things they would eventually not need anymore, this wouldn't be an issue. So what, though? This is still a reality for many middle class people, and as such it makes sense that it is covered. >simply throwing it out because it no longer ‘sparks joy’ seems wasteful Quite the opposite. We have so many systems to repurpose old things now, and have marketed them in such a way that people feel good about themselves when using them, that keeping something just lying around in your basement would be far more wasteful than introducing it back into the market through giving it to a second-hand shop or recycling.
@@evelang182 if it's a need, you can get free pens at the campus Fair. If you're a pen collector, it's a desire, not a need. Therefore there shouldn't be any financial penalty for getting rid of it. Should safely be able to remove alll the collected Pens that no longer make you happy.
LOL. You are taking my comment way too seriously. People collect all sorts of things for all sorts of reasons. People analyse everything too much nowadays. People who like to collect whatever are just called hoarders by people who don't. The people who don't should get off the backs of people who do.
I hate that rose gold became the color of marketing and hyperconsuming because I think it's pretty but don't want to be associated with the bougie lifestyle that birthed it.
As a designer: every decade (or year) has its color. 50's red, 80's yellow, etc. While rose gold is viewed by some as a "symbol of consumerism", don't be ashamed to like the color. Nothing wrong with appreciating the style of the present time, as long as you're intentional about what you're buying. Also, nice WWDITS profile pic. :)
Wow. Awesome video. I notice the description calls it an essay and... Yeah, it really is! It had a lot of distracting, quick-moving visuals and only tangentially related clips but that kept the visual stimulation high and left the rest of my brain free to really think about what was being said. I'm going to be thinking about the ideas presented for days or weeks, coming back to the points made and trying to decide if I agree or why I disagree. Thank you for publishing on UA-cam some actually life-enriching, thought-provoking material.
Pinterest induces so much vertigo in me, and you've finally revealed to me why. Hoarding images,, unable to remove them from my boards because "I've had it for so long, its a part of me now, a memento of who I've been." I very viscerally Know that buying & Having™️, will never buy me the lifestyle I want. So, shopping for potential lifestyles feels like an exercise in futility. And yet, the design of the app Forces you to do this (pathetically futile) activity. Unlike you, my desire for perfection does not get met by my pinterest boards. I can never find images that perfectly encapsulate the "Aethestic" or subculture or vibe im trying to encapsulate. What a lofty goal: to capture an entire subculture in under 50 images, in one single attention span (about 45 minutes) Vertigo is the perfect word for the dizzying, helpless feeling i get when I try to declutter my digital spaces. (Such as spotify, where, like pinterest, i can't bring myself to change playlists because I want to preserve them for posterity)
Got your video in my recommended and I'm glad I clicked in it. I like how you talk about how this minimalism can be a step to trying to stop defining ourselves with posessions but at the same time it doesn't mean that adopting this "style" makes you automatically more "free", since, I think humans would try to find other ways to project who they are, and without forgetting that brands can prey in any trend. I really like the last sentence. "We shouldn't forget to ask just what we're being sold." Since brands seem to be trying harder and harder to make us forget that they are corporations trying to sell us stuff. I hope that I grasped what you were trying to convey in the video. (And that my comment is coherent). Anyway, new suscriber. Edit: Fixed some grammatical errors. -Probably not all of them.-
it's all because everything is overpriced and wages are small, everywhere in the world. unchecked capitalism is a one-way road to, at least, severe civil unrest
People will still horde trash, even to the detriment of long term financial needs. It just means it's smaller and cheaper. Problem is buying and holding stuff now versus 20+ years ago is most consumer goods are built to be trash before the next fiscal cycle. A lot of the push back is because corporate greed's quantity over quality is the default model. Even intangible things like online data is seeing it, look at the gaming industry in the last 2 years. More sales over better products and the market is collapsing because of it.
My gosh, I would really love to have Spanish closed captioning on this thesis; this subject has been a strong point of contention on my husband's side of the family (his father being a packrat to the point where it's not only unhealthy but also dangerous, seeing as how the clutter sometimes catches fire). My sisters-in-law have been trying to set a good example after seeing Marie Kondo on Netflix, but the nuances of this subject escape him, as he very much refuses to contemplate, mistaking rumination as dwelling listlessly. I wish I could help, but our communication is stunted by needing to rely on my husband to translate, putting too much faith in Google Translate, and waiting on the years (or even decades) it will take for me to continue learning the language. It's a shame that I can't articulate this point well on my own (or any point, for that matter, as a 3-year-old native speaker can talk circles around me), so I sincerely hope that someone with the know-how would be so kind as to volunteer their time and effort to help make this accessible to Spanish speakers. I can say for sure that it would make an impact on the lives of my in-laws.
As an English native, I would like to encourage you! The level of English writing you have is excellent!!! And often the clutter is a symtom of other stuff that goes on within a person. Holding onto the physical when the world feels fleeting. Good luck!
@@SteppingStonevlogs I believe she's the Native English speaker, and her husband is not, hence the request for Spanish subtitles, because she struggles to translate English thoughts, ideals, and concepts *to* her husband.
There is only mindset you should get from this video :" What can I live without?" You will be surprised how much money you could save, the spatial liberation you get in your personal space, life uncomplicated by digital choices, loans for personal usage (house,car,etc) Keep things by function, you get clarity. and when you know what is truly important, keep them. And discard/store them when it is no longer - functional.
![EXTREME KONMARI METHOD DECLUTTER [Before and After]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hgFGPXKefsw/mqdefault.jpg)
Great video. I think a lot of people miss the core point of what makes Marie Kondo's method so valuable, she stresses focusing on what you want to keep instead what you want to get rid of, and being grateful and mindful of every object you have in your life. It's not actually about folding your clothes and arranging things neatly, but the care it represents.
I have started folding all my clothes with care, according to the advice from the book, and my purchase of clothes has gone way down. Simply appreciating my clothing drives down my need to consume it. While I've been purchasing second hand for a while now, folding mindfully has helped me cut back on the amount I have
ah. It is in the deliberate care, rather than the spectacle.
I think that the minimalism trend has been on the rise for a while now: I've been watching a lot of youtube videos over the last year or so, anyway. But the reason her way is so appealing, is because she doesn't advocate to just get rid of everything and live on the bare minimum. Learning what things you want to take with you into the future is an important part of her process... I feel like it really is about being more discerning about what you do and don't want, and not just about creating a space that looks a certain way.
I agree. One minor criticism I have is this video is that it is equating Kondo with minimalism. If you actually read her books and watch the show, she never applies goals to her clients. From my perspective, several of the people on the show also ended their episode with more clutter than I'd be comfortable with (and I have a lot of stuff).
Yes I like Marie Kondo because she is clear that the goal is to make it easier to live a happy life, and that your house doesn't have to be perfect but it just needs to have space available for happiness to dance freely.
I love her way of doing things! It's such a useful way of looking at your stuff and thinking about what I actually want. I love my book collection and couldn't stand to throw any out, but applying her method to clothes is really useful. I went through a phase four years ago where I would not wear jeans and I now have a million pairs of khakis. Plus throughout my life, my granny has brought me stuff from charity shops and clothing that she didn't want. It's so useful to go through everything and ask do I ever wear this, is it important to me, "does it spark joy?" If I never wear it but my granda bought it for me before he died, I keep it because it reminds me of him. This video didn't seem to actually address the actual kondo method of asking these questions before throwing it out.
I think there are a lot of facets to this conversation, about the KonMari method, traditional minimalism, and consumerist culture.
I think an important part, is that the people who are the more extreme minimalist rarely talk about doing it just for the aesthetic, but because it's more eco friendly, and cuts down on wasteful spending. I think that for a lot of those people, it's more of a lifestyle choice (a lot of them are also vegan): and it's interesting to me that it's not accessible to everyone. I've read a lot of comments about people saying that they couldn't afford to get rid of everything, because if something broke, they wouldn't necessarily be able to replace it. Clothing brands that are ethical are also really expensive, and can be hard to find, etc.
And in that way, consumerist culture takes less energy, and a lot of people need that. A lot of people don't have time to wash their capsule wardrobe every two days, or to research which brands are ethical. It's easy to have the cash on hand for the things that will serve the purpose... but aren't ideal. Not to mention the ads constantly in our faces- about perfumes, about furniture, about clothes. Not only promising a better life (we know that buying that makeup won't make us models with a yacht, but there's a reason that image is being paired with that product) but that good feeling of having bought something we want. The escapism of shopping. It's all made very, very attractive.
And in my mind, in the middle is the KonMari method. Reducing the amount of things that you have, so you can give them a little more of the attention they deserve. Paying attention to what you want and don't want, so the next time you see an ad that looks really nice, you can remember that you don't actually like it in real life (and in that way, cutting down on wasteful spending and support to brands that sell bad products- even if they do have a good marketing team.) But also still giving yourself the freedom to try new things that you won't necessarily love, and permission to let it go if that turns out to be the case. And allowing yourself to maintain a comfortable lifestyle- I keep some clothes that aren't my favorite, because not having to do laundry every couple of days gives me joy cx. And all while doing it in a space that's comfortable, and designed to cater to your needs and wants.
It's not perfect, and probably won't work for everybody, but nothing is. I just know that using this method has noticeably improved my life, and if it's doing the same for others, that's definitely not a bad thing.
We didn't need a mass decluttering until now. The internet has indulged our collection, fantasy, hobby and hoarding traits and it's too much.
"Hoarding has transcended physical space"
I'm feeling really conscious of my meticulous Myanimelist profile now.
I write half-paragraph reviews in the tags on my MAL. This helps me think a bit more about how i felt about the thing, and also makes the list ideal for showing somebody what my taste is, or more quickly and accurately reccomending stuff to other people. The utility of MAL far exceeds the work put into it, or any concerns i have about putting on appearances, at least for me, so far.
My entire Tumblr lol
@@rory1336 yeah esp. with the idea that collecting some picture being a part of you now, or some way of identifying yourself
Same. Here's mine: myanimelist.net/animelist/DarkEnergy
This is why I don't like MAL. When I used it, I found myself completing shows I didn't enjoy just to have a "completed" on my list. The ratings part I especially dislike, but that's kind of off topic.
If you're interested it's because my feelings about an anime can't really be crystallised into a single number, and that number is only truly meaningful to me, other people have different tastes, or criteria for what makes a 10. How much value an anime has is a very unhelpful way to see media. The emotional or philosophical impact of art shouldn't be measured on a scale of 1-10
I would love to hear a disabled take on this, because as a wheelchair user with chronic pain I am constantly reminded of living in a body and of the objects I use to inhabit the world with less difficulty and less pain. Being able to ignore your body is a privilege, it means your body doesn't cause you constant distress and the world around you is mostly designed for you to navigate it. I am constantly reminded of being other, of being dependent on objects, when I have to make the decision between propelling myself forward with my hands an carrying something. Looking at tiny houses makes me sick to my stomach because all I can think of is how much it would hurt my knees to climb up to a loft bed, and how many of those jutting corners and thin walkways would leave me bruised when I inevitably bang into them. There is so much to be said about how abled centric the design and cultural perception of objects and spaces is, and I personally don't have the time or energy to say it, but oh boy does it need to be said.
I wouldn't call Marie Kondo's method minimalist. Its about keeping only things in your home that you love, its really that simple. If you have a ton a books, keep only the ones you truly like. If you actually do love them all, keep them all. I did the Marie Kondo method on my makeup collection, and while I did get rid of a couple of things I was holding onto 'just because', I still have a rather sizable collection, because I love my makeup collection. I feel like some people become defensive when confronted with their hoarding tendencies.
thats exactly right. I didn't need to downsize my large book collection bc I already only own copies of books I love. but for makeup, I tried to get into it when I was 18 and the instagram style makeup was becoming the norm. I had some fun, but now at 22 I hardly ever wear makeup besides 2 simple glossier products and lipstick. I got rid of nearly everything else bc it wasn't sparking joy anymore. clothes as well. I now have a capsule wardrobe that is much larger than what is considered a minimalist wardrobe but thats bc I'm doing what I like, not what fits someone elses description. she doesn't want us to discard everything and fit all of our possessions in a backpack, just only keep what is useful and meaningful to each individual
Exactly! I never got why people got so upset over this whole book thing. She never said throw away your books. If people actually listened to what she says about the matter they would know that you can cover every wall in your home with books if that's what makes you happy.
Atroonks that’s not really a new thing, that’s a very old method and ideology
@@legotech101 and your point is?
All minimalism in essence, root...
"This is nice... and it's a part of me now" VERY ACCURATE
Her philosophy doesn't teach being a minimalist snob. It teaches loving the things you have and taking care of your living space.
Tanya S I’m not sure where you got that from. If you have read Kondo’s book or the show, you’ll see that she advocates for keeping the things that only sparks joy. If they don’t spark joy, don’t. If having a lot of books make you happy, then keep them. If a certain item reminds you of someone and that makes you happy, keep it. There are a couple of other comments that explain her approach much better than I’m doing, but I thought I put in my two cents on her philosophy.
@@yunakovc What's extreme about that? Why do you need a box of miscellaneous crap you never open? But at the same time, she makes it very clear that if your box of mystery crap you never open fills you with immense joy, go ahead and keep it.
Tanya S. Did we read the same book? She specifically states over and over again to go through each item, hold it in your hands, and THEN decide if you want to keep it or donate it. Nowhere did I see her write to indiscriminately throw things away. In fact, she says don't do that. Repeatedly.
Tanya S. I agree. Kondo is just another 'guru' making a fortune out of telling people how to live their lives. What about the joy of finding something you had forgotten you had and how pleased you feel at rediscovering it? The only thing that needs decluttering is the planet. Decluttered of 'gurus' like her!
EveLang1 Have you seen the show? There were plenty of times her clients rediscovered old things that made them happy and she always told them to keep it as long as it makes them happy. She never tells them to get rid of things indiscriminately; her entire method is to be _deliberate_ about the things you keep and throw away. She tells people to go through each and every single thing and deliberate over whether that thing gives them joy or has a purpose in their life, practical or emotional. For some people, they need to let go of emotional items as they become a burden to them, but for others they rediscover and keep them.
Compare and contrast the episode with the widow and the episode with the “empty nesting” parents: the widow felt burdened by the amount of stuff left behind by her late husband and felt like she wouldn’t be able to move on without getting rid of some of his things. In the end she only kept the clothes and items that she felt were positive reminders of her husband and their relationship with each other. With the parents, they had tons of christmas decorations all over the place and they decided they wanted to keep all of them. KonMari _did not_ tell them to get rid of _any of them_ but instead showed them methods to store and display the items so they can have space to move around. There was also an episode where one dad still kept a sippy cup that his godmother gave him and KonMari didn’t dismiss his feelings or suggest to throw it away _at all_ . She only suggested to make it a decoration instead of taking up space in the cupboard.
Marie Kondo doesn’t want people to “declutter” for the sake of decluttering. She wants them to become aware of the things they own and make space for future things they might want to keep.
Mari Kondo specifically draws her relationship to objects from Shinto spirituality as well. Everything we have uses precious resources given to us by the Earth we live on, therefore every object is imbued with a fractal of the Earth’s consciousness and soul. “Ownership” is relationship, and her approach to decluttering centers on cultivating appropriate relationships in your life. Holding yourself accountable for properly using and taking care of the things you have means passing on the things that make it overwhelming to be in right relationship with the objects in your life; if the volume of laundry that needs doing means that laundry doesn’t get done, it’s much better to only keep the things that make you feel good about taking care of them.
We find this idea in many indigenous cultures as well. The term “Indian giving” comes from the white colonists of North America being shocked that Native Americans would take back gifts that were not being used in a good way, as the concepts of “ownership” were very different. Things made by your hand, with your prayers and the gifts of the materials used to make an object, needed to be used well in order to live up to their purpose. White settlers saw a gift, and owning objects in general, as having unequivocal say over the use and fate of that object. Relationship vs Dominion.
I enjoyed your video and specifically what it had to say about corporate culture and the idea of advertising the self. I think we are at a turning point where we are again choosing relationship or dominion as a way of interacting with the world. The outlets we have for this are proscribed by a larger consumerist culture, and I very much look forward to a time where that isn’t the case and we can more fully inhabit our bodies and experiences
Thank you very much for your thoughtful response! I find the distinction between relationship and dominion very interesting.
This is a fantastic comment! Have you thought about making your own videos, you have such a wonderful way of getting ideas across!
I agree. I was sort of expecting a point pertaining to this, about how younger generations are more conscious about the sustainability and environmental impact their actions have. The convenience of single use plastics has become heavily criticized around the world, as well as things like "fast fashion," so sites like ThredUp have cropped up, as well as a rising popularity in thrift shops, whether in donating or shopping from them. I feel this is connected to the "relationships" you mention.
Also that younger generations are more aware of their funds, so they question the necessity of their purchases a lot more. Hence why article titles like "millennials are killing the diamond industry" are rampant. There's a lot of questioning whether something is practical and functional; its usefulness rather than the status it'd impart being more important.
Lastly, I think there's a lot of disillusionment about the "American Dream," capitalism and consumerism. Especially in the former where people are questioning what success means to them and whether that has to mean owning this or that house, car, family unit, etc. And for the latter, questioning whether "bigger is better," "more is better." I think challenging those perceptions had a lot to do with the creation of the tiny house movement.
@@make_it_aesthetic I think this is definitely a big part of it! I was just more interested in the image/idea of these ideals than the actual practice of them. There was a part I cut out that actually related this back to the digital/immaterial. That many may have become so disgusted with the way we use resources, produce waste and take up space that transitioning into immaterial spaces seems like the only way to cope. It was cut both for time and because I'm not sure I actually believe it's accurate, haha, I just know it reflects something I feel. (sorry if you weren't looking for a response from me, I just thought this clarification might be useful)
What a good read. Thank you.
As PhilosophyTube pointed out more than once, we are missing out on philosophy from other cultures.
Designer here. Shhh, Insider secret:
Colours are chosen each year by a small group of people. This group chooses & decides what colours are going to be "in style" for that year. First the colours go to high end groups. These groups create textiles, fabric, wallpaper, carpeting & such. The _following_ year they'll be found in stores mass produced. This is why you might _love_ a colour &/or colour combo BUT never find anything in stores to match it with. For example if you are on a peach kick for your bathroom, you are _not_ going to find accessories at the big box stores in peach right now 2019. You'd have to choose something neutral. The colours that retail carry are from the "in" colours that have been pre-selected.
Oh, once those pre-selected colours hit Wal-Mart type stores they are "old", "yesterday" or "so last year" in the high end world. LOL
Hope this helps someone. Have a great day y'all. 🌼
Thank you for the insider info! :D
I've been watching videos of Disney outlet stores, and have been repeatedly struck by images of piles of rose gold mouse ears heaped in discount bins. That incidental image just seems to say so much about consumerism and desire and how it all manifests in this one, no longer coveted, tangible instance.
It's totally normal to download random images that pile up beyond the point of recognition of why you downloaded them!
Phew, it's not just me! :D
If you're an artist, this collection of images will actually help you by acting as reference. Though I'm assuming that wasn't your intention when you started collecting.
All those political memes I collected in 2012 will surely come in handy one day again...right?
@@blastermaster5009 dont delete them, you never know!
@@thefudgestix That's just the problem, I never have had much of an intention in doing it! As the great rufus said, so what if i like pretty things.
Every time I watch your video essays i'm so blown away with how much care and in-depth philosophical thinking you can incorporate. Its like watching a symphony orchestra, the images we're watching and the sounds are so together that they portray perfect meaning and understanding while still entertaining some aspects of humor or satire. Not only this but your philosophical arguments are always grounded in a sense of reality, that what can be taught online can have any impact on our physical lives.True art is not without these things and as i watch more of your essays I really appreciate their core ideas and the time you put into them.
Thank you so much! ❤
This comment really means a lot to me!
I honestly think we're trying to get rid of stuff because homes have become investments and many can't afford a home. Are we thinking...
1) If I spend less money on crap and focus on securing a place to live, I may be able to afford a place.
2) Due to the lack of security of tenure, 'I can't keep hauling this crap to a new address every 4 years'.
i volunteer at a local opshop and the old people whove worked there for years say this year we gotten the most donations ever. it's a similar trend to over opshops around us. they're saying its because of Marie Kondo lol, everyone is cleaning out their houses now.
We're having the same thing happen where I volunteer. So many things are coming in but we need more people to buy it all! I had to help some ladies bring in a huge haul recently that included a really expensive looking statue of Artemis and another statue that looks like it's made from some sort of silver. It's insane what some people are just giving away.
We've also been getting a lot at the store where I volunteer. I thought the trend would end around February -- assuming the donations were unwanted gifts, or being donated (rather than tossed) because of people's resolutions -- but they keep on coming.
Slightly unrelated to Marie Kondo, though emblematic of this current societal shift, is the fact that more people are coming into the local stores as well. Not just the elderly, but also young/middle-aged adults buying clothes, and people my age (13-16).
2019 seems like a good year for thrifters and the people they buy from.
@@darhi_yis9175 I guess it didn't spark joy
The Boomer generation is now downsizing, often as a necessity, as the generation plows through its senior years. At the same time they are also having to unload "stuff" their parents collected or used over their lives. It is no wonder that all the Thrift shops are overloaded with donations! Decluttering (minimalism - relationship with "things" and identity) dovetails neatly with the need to simplify that often comes with older age. And indeed, later life is a time for reflection about identity and who one is or was, as well.
Hannah Raymond-Jones because people can be too lazy or cheap to dispose of these properly... they just pile it at donation boxes... stupid
Everyone was writing tweet essays on Marie Kondo and books, but didn't bother to actually read and understand what she said. It was hilarious.
Toeps That’s twitter for ya
My friend ran out and bought to her books. Not ask me if she's rental? No. But I'll write them and they're full of s***. The first paragraph of any book set you up for the rest of it. And I read both those books you bought. And Marie kondo is full of s***. You do not base permanent decisions off of temporary emotions. Not every human being in your Social Circle will spark you Joy. There are days when you want to get rid of your pet. And there are days that you have that human in that pet in your life. The same thing goes for what you own. You shouldn't be asking if it's Parts you Joy that's a temporary emotion. You should be asking what is its purpose. Is it helping me to become a healthy happier human being?
Grim Soul An object making you a happier, healthier person is sparking joy though. Marie Kondo’s method directly addresses utilitarian objects and how they do spark joy because of the service that they provide you. Her method is rooted in analyzing the relationships we as human beings have with the objects in our home. Why should you have a closet overflowing with clothes if you only really like/wear a handful of them? The excess is not serving you, thank it and then send it on. A hammer may not be your favorite object in your house but when you’re trying to hang a picture you will be thankful that you have one, so it sparks joy. If the method doesn’t work for you, then it doesn’t work for you but don’t oversimplify it just because you think it’s dumb
@@NerdOutStuff123 I think that you missed the point of my statement. Joy is an emotion emotions are temporary. Nothing Sparks Joy 24/7. Human beings do not operate that way. This is nothing more than a pseudo remedy for people who don't want to deal with the internal factors of why they hold onto so much things. The only question you should be asking is what is its purpose? There are many things in life that Sparkles Joy, drugs are one of them. Alcohol is another. But what are the purpose of these objects. Why were they or are they in your life in the first place? You don't make permanent decisions off of temporary emotions.
@@grimsoul9779 i think you're focusing far too much on diction, sir. It's clear that you agree with the basic idea of the person you're responding to-- it just seems to me that you want to disagree... and that's fine, just don't burst a vessel over it, you seem quite upset
It makes me sad when people misunderstand Marie Kondo's methods. She clearly states to never give up on the items you truly love, only tries to help people see they are keeping too much, and that item already gave them joy.
Great video Grace, loved it. So much effort and thought. The acceptance of transience/not commodifying *the appearance of experience* is, I think, the harder step people will have to take after de-materializing, and you definitely point that out here.
Thank you, Will! ❤
I enjoyed this video, I just have a note about Marie Kondo's stance towards books. It has come up a lot, and her simple answer is, "If having the books sparks joy, keep them." She's just against keeping things for the sake of having them. people will always collect things, and be proud of their collections. I have a number of books myself, but having seen her show and listened to her message, I found quite a few that I was just holding on to for no real reason. Several of the books I have are from college or just random study and were even outdated in their methods. Those were much easier to get rid of, haha.
Thank you! Yeah, my favourite response (the these responses, haha) has been the tweet from comic artist Jamie McKelvie that I briefly used in the video: "So sad to learn that Marie Kondo is breaking into people's houses and throwing out all their books. (I assume this is what is happening based on some reactions on twitter)"
I don't know why Marie Kondo suggesting we remove the things we don't like/need from our lives has been translated as 'Marie Kondo demands everyone get rid of everything right now!', and yet it's this mistranslation that I'm most interested in, haha.
I think minimalism also appeals to the increasingly complex world views and lifestyles we have developed. If I feel overwhelmed by a situation, before I declutter my mind, I declutter my immediate surroundings, easing me into the more time-consuming process of making sense of the world.
hoarding has transcended the physical space - ooof my computer really felt that one
My mother grew up in a scarcity manner. She is a hoarder. My sister responded by making her own house perfect and tidy in full mid-century modern. I have responded by efforting towards minimalism. My motivation is a fear of being rooted, despite being well in place. I'm 30.
"You can't market 'being', but you can market the appearance of 'being'."
I feel just as uneasy in social media as I do in a messy room. Instagram is the worst.
I definitely know what you mean, but it’s replaced magazine photography for me, so I do have less junk.
More importantly, because most people might not consider this- Instagram is also a place where millions of regular people who suffer chronic illness/disease/disability follow each other, creating an environment that has totally changed my life. All of the hindrances that have isolated me from typical society and those I know IRL, which you become ashamed of, have now been normalized. I am suddenly represented all over the place, in all types of people going about their lives all over the world. I don’t know what other platform could’ve handed me back my self worth so efficiently, and I started off more confident than most. I wish Instagram had existed when I was a teenager.
This isn’t just my experience, like I said, it’s likely millions of users who feel this way. It goes overlooked because boring butt models intensify everyone’s body dysmorphia etc etc.
One time I pulled up the search function and the explore page directly under the search bar had a video going of some girl's lips being punctured/injected/needled in a perfectly spaced arrangement leaving "aesthetically pleasing" equidistant beads of blood on the perimeter of her lips, left in an almost smiling pout. I hope she had anesthetic for that video but it was horrifying to watch. I definitely selected the "show me less" option.
@@newwavenancy then share some account here so other people can start
I'm really glad I was recommended this video, I've subscribed now.
When I first got into minimalism, there was this need to buy all these minimalist, organizational things. I was definitely attracted to the idea of it, the clean home, all those things. But in the past year I've been really strapped for money, and have had to stop buying things that are non-essential. It's only that experience that's really made me understand my desire to stop being consumerist. I just hope that when my finances do improve I won't fall back down the hole.
Thank you! And thanks for sharing your experience. ❤
The way you tied keeping sentimental objects and trying to keep memories was so smooth and really helped to round up a very thought out point, as well as the slight contrast of pointing out the fact that society wants to go back to quote 'being' rather than 'having', society today wanting to live authentically, experiences rather than objects, but also commenting on how there to no way to just 'be' there is no authentic lifestyle within the minimalist movement because that movement was advertised to us, and you can't advertise just being. The way you talked about all this got into the things that you wouldn't immediately think about as a consumer and it's a healthy outlook to have
Thank you, I'm glad you think so!
I keep books for re-reading them. Has anyone thought of that? Is not about owning the experience, is about going back and re-living the moment.
I like to keep a ton of books because when I roll over in the morning I get an eyeful of my bookshelf and its very satisfying. It's like an art installation.
I've been somewhat of a minimalist since my early teen years because of very frequent moves, so I always felt at home in this trend. I'm glad we have a digital space where others can satisfy that collecting itch without excessive physical space.
tbh I think that the Kondo method is a pedagogical one more than just a step by step guide. The thing about it is that pedagogy at first sells you on the idea of having that skill, but then must deliver on bridging your current state with that idea. In that sense I feel that Kondo is just using the spectacle of people performing her method to promote it as an aspiration, but for once the method being sold has an idea beyond that aspiration. It does change people's relationship with objects and detaches them from that aspirational living, *independently* of how well the final result measures to her standards, a new relationship has been established.
imo Kondo is just following the rules set by our consumption system to subvert them. There is no other way it could have been popularized at this time, and I think blaming her for playing the game so to speak tries to devoid her method of a meaning and purpose it does have and delivers on.
Furthermore I think we build a lot of dichotomies, in this case consumerism-anticonsumerism, which make it easy to antagonize sides and feel like if one idea about ourselves isn't true now, it won't be true forever. The idea of a pedagogy or education helps me a lot because it is inherently about change and giving people the chance and the *means* to cross boundaries.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment! I agree!
Am I the only one who comes to her channel every day hoping she has uploaded?
This is one of the best videos I saw on youtube, no kidding. The way you intertwine so many references... the words you use, the sources you choose... this is a piece of art and I'm showing it to all my friends and family. Thanks for such great content! Greetings from Brazil :)
Thank you so much! :D
-eyes my custom content folder in Sims- 👀😂
OMG you're right! Actually I think my WHOLE laptop needs a de-cluttering...
It lives on three different hard drives. It is beyond destruction at this point.
Also, I feel TOO seen right now!
*eyes my mod list in fallout 4*
I don't get why you're not more popular as of late, these video essays are really killer. My favorite form of content now as it's compact, but not too short as to not hold any substance. That and the visual presentation is pretty tidy as well. They're also made with intention, so I know you're never going to waste my time and I won't soon forget the ideas you share, and even if I do they won't be lost in a sea of the day-today that I WILL forget about. Keep it up duuuuuude.
Thank you very much! ❤
I'll need to rewatch this a few times to digest all this.
Great video! I think another aspect that can't be disentangled here is the issue of rising population and limited space. Our generation has grown up with ever increasing rent costs, and the idea that global warming is going to erase finite land as our population exponentially grows. That micro-homes and minimalism has risen at the same time, I don't think is a coincidence.
Damn Grace. You did it again.
I do love the end point, as I've seen so many friends buy wholesale into this culture. One even accidently threw away her wedding ring.
Thank you!
Oh no! :O
Did she ever get it back?
Oops
@@janinelewis-doncontell8217 Her husband ended up digging it out of the trash when they realized she'd done.
That sounds more like thoughtlessness than buying into a trend tbh.
With only having a limited understanding (from my own perspective) surrounding many of the elements described in this video, I felt that you have done a fantastic job in explaining how our overindulgence in owning physical items rather than investing our time and energy into the human experience is becoming more and more prevalent in our society. This was a very interesting and thought-provoking piece and I thank you for sharing it with the world.
Thank you very much!
This video is a masterpiece. I will collect it in my faves (sorry!) - and thank you for your work.
Thank you so much!
I'm honoured to be in your collection, haha.
I was recently in a conversation with a professional organizer or, as she has deems herself, a decluttering consultant. She bases a lot of her process on the KonMari Method. However, she does not have people declutter their books as the second step, as Marie does. She notes a difference between Japanese and American culture. We place a much higher value on books and their information than they do in Japan. I appreciate the added perspective on why this is from this video.
The closing thoughts on this video were lovely as well. I enjoy things like the KonMari Method because it encourages intentionality and moments of reflection. It is also not surprising that this idea has been turned into an item we can buy. We want that ideal self, however, it takes a lot less time and effort to buy something "minimal" than it does to dig through the trenches of our minds, hearts, and physical bodies to decide if we really want what is already present - material and immaterial - in our lives, why it ended up there in the first place, and how we can go about keeping ourselves from adding more unwanted things to the already overflowing closet.
Another knockout essay from the most underrated channel on UA-cam. Your channel name and given name are well deserved. Thanks for 'being' a subscription I enjoy 'having'
Thank you so much! :D
Great video essay! What we are being sold now in the form of "being" instead of "having" has its own problematic status driven consumerist issues as well. The main one being that all the stuff that a lot of people have keeps being made, again and again, cheaper and cheaper, only for it to fall apart within a season. Items are designed for obsolescence. Even where an item "sparks joy" it falls apart leaving the same old desire to buy more, or hunt down the new and improved version. The ability to have the kind of items that allow you to build a relationship with them, and be free of the need for further purchase for a substantial amount of time (like 5-10 years) is being made extremely difficult.
Thank you!
Yeah, I saw a documentary about planned obsolescence about 5 years ago and I'm still mad about it!
minimalism is aesthetically pleasing and nice to think about only needing a few items to be happy, but at the end of the day i like my house full of knick kacks :)
God this video is so dense and touches on so many important topics (each of which so dense they could have their own 30-minute video essays). I love this video and I'm going to watch all the documentaries you mentioned. Not to sound corny but this video really spoke to me, thank you for making it. I'm glad I found this channel.
Thank you very much!
Brilliant video.
Also, on the note of how advertising objects has changed over the years, I find myself watching childhood 80s commercials a lot lately. Damn the ads are so refreshingly corny and blatant. "Look at this thing! Isn't it great? Look how happy these people are with the thing in their life! They're on a bicycle!"
Thank you!
Haha, I love that description of 80s commercials!
Yeah. I hate how so many of the commercials nowadays are about some ideals or causes that the company obviously doesn't care about, like gender equality or world peace :D
I'm almost starting to prefer the "you'll find your true love if you use this deodoroant" type of commercials.
I'm so thankful to be alive to watch this video. It got me thinking.
I'm not sure why UA-cam recommended me your video but I deeply appreciate it.
I feel that Pinterest is very much meticulous wishful daydreaming, and as with standard daydreaming, serves as escapism. For me, I like to collect things pertaining to my "dream house." Although, an interesting confliction I've been feeling is that, as my fiance's earnings go up, and the ownership of said house becomes actually viable...I'm starting to question whether I'd honestly would want to live in it, or if it was more about giving life to the idealizations of my younger self who thought that having a library in my home would be the most amazing thing.
Though speaking of that library, when I was little, I didn't have many friends; books were my friends. It made sense that I'd want to be surrounded by them. However, the more I collected, the more they became a status symbol. I was proud of the sheer volume of books I owned. They had become a commodity. One that, as you mentioned, served to advertise myself, "Look how intelligent, nerdy, cool, (etc.) I am!" Now I think I hold onto them out of a sense of nostalgia, and that thought saddens me.
I wonder if it's a similar thing with others, like collections of shoes, purses, etc. and why there's so many videos showing off people's collections.
Btw, have you seen the video George Carlin Talks About "Stuff"? ua-cam.com/video/MvgN5gCuLac/v-deo.html
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! I know I've already replied to your other comment with stuff I cut out of the video but I'm going to do it again! There's an episode of Bojack Horseman where the character Diane talks about her childhood fantasy of having a 'Belle Room' (a la Beauty and the Beast) and then is horrified when it becomes a reality. I think that explores the same kind of emotions you're talking about. I do it too when I walk around fancy department stores imagining I own items I can't afford to build a fantasy life I'm not convinced I actually want, haha.
I haven't seen that video, thanks for the recommendation!
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat Replying here because I don't want to hijack Mari Ko's wonderful comment. But no need to apologize! It's always lovely when the content creator replies, especially when it's to add further insight.
I completely understand why some things would need to be cut out. I feel that there's a lot that has contributed to our shifting mentalities on materialism, so it's a lot to cover. There's also some topics pertaining to this that are what I call "rabbit hole" topics (after Alice in Wonderland.)
One such topic is that I believe that younger generations are more critical and cynical about commercialism because they're more aware of the manipulation tactics and history of the market. For example:
Diamonds
www.gemnation.com/base?processor=getPage&pageName=forever_diamonds_2
www.engagementringbible.com/how-debeers-made-diamonds-a-girls-best-friend/
Deodorant
www.bustle.com/p/the-super-sneaky-history-of-how-advertisers-convinced-you-to-buy-deodorant-31270
www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-advertisers-convinced-americans-they-smelled-bad-12552404/
Shaving
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_removal_of_leg_and_underarm_hair_in_the_United_States
Not to mention things like food labels. @Subliminal Origami touched on this, about how a market for "music rooms" was created. This is basically the premise of most advertisement - creating a market, "need," for products. It really does have you questioning just what exactly does one need in one's life and to what extent have we been manipulated and conditioned. Personally, it makes me feel really gross, but I would still call this a boon of the "age of communication," (yay, Internet!...which is another rabbit hole.)
Edit: Forgot to add, since you mentioned "coping," that besides tiny houses and digitalizing our hoarding, I would also say that there's a definite rise in people wanting to live "off grid" or "homesteading." The aesthetic movement equivalent is called "cottagecore." Basically, "simple living," which I wonder if one could consider as another take or form of minimalism.
@@make_it_aesthetic Yes! I find the ways that advertisers are trying to get around this awareness of manipulation really interesting too. The subsequent increasing trend towards native advertising as a tactic feels so insidious. :/ Stop trying to hijack my brain!
I know, it's like a whole warren down here, haha!
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat I find the use of "influencers" almost as bad. I think it's really low of advertisers to use our in intrinsic trust of people we like and admire to dupe people into buying products that they don't need. I know it's nothing particularly new, like celebrities promotions, but it rubs me wrong.
Pretty Pastel Please did a mini series about how some influencers get paid to lie about products they promote: ua-cam.com/play/PLF9qH1Gbjf1nepLOb3PdCYd98N0C2wXiN.html
As for native advertisement, rather than feeling like my mind is being probed, I feel like my privacy is being violated and I hate it. I always go into settings and take off "targeted ads" if it's an option.
@@make_it_aesthetic I actually include influencers as part of native advertising but I know it's a grey area. Like, there are YT channels I really like that do sponsorships (which I totally support, people gotta eat) and they'll do funny sponsor messages, which I'll watch because they're entertaining. But that's exactly the trick the advertisers are pulling so I don't know how to feel about it! ಠ_ಠ
I've also heard podcast sponsor spots where they try to incorporate it into the podcast episode itself. Just play distinctive music over the adverts so I know when to stop pressing 'skip' lol
This video is massive. And not just because I've read all that stuff, but because it forms a whole, a piece of art in itself -- just about art. Thank you for this video!
Thank you!
I admit I felt satisfaction in saving this video.
I appreciate you putting this video together. I've always felt burdened by things and hated receiving gifts because of it. Towards the end of your video you mentioned people who are unable to replace objects lost due to economic means. That reverberated with me. I don't like having things because then I have to take care of them, and if I like them and they break/ fail then I probably can't replace them for a long while without incurring debt. You've given me some new concepts and perspectives to think about during my next bit of introspection. Thank you.
Thank you for your lovely comment!
Forget "tidying up once and for all." I love to discover cool bargain stuff, bring it home, enjoy it for awhile, and then donate while it can still "spark joy" for someone else. No more bins of stuff saved "for later," and no more bingeing on bins to "get organized once and for all."
Bonnie Kuhn same! You just have to be able to be honest with yourself about when it’s run its course 😄
So amazing! I can't get over the mastery that was this video. So much research, well curated visuals and music, cohesive thoughts. Thank you so much for this. Thankful to UA-cam for showing me this on my recommended! You have gained a subscriber and expect a patron as soon I start making money on my own.
Thank you so much! ❤
To me the concept of minimalism or decluttering is really simple... I have less stuff which means less cleaning, I have less stuff which means less constant visual overstimulation, I have less stuff so more room. It's easier on the eyes for me, a more calming environment (less distractions) and it saves me a lot of time. I've decluttered most of my space, but there are still things I want to get rid of/give away (mostly a lot of pants I no longer really wear). Even then all my pants fit in one drawer which is why I'm putting it off (also because laziness!). I know where everything is, which also saves me time.
I think Kondo is inspired by the concept of "ma" in Japanese culture. The "space"/emptiness is really important and has its own energy, that energy in the space will also affect our mood and well-being.
This is one of the best videos I've ever seen on UA-cam! I'll gladly add it to my collection of favorites.
Thank you so much! :D
A fantastic and thought provoking video as always. Thanks for the amazing effort and work put into these!
Thank you!
currently binge watching your channel and WOW. the production quality, editing, analysis, all so on point. can't believe u don't have more subs tbh
Ahh thank you! :D
Keep what makes you genuinely happy. That Simple
Really nudging my brain into unfamiliar territory right here, very enjoyable.
The remark at the end that decluttering might work towards an attention to 'being' instead of 'having' is very interesting because that thoughtful appreciation I imagine might actually stem from a distillation of everything we already have and describe ourselves with. Seems like refining lines before actually being able to reinvent.
Also it's hilarious witnessing strong opinions and discussions about something one could hardly care less about, all that taking sides regarding Kondo. The video was perfectly enjoyable with introducing the matter also through many sources besides Kondo, Baudrillard and contemporary context.
Thank you! :)
The aggression and defensiveness that people show when someone merely SUGGESTS they get rid of their junk really shows you how toxic and unhealthy their relationship with their stuff is.
I'm living with a family member who gets defensive even if I suggest they remove their junk from my room. Setting boundaries of this kind takes actual work. You need to be persistant, but also sensitive and not too persistent, and even present convincing argumentation as to why you can't store it if you have the space... /sigh/. To be fair they grew up in a very poor houshold, but still.
Sometimes I wonder if this is the reason why I'm so drawn to the idea of minimalism.
What makes you think that everyone who collects things has 'junk'. Collections are often very valuable financially. Many people collect for the joy of collecting, because they love what they collect. Then they get bullied by people who absorb this kind of minimalist philosophy. In my experience it is the people who go on about 'getting rid' of things who are the aggressors, I've seen it so many times.
@@evelang182 Once again, you're showing off your ignorance. How many of these defensive comments have you made on this video? If your collection sparks joy, Kondo wants you to save it and even display it. No one is bullying you for collecting. No one is coming to your abode and telling you to clear it out. Well not yet. Something tells me the city might.
@@pinksalamanders You're being way too black and white and actually pretty aggressive.
pinksalamanders How many comments have I made on this video? Well I don't know but why don't you tell me? Maybe you've been keeping count. I haven't . Maybe the decluttering mentality applies to UA-cam comments too? I already stated somewhere else on this video how I witnessed seeing someone bullied and harassed to ill health and then death by someone constantly going on at them to get rid of their collections. When they died their grasping family was soon there selling off their collectibles that were worth a tidy sum.
This video was incredible. Thank you for making this and explaining more about this decluttering culture. It really hit me when you mentioned that now images are the new objects. I usually try to spend some time decluttering my phone from old images and bunch of screenshots...
Thank you! :D
Surprisingly not mentioned:
The size of our fantasies (and what we can believably attain) are shrinking as the owning class continue to drive down wages.
This video essay is so thoughtfully and skillfully put together - I instantly subscribed! Can't wait for more!
Thank you! :D
Top-tier editing, excellent content. Glad I’ve found another very very good video essay channel to binge through. :D
Thank you! :D
Well thought out video! I'll peep the rest of the channel. The video essay genre is very competitive right now on youtube, I'm glad this one blew up.
Great moves, keep it up. Proud of you
Thank you!
Oh my, I download tons of dresses, objects and houses for my Sims when I'm sad or unsatisfied. This kinda makes sense.
Just wanted to say congratulations on such a beautifully crafted visual essay. Really compelling. Keep up the awesome work! Xx
Thank you so much! :D
This is, as far as I can remember, the first video I've seen of yours. I liked it a lot. Thank you for making it. I adore the KonMari method and admire Marie Kondo a lot, and examining how they exist within human society is, I think, very important.
I look forward to watching more of your videos.
Thank you very much!
this channel has such fantastically produced videos I am so excited this was recommended to me
Thank you! :D
This deserves a million views.
Thank you! ❤
Wow... The quality of this production is simply stellar!
Thank you!
Most of the "minimalist" videos they just display another way to consume and own that is considered to be more elevated, but it's still a lot about consuming and showing it, mainly because most of that movement turned something highly political (radical left) into a kind of marketable lifestyle. I don't think it's all bad but it certainly not random that the deep political aspect of it has disappeared, or is, at best, displayed only trough zero waste stakes and individual goals that do not question the general (economical) system that brought us here.
Capuc!ne Chaussonpassion Minimalism is a radical left movement? Good lord.
This is so fascinating to consider post pandemic (when we get there), because I feel like I observed a big rise in 'cozy maximalism' after the first lockdown, when our gaze was very much centred on our domestic space...
I've been homeless, lost everything I owned...including my clothes that were stolen out of my car.
Now that I have a place, I'm collecting lots of shit and loving every second of it. 😜
And that's a slippery slope to hoarding. I'd be careful if I were you. A number of hoarders I've seen have had similar experiences. Theres a line between having lots of stuff and hoarding. Be very careful not to cross it.
@@fireemberess meh.
Jezabel, I am glad that you now have a place and can collect lots of stuff. Enjoy it all! You keep doing you!I'm now at a different point in my life--where getting rid of clutter (which doesn't necessarily mean getting rid of stuff) is giving me the greatest joy.
Very cool and all the best to you, also! Life is to be experienced, and having such a broad experience can only be enriching on the other side. I honestly believe that the size of the hole you fall down is equivalent to the strength you amass by pulling yourself out. The very process of doing that may make your collecting of things more wise. It would be totally fine if you didn’t want to put in the effort to ‘re-dress’ your life, but the fact that you are enjoying it means, I think, that this is a wholesome act.
Is funny how hoarding, or rather their psychology, works. Specially because your background. Hoarding after being poor is just an instinct of survival, it calls you to keep things because your experience is "I never know when I'll need this, I'll never know if in the future I will have the necessary resources for buying again this thing". I know, my own family was living in a precarious way and my parents still hoard a lot of things even after 20 years of leaving that live. Because I was little and didn't feel the same about objects is more easy for me discard things that I know i will not need in the future. Even in the "what if" scenarios.
another excellent and beautifully edited video. tangible evidence of the ephemeral - that's the root of it all! we love to display what cannot be displayed - intelligence, spirituality, frugality - our egos desire others to see how "good" we are, how smart, etc. instead of building relationships with others, we build relationships with stuff (or, alternately, a lack of stuff). both are defined by our things and how we want to be perceived by other people. i love how you bring up the idea that companies have stopped selling us stuff but started selling us ideas, ideals. its not like that hasn't always been the case but as you point out its soooo obvious now. ugh. thank you for this great vid!
Thank you very much!
Yeah, it's like they're not even trying to hide it anymore, haha.
The idea of a move from being, to having, to appearing is fantastically elegant. I'm inspired to finally get round to reading some Debord! If anyone knows a good place to start I'd be grateful to hear it.
You can read The Society of the Spectacle here: theanarchistlibrary.org/library/guy-debord-the-society-of-the-spectacle.pdf
:D
This was so incredibly well put together! You’ve really given me something to consider here. Thanks so much!
Thank you!
Grace, this is a really interesting interpretative take on post-consumerism and the western cultural shift away from how it's been in the past. I also love that you're moving out of the realm of what we view as traditional film-media, and into a more cultural and broad perspective.
I'd love to see your take on the current upswing (again?) of artistic and psychological horror, but not specifically like the Babadook or unnaturalism via Evil Dead.
Thank you! Glad your enjoying the less film-centric videos.
I don't think I have much of interest to say about horror trends right now, but I do love talking about horror so you never know. :D
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat
That's super fair, and I'll look forward to your next video, whatever it may be!
Maybe something on hate-watching, a'la the uptick in people watching things like Riverdale, The Kardashians, The Emoji Movie? sorry, I have no self restraint and need to stop.
Haha, hate watching is a really interesting phenomenon! And as it's not something I do, it completely baffles me! lol
The "aspirational life" that we create on Pinterest is also being introduced to Instagram now that you can save posts into different folders. I know I tend to like things on my feed and then if I like them enough I save them to different folders. Fashion inspiration, art I like, places I want to visit. I find myself curating so many online collections and in my mind, I'm creating alternate lives where I bought that item of clothing or visited that place I saw someone post about. It's so strange. Sometimes I get off Instagram and have to ground myself in reality again and remember all the things I actually have and all the things I have actually done. That point about images and brands ignoring (or maybe making us forget) the physicality of our bodies and the everyday act of living is so interesting and one that I have been trying to put into words lately. It's so true that seeing advertisements and images of things to buy/things to experience both creates a need in us for that thing, and also makes us forget about the act of obtaining it, having it, storing it, and potentially throwing it out later. This is also aided by the fact that online shopping is so easy nowadays and much easier than going out and buying the thing with our own bodies (putting in the PayPal login is much less guilt-inducing than handing over your cash). Great video!
Thank you! And thank you for your thoughtful comment! :D
Well said.
Personally, I feel like Minimalism is based on following an aesthetic trend now more than ever.
I guess from the Marie Kondo hype, we are "inspired" to believe if we get rid of more stuff, it will automatically lead to a happier life...
This is brilliantly written and presented- I too feel that the rise of KonMari decluttering is in essence a direct response to the consumerism that dominates much of our identities. In essence, it's about decoupling yourself from what you own, removing any societal shackles to "own" things that you don't desire, and calling attention to them while simultaneously lettingthe things you do remain in the background of your life.
God, this channel is just the best ❤ Thank you for decluttering my feelings on the subject.
Thank you so much! :D
Wow, what a truly incredible video essay. I'm so happy the UA-cam algorithm recommended this to me. Subscribed!
Thank you very much! I'm happy too! :D
I have a lot of "stuff" in my house, but it's all stuff that makes me happy and it's all organized and my house is clean.
Thank you for a very well rounded perspective on this trend. Really challenged my own conceptions (having incorporated copper into almost all my spaces, and vicariously living through home makeover videos). I am very surprised that you don't have more subscribers! Isn't this kind of well-rounded video making decluttering for your brain? Very on-trend ;)
Haha, thank you! :)
As an Indian guy who grew up in the 90s/00s of a middle class family, stuff Kondo discussed here are so obvious to me. (Not trying to be dismissive, just surprised)
It's weird how different (contemporary) cultures have different requirements for objects (and good and bad stuff born out of them).
UA-cam recommendations has actually recommended a gem of a video and creator.
Going to binge on the other videos now.
Thank you very much!
I like the idea of tiny houses like the idea of a treehouse. it be cool to hang out in for a few hours, not live all year round.
I rarely leave comments, but you should feel proud of your well documented, clear thesis and videography skills. Really well made video, I enjoyed it.
Thank you so much!
The fact that appereances can be commodified always messes me up, I haves me second guessing a lot of the things I do. Do I like minimalism because I want to be instead of to have, or do I like the aesthetic alone and I'm just pretending, how could you even differentiate between the two
Thank you so much for sharing this insightful view point! It has made me reflect deeply on the minimalist ideology and why it's taking up so much power, and what does it says of our era epistemologically, it totally shifted the way I understand our worlds episteme... Thank you again, I can't thank you enough!
Thank you very much! I'm glad you found it helpful. ❤
I just want a tiny house/minimalism bc I dislike cleaning so it's easier to me having less stuff to clean :y
just buy less stuff in the regular size house?
@@SkyreeXScalabar I can even buy a house+ regular house has more space than a tiny house
(Also I was talking about the "lifestyle" not the architecture style)
I love cleaning and that is why I am minimalist.
Also there's less of a chance of a serial killer hiding in your house undetected for hours lol too many rooms=more hiding spots
idk, but. this minimalist mindset might turn into a national ideology.
A lovely video. Calming, informational, and has definitely brought me joy.
Thank you!
Minimalism is such an expensive lifestyle. Living an ‘uncluttered life’ is really just visual shorthand for ‘i’m rich enough to not need to keep things around for just in case’. People who are lower income simply can’t afford the luxury to just get rid of their spare pens, the clothes they don’t particularly love, or the furniture that they got second hand. Their ‘clutter’ is security in an insecure financial situation. If they had to go through the effort of saving up to purchase an item, simply throwing it out because it no longer ‘sparks joy’ seems wasteful. In minimalism, having no excess clutter indicates that if you ever need an item you do not have, then you can simply go out and get it. You don’t need to keep it on hand just in case you can’t afford it when you need it
In part you are correct, if they didn't have the money to own things they would eventually not need anymore, this wouldn't be an issue. So what, though? This is still a reality for many middle class people, and as such it makes sense that it is covered.
>simply throwing it out because it no longer ‘sparks joy’ seems wasteful
Quite the opposite. We have so many systems to repurpose old things now, and have marketed them in such a way that people feel good about themselves when using them, that keeping something just lying around in your basement would be far more wasteful than introducing it back into the market through giving it to a second-hand shop or recycling.
What? Pens are free you can just go to a campus event and get like sixty. Who is so low class they have to stock pile too many pens?
@@ColtonPhillips Pen collectors?
@@evelang182 if it's a need, you can get free pens at the campus Fair. If you're a pen collector, it's a desire, not a need. Therefore there shouldn't be any financial penalty for getting rid of it. Should safely be able to remove alll the collected Pens that no longer make you happy.
LOL. You are taking my comment way too seriously. People collect all sorts of things for all sorts of reasons. People analyse everything too much nowadays. People who like to collect whatever are just called hoarders by people who don't. The people who don't should get off the backs of people who do.
The most fascinating video I've seen in quite a while. Thank you for this! Subscribed.
Thank you very much!
I hate that rose gold became the color of marketing and hyperconsuming because I think it's pretty but don't want to be associated with the bougie lifestyle that birthed it.
As a designer: every decade (or year) has its color. 50's red, 80's yellow, etc. While rose gold is viewed by some as a "symbol of consumerism", don't be ashamed to like the color. Nothing wrong with appreciating the style of the present time, as long as you're intentional about what you're buying.
Also, nice WWDITS profile pic. :)
Wow. Awesome video. I notice the description calls it an essay and... Yeah, it really is! It had a lot of distracting, quick-moving visuals and only tangentially related clips but that kept the visual stimulation high and left the rest of my brain free to really think about what was being said. I'm going to be thinking about the ideas presented for days or weeks, coming back to the points made and trying to decide if I agree or why I disagree. Thank you for publishing on UA-cam some actually life-enriching, thought-provoking material.
Thank you very much!
Great!
I really like the style of your videos :D
Thank you!
Pinterest induces so much vertigo in me, and you've finally revealed to me why. Hoarding images,, unable to remove them from my boards because "I've had it for so long, its a part of me now, a memento of who I've been." I very viscerally Know that buying & Having™️, will never buy me the lifestyle I want. So, shopping for potential lifestyles feels like an exercise in futility. And yet, the design of the app Forces you to do this (pathetically futile) activity. Unlike you, my desire for perfection does not get met by my pinterest boards. I can never find images that perfectly encapsulate the "Aethestic" or subculture or vibe im trying to encapsulate. What a lofty goal: to capture an entire subculture in under 50 images, in one single attention span (about 45 minutes) Vertigo is the perfect word for the dizzying, helpless feeling i get when I try to declutter my digital spaces. (Such as spotify, where, like pinterest, i can't bring myself to change playlists because I want to preserve them for posterity)
Yeah, it can be so hard to let go of even immaterial things
“Marie Kondo, or, how I learned to stop worrying and love liquid capitalism”
Love your comment. 👍
Got your video in my recommended and I'm glad I clicked in it. I like how you talk about how this minimalism can be a step to trying to stop defining ourselves with posessions but at the same time it doesn't mean that adopting this "style" makes you automatically more "free", since, I think humans would try to find other ways to project who they are, and without forgetting that brands can prey in any trend. I really like the last sentence.
"We shouldn't forget to ask just what we're being sold." Since brands seem to be trying harder and harder to make us forget that they are corporations trying to sell us stuff.
I hope that I grasped what you were trying to convey in the video. (And that my comment is coherent).
Anyway, new suscriber.
Edit: Fixed some grammatical errors. -Probably not all of them.-
Thank you very much!
You grasped exactly what I was trying to convey! :D
it's all because everything is overpriced and wages are small, everywhere in the world. unchecked capitalism is a one-way road to, at least, severe civil unrest
People will still horde trash, even to the detriment of long term financial needs. It just means it's smaller and cheaper. Problem is buying and holding stuff now versus 20+ years ago is most consumer goods are built to be trash before the next fiscal cycle. A lot of the push back is because corporate greed's quantity over quality is the default model. Even intangible things like online data is seeing it, look at the gaming industry in the last 2 years. More sales over better products and the market is collapsing because of it.
@@UlshaRS That's what makes the most sense regarding the reasons for the present trend.
The amount of thought and effort that went into this video (video essay really), is impressive
Thank you!
My gosh, I would really love to have Spanish closed captioning on this thesis; this subject has been a strong point of contention on my husband's side of the family (his father being a packrat to the point where it's not only unhealthy but also dangerous, seeing as how the clutter sometimes catches fire). My sisters-in-law have been trying to set a good example after seeing Marie Kondo on Netflix, but the nuances of this subject escape him, as he very much refuses to contemplate, mistaking rumination as dwelling listlessly. I wish I could help, but our communication is stunted by needing to rely on my husband to translate, putting too much faith in Google Translate, and waiting on the years (or even decades) it will take for me to continue learning the language. It's a shame that I can't articulate this point well on my own (or any point, for that matter, as a 3-year-old native speaker can talk circles around me), so I sincerely hope that someone with the know-how would be so kind as to volunteer their time and effort to help make this accessible to Spanish speakers. I can say for sure that it would make an impact on the lives of my in-laws.
I'll let you know here if someone provides Spanish captions!
As an English native, I would like to encourage you! The level of English writing you have is excellent!!!
And often the clutter is a symtom of other stuff that goes on within a person. Holding onto the physical when the world feels fleeting. Good luck!
I'd be willing to create Spanish subtitles!
I don't have much free time, but I'm willing to help caption this video
@@SteppingStonevlogs I believe she's the Native English speaker, and her husband is not, hence the request for Spanish subtitles, because she struggles to translate English thoughts, ideals, and concepts *to* her husband.
There is only mindset you should get from this video :" What can I live without?"
You will be surprised how much money you could save, the spatial liberation you get in your personal space, life uncomplicated by digital choices, loans for personal usage (house,car,etc) Keep things by function, you get clarity. and when you know what is truly important, keep them. And discard/store them when it is no longer - functional.