Holy sh..., my friends! If you think, my review was mean and too harsh: I just found this dude: ua-cam.com/video/YAvs-RqTIhk/v-deo.html (Oh, and for the ones that were telling me to shut up because I don't have enough subscribers, he seems to have 2.83 Mio. So that hopefully makes it legit enough to people who like to obsess about street credit on UA-cam :P )
Anyone that tells you that you should shut up because you don't have enough subscribers are very simple people and by simple i mean simple in their heads.
I think anyone familiar with their first movie or podcast would watch the movie and be bored out of their mind. It’s repetitive of everything their podcast and movie already was. It would’ve been much more inspiring had it shared more people’s stories, showed some tricks or history about it, testimonials or something! So I agree it wasn’t great.
I want to watch that one, but I kind of wanted an unbiased view on the new movie. I've heard a few episodes of the podcast, and when I saw the movie, it felt like they just copy-pasted a whole bunch of phrases. Maybe that's just what happens, if you talk about the same topic over and over again. Like a great campfire story. I still think the podcast is encouraging to a lot of people and I just listen to the ones with interesting guests...
Yeah, that was pretty much my experience of it. I liked their first documentary pretty well. Not the best I've ever seen, but it introduced several good people doing good things and had actual good tips and advice. This later one seemed like too much personality fluff. I felt let down.
Yeah. It is. I've often heard this mantra »Create more than you consume« in the context of content cration/UA-cam creators advice etc. But I think, everyone of us has once been there or still is there, where we just consume more than we can ever create...
Hi there.. I think it’s brave of you to start a discussion about The Minimalists.. In the beginning, I liked their content, when I was absorbing a lot about the principles of minimalism.. But the active way of promoting for themselfs is so frustrating/annoying/tiring.. I do think it’s an american thing, almost to brag about yourself and to get out as much as possible.. I feel that with a lot of American people.. So that is perhaps also a cultural thing
Same here. I listened to a few of their podcasts and actually liked it. But it gets repetitive fast. I think, I like it when people don't just create content on one single topic. I get it, the UA-cam algorithm likes it better if you just do that, if you just stick to a niche. But it's not what I need or what I want for myself even. I just think Americans might be more outgoing and open about this kind of stuff. I don't mind a bit of bragging and being proud about one's accomplishements. Don't want to make too many assupmtions here. But I don't like what is called "humble-bragging".
Yeah. I'm just glad others see that too, because I was absolutely not sure of it was just me. I would actually have liked a real documentary on minimalism...
Same! I've tried their podcast, but that very soon becomes repetitive. And quite mentoring. Also, I cannot relate to their stories. I'm not American, I've never get 100k a year (lol), I'm young adult female and immigrant... and so on. Upd. A good point that they criticize ads and aggressively advertise themselves :)
I feel you. I think they even mention something like earning 50 grand per year, wanting more etc... And I just thought: That's a decent amount of money for most people... Some never even get there.
@@UndineAlmani I think it's not even particular number that matters, but that I've never valued attempts to earn 100k. Although I'm also from a foodstamps-level of income family, and that's the only point I can relate (well, that was the fate of most post-Soviet population in 90s-00s). But that's the difference of the mindset at the start point
@@katjarozantseva8069 Yes, you're right. Although I do think, having income goals is a good thing... But it has nothing to do with minimalism for rme... I can't even say what the message of the movie would have been in the end. It just felt like a biography.
@@UndineAlmani I agree that goal matter, just this accent on income, debt, dependence of lifestyle on income is what making it a little bit cringy for me
I find Joshua F-M to be extremely off-putting. He seems to think he is superior to everyone. If Ryan had his own podcast, I could see myself listening. He seems down to earth, easy to talk to, he can see different perspectives. But as long as Joshua is running the show, I can’t consume that content.
That is so true. Whenever I listened to the podcast, I just thought "Why doesn't Ryan talk more?" Je seems like a nice guy. I'd totally subscribe to his solo project, if he had one 👍🏻
I feel exactly the same. I stopped following because of him and boy he can # waffle # , the guest on a show is just an addition to his monologues. (He is good at writing though). Ryan however seems like a really nice guy!
It's a very intelligent ad. I think, a lot of people see value in their content and don't really mind. And I also don't have anything against paywalls. I just find the level of professionalism weird in such a simple lifestyle topic as minimalism, having made something that open source as minimalism into a product. It's like selling air to me, especially with regard to all the very good free content on minimalism out there.
Canadian here. I can't get past the first 5 - mins of any of their podcasts. They are so puerile, superficial, egotistical, pedantic, and sexist. 🤷🏼♀️ So, yeah - your basic mainstream American media tripe. Thank you for this review & more global perspective🌿✨
I thought my video was mean but these comments sincerely make my day :-D I'm kind of relieved that so many people get annoyed with their content. I thought, I was the only one 🙈 Don't know much about Americans though, as I've never been there (and if I ever go to that continent, I kind of want to see the Alberta first hehe).
I fully acknowledge the issue of white saviorism, but I also don't want to start a debate fueled by too many generalizations. I'm a boring white potato myself, but I don't want to be a savior weirdo. I think, there are a lot of nice Americans, who are not at all like this. But those are usually not as loud... 💙
I agree! Especially Joshua haha. I hate the way they treat their female guests, they barely get to say anything and they are interrupted all the time, while male guests are treated as if they were their best friends.
American here, but I fully agree.... except that it isn't strictly American, it's (ironically) capitalist/consumerist and the American variety is first and foremost (certainly) .... But I see it all around the world, heavily, from Greece to Latin America to Australia to Singapore.... It's everywhere. And it's very tiresome.
I agree 100%. It's definitely not a documentary, it's purely hype for their own highly monetized brand. Like you, I much prefer the many (free) personal stories about real people on their unique and individual journeys. I initially came to minimalism 15 years ago via the tiny house movement, and even in my beginning stages I found these guys tiresome and irrelevant. My very American form of debt was not credit card debt, but medical debt. In 2005 I lived in a state in the US where I wasn't eligible for health insurance because I have scoliosis, so when I was diagnosed with stage IV lymphoma I had to sell my house and all my belongings, as well as liquidate all my retirement funds and other life savings, to pay for treatment. I was in my 50s and left with nothing except debt. Minimalism and a tiny house were initially acts of necessity and desperation, the only way I could manage to survive. I mostly ignore "The Minimalists" and their ilk, but I'm still a bit bitter about the moralistic undertones they have around debt, and the way they dismiss it as nothing more than a form of greed and self-indulgence. Thanks for your always interesting UA-cam channel!
Wow. Thank you for sharing this. I'd love to have you on a podcast! This is so much more inspiring than most things you see online. I hope you are good now. I didn't even know that tiny houses existed 15 years ago... Yes, it's not alright to reduce debt to personal failure or brush over it like everyone can overcome it by decluttering a few things. I don't think that I ever got any money for 80% of what I got rid of... And as you said, debt can have many different reasons. In my country, it is just harder to accumulate debt because you'd get your cards cancelled fast. And we have public health insurance that covers almost every treatment. We kinda give 40-50% of our income to taxes but I never knew any other way, and so I never really questioned it. I think, minimalism should be about helping people. That's it's main purpose. To enable people and make life easier or more bearable. 💙
Late to the party, but I'm glad to see that I'm not alone in the things that feel weird/off/disconcerting about The Minimalists. It feels like they've hardly progressed from where they started ten years ago. Books, tours, podcasts, and other media aside, I don't get the sense that their perspective or message has really evolved. As a result I find it increasingly less relevant to my own journey. At times on their podcast it seems that Ryan and/or their guest is held hostage to JFM's monologues, and so I often lose interest in the finishing an episode. I think it's important to remember that before they were The Minimalists, both Joshua and Ryan were salesmen--successful salesmen. Even though I think they genuinely believe their minimalist message, they definitely know how to market themselves.
Yeah, I mean there's no shame in making money with that. But if it was a software product and not a movie and books and videos, it would simply need a patch and a ton of updates, desperately, by now. I feel like they simply have no competition, because they have allocated this brand for themselves, and that universal name, so they will be the first hit on Google for the rest of their lives, I guess. Maybe you just need some sort of pressure to be creative... I'd be the first to check their format out again if they'd start putting in the effort.
@@UndineAlmani haha Well, It had to be said. I saw it on the day it came out. I have to say that It was disappointing. I was expecting a more in depth video about minimalism, and got a longer version of their "tragic and indebted" life.😂
It was a repeat of their first movie, the first one was better. But they just repeat the same thing over and over, same wording, over and over, they haven’t had any original content in years. They are just trying to stay relevant and make money. For someone new to minimalism it could be helpful but just watch the first movie, no need to consume anything else from them.
I only know that effect from listening to my husband telling the same anecdote the 125th time when we have friends over that don't already know the one ;-D Felt exactly like it... only that I like my husband's anecdotes actually XD I will give the first movie a chance! A lot of my friends said the same thing and I'm going to check it out.
I think they want to communicate "quality > quantity", but their brand has become so extremely professional... it's more like "high end design > just good quality" ...
@mika 161 lol. Nothing is wrong with that. Just watch the video. And when you're done with that, watch the one in the pinned comment. Nothing more to say than that. Enjoy.
Their first movie was better in my memory because there were more different people explaining the concept of minimalism. I did not like their 2 nd movie which is just redundant and as you said the part when they play their role in the past seem a bit narcissic to me and on my opinion does not match with the idea that the minimalism represents. But as a matter of fact, american culture is différent of european as well as asian, and it is so obvious when watching videos about the way each people express their vision of minimalism... I am looking for other movies on the subject, would you please share the titles you made reference to ? (except Marie Kondo series..) Thank you for your videos and minimalist style !
I think they tried that too with this one. But the documentary part really was too short. I think that different views on minimalism and different definitions are super interesting. I am currently working on a discussion style format for UA-cam. But I'm not inviting "famous minimalists". Just normal people from my community. Let's see where it leads. I don't want to get too caught up in the bubble. At some point, it can really only be redundant... I shared the UA-camrs I like in the video description. Especially *Benita Larsson* makes beautiful calming videos about minimalism. Hope that helps :-) On my channel page, there are also some links.
@@UndineAlmani Thank you ! I think that testimonies from normal people could be absolutely interesting and more in phase with how « common people » live their journey towards or in minimalism, more realistic and not an unreachable fantasy. I am looking forward to your new project (no pressure ;))
Thank you. You're kind of the first one to know here. I've only shared the idea on Instagram so far. There will be a few other videos up before though. Because I want to ba able to upload a couple as a series, and not just one and then nothing for three weeks or so.
Their response to "we accumulated all this money and all this stuff but we're still not happy" is part of the reason why I stopped following them. Shouldn't that direct you to a more outward look of the American (consumerism) system rather than the individual self? And then to start making money off that notion... it's a SUPER privileged thing to be able to do and they don't seem to recognise that. Also, thanks for making this video because I don't think enough people offer constructive criticism of them.
it's generic because it's mass market. that's the compromise it takes to get on a global platform like netflix. matt d'avella is the director behind those guys who is never on camera there but speaks better than they do on his own youtube channel. I prefer him but he is still sort of superficial as americans are want to be . you might not get past that with him but it might be worth it. I don't delve much into their podcasts or anything like either.
I watched the movie, and I felt so-so about it. It was a dramatic re-enactment of their Less is Now Tour -- which I also saw when they came to Pittsburgh. From time to time, I will listen to snippets of their podcasts, but there are other creators with whom I connect more. As for needing to have a particular amount of subscribers in order to voice YOUR opinion -- what the hell is that?
Yep. But I give them that they pimped it pretty well ;-D Came across a bit cringy tho imo. I listen to their podcast when I'm interested in the guest, but oftentimes the guests don't get to talk enough for my taste. In a few newer episodes I do however see improvement. Maybe they get the criticism finally (or I just don't notice anymore). Thanks for that! I agree! I hear this only on "unpopular opinion" videos. People demand you got some sort of youtube street credit... idk, I am interested in all opinions, no matter where they come from.
hi :) american here - your summary on americans cracked me *up* with how accurate i felt it was. "credit card debt, coca-cola, and a.a." i lived my entire life in the us until i moved to tokyo 5 years ago at 28. i have such a different view of america from outside of it now. i also don't do podcasts... it's refreshing to hear someone else doesn't either. i tried watching their first movie a few years ago and didn't make it very far into it so have no interest in their latest one. but i am so glad i watched this review of it because i'll be watching the rest of your content throughout the day today. i'm in the last few weeks of my first pregnancy and it's brightened my day to find a new content creator to enjoy! thank you for sharing your time and a portion of your life on youtube
I just don't have the time to listen to podcasts a lot... I rather listen to music while working, because otherwise I can't contentrate... It's interesting to hear that. I didn't want it to sound bad or anything. It is just what you see on TV, it's a cliche. There are a lot about my country too ;-D But I guess, there is some truth in cliches. They are like condensed problem descriptions, I think :) Thank you for subscribing and best of luck to you and your little one! I was awake about 2-3 hours each night towards the end of my pregnancy and I watched so many UA-cam videos, just to relax... Enjoy that sleep! :-)
@@UndineAlmani yes, i'm the same with listening to music while i work. there's definitely truth to the cliche in regards to the us - no offense taken there! it's like one of my favorite quotes from the movie 'up in the air' - i stereotype, it's faster. and thank you! i appreciate how much in your content, both here and on insta, that you protect your child's right to privacy. it's refreshing to see this alternative since some people post absolutely every detail about their child's development on social media.
I started reading about minimalism in 2012 (I think) and when I found their content it was very valuable to me. I listened to their podcast while going to work and I really liked their first documentary and I recommended it to lots of friends, it talks about their story (in less detail than this documentary) and other people search for happiness in minimalism, and I found it very inspiring. I live in Chile and as a country we idolize and copy most of the american style kind of living, so I found that part very relatable of what I can see in my society. However, when they started promoting their patreon they made their podcast chapters very short (so you had to pay to get the extended version) and I found that their content was no longer valuable to me. I still get their e-mails to see if they make a chapter that is for interest but I currently use them for recommendations of topics-authors to explore. I had high expectations for this documentary and I found to be redundant and not as well made as the first one.
I also like to watch/listen to the podcast, if the guest is someone interesting. And I completely understand that they put them behind a paywall. I would do that too, if I only had a podcast as my main content. It is like paying for a newspaper imo. I also have a Patreon and offer Patreon-only content (yoga videos, behind the scenes, book chapters, meditations and so on). But I don't want my free content to suffer, so I want to avoid "preview stuff" like that and just use it as an early-access and support community. I also agree that their content is valuable to a lot of people and I find some of it still interesting. But it has become repetitive (the 2nd move is the best example for that) and I am also not too much into that kind of "designer minimalism", with the fancy furniture and all that, and they kind of represent that to me. It just doesn't resonate much with me. - However, I find it really hard to criticize that, because apart from sustainability awareness, it's really a personal choice. So, my critique mostly goes out to the bad style and the monetization of the same stuff twice in a row without adding new value, I guess :D
the point of this movie was the little snippets of people telling what minimalism did for them because it's the sequel to their last doc. but like that one they reiterate too much because they worry people aren't going to get it and also there really isn't that much to say about minimalism in a general sense. better to take it in tacitly by learning from people's experiences
I think they do a great job and I’ve derived a lot of value from them…..and I’ve never spent a cent. I value their approach and find it inspiring . If it’s not for you, pass on by and find something that is for you.
Hi, I just seen this vlog in my feed, so I have just subscribed to your channel. I didn't enjoy the less is now documentary as much as I did the first one, and I did find alot of its content repetitive from the first. I got interested in minimalism through my great love of the philosophy of stoicism. I Look forward to your vlogs in the future. I hope you have a great week and Best wishes and stay safe and well to you and your family
A great quote from stoicism that is very apt for minimalism "Until we have begun to go without them, we fail to realize how unnecessary many things are. We've been using them not because we needed them, but because we had them" Seneca
I plan to watch that one too. I just didn't because I wanted an unbiased impression of this one. Thank you for subscribing! Stoicism I'd so interesting. I only learned about it in school. Maybe I should do some more reading on it. Can you recommend anything in particular? Are you reading the original literature?
That's also true. It's still a better investment of time and money. But I think, both can be done. Simple living and quality purchases don't exclude each other, at least if you limit it to a reasonable amount of luxury....
@@UndineAlmani hi, yes stoicism to me is beautiful. The first book I would highly recommend would be Marcus Aurelius - meditations, it wasn't a book ever intended for publish, it was his own personal journal to use as reflection for mindfulness. Another is Seneca - letters from a stoic, and a modern book that uses the ancient wisdom would be the daily stoic by Ryan Holiday. I think you may really like stoicism as it not at odds with minimalism or mindfulness, if anything it compliments them both and goes hand in hand with them.
@Kieran Denieffe hi, I think minimalism will vary from person to person the fundamentals are all pretty similar, me personally I also am mindful of my consumption but also enjoy the serenity of living a life without excess. But sometimes we may make purchases of things that are beneficial or enriching to our lives, for me it's books. Some books I keep forever such as Marcus Aurelius meditations, but ones i am not keeping I will give to libraries, that way many other people get to read them too.
I really appreciate how respectful and mild mannered this vid is. Truth be told, I was just hoping to see other people call them douchebags (Personally, I think Ryan is a lot more smug than Joshua and I don't get why so many people see it as the other way around.) But, I like what you said a lot more, your take on their brand is very well thought out and you were very clear with your thoughts on the matter. I really like what you have to say.
First documentary really inspired me and jolting me into being proactive about consuming less but this follow up sequel is literally a rehash, I was really let down.
Now that I have seen the first one (didn't want to watch it to have an unbiased view on the new movie), I totally feel you! It's pretty repetitive. Also the podcast. After a while, I knew most of their repertoire (sentence-wise). Too bad, it could be such a variety there!
I love your suggestions for people to follow! I think that anything that goes so viral is kind of a "basic bitch" of minimalism haha. It's something that people think of if you stop them in the street and ask what minimalism is. But anyone who starts looking into minimalism, following other people, reading and looking into their own progress, have a different, personal view of minimalism.
Your review is completely unsurprising to me with your reaction to these guys and their content... I've not seen the movie but I've seen plenty of their other stuff and a few interviews over the years and your description of the film is exactly what I'd have imagined it to be, and exactly why I never bothered. "Content creation" has become such a strange thing, and just like *anything* in pop culture, when there is a trend that has value it does not take long for the sponsorship variety of that thing, whatever it may be, to take hold and at that point the core of the message/activity/'ism has changed. That's what they are. They seem like genuinely good guys, but sound like any other sponsored pop trend in the delivery and manner of it all..... The same is true of sports, clothing, travel, just about anything lifestyle related and beyond. I get what you mean exactly.
I think the problem is also that minimalism is a very trivial topic in itself. And they are stuck with this tiny niche. I want my channel to include all the things I think about and make helpful stuff out of it and that's actually not that easy. So I feel how hard it must be for them to make the same content over and over again. I just don't think it's a good excuse, or that the money they make is in relation to the value they give, because it simply isn't anything new at this point. I hope I don't get there one day. UA-cam is constantly evolving. So should creators...
To your point about personal debt as a uniquely American problem: I get the impression that credit is especially frowned upon in Germany, even in comparison with equivalent economies, but that’s definitely not the case in the U.K. I think things there are more similar to the US.
Ah, okay. How come? I have heard that a lot of debt issues come from student fees. That is one thing we don't have in Germany. I've personally never known anyone with a huge debt, no credit card debts especially, other than when taking on a loan to buy a house. I don't want to be arrogant about it. I think, it's a flawed system, if it allows debt to pile up like that. You'd quickly lose your credit card for that here and not get another one even.
@@UndineAlmani i believe it’s as the result of credit liberalisation and a change in attitudes as a result. Also, big emphasis on home ownership and one of the most expensive cities in the world (London) as well as few renters’ rights, so mortgages can be massive.
The movie was out in Canada years ago 😉 And I don't listen to podcasts either... The only thing I really appreciated in this movie was the 20 minute/20 dollar rule!
Yeah, that's a good one. I call it the "pain in the a__"-rule. If it's too much of a pain to get some item, I rather keep it and save myself the trouble. Once I got rid of a book and I thought, if I ever need this again, I can just buy it online. So I donated it. Turns out, I needed it again, bought it new because it was unavailable on second hand bookshop sites. And guess what? They made a new version with such a crappy print, I really regretted having given up the first one. I still have this one now, but it's so annoying to read it because of the bad quality -.-
I couldn’t agree more with your perspective on this movie. Being a practicing minimalist myself, it took everything I had to finish the movie. Goes against everything I value pertaining to my time. it was an hour of my time I will never get back. I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed their initial documentary in my early days of my transition from being a hoarder essentially. It’s clear the movie was geared towards a certain audience. Certainly not for those who pursue minimalism for the deeper meaning.
Yeah, I couldn't have done it without food lol ;D It was pretty boring (and I didn't see the first one intentionally!) I think if I had seen this in my hoarder days, I would have probably liked it too and be motivated. But that was a long time ago XD
I watched the first movie and I remember that I liked it. I watched the trailer for the second and I realized it was exactly the same as the first. Good review!
I think the minimalist definitely have a place as a brand: it follows that converting dissatisfied consumer capitalists to minimalism world require content that looks more like what they're used to (consumer capitalist). Though the content is repetitive, I often listen to feel a sense of community in being minimalist - sometimes it gets lonely
Agreed, I just watched it and ended up skipping through most of it, thinking there might be something new or insightful. Nope, just a rehash of the same old material from their previous documentary. Same old “hey, a bunch of stuff won’t make you happier” cliches with B-roll of giant factories and amazon deliveries. There weren’t any practical suggestions or interesting stories from other people. His talking about his mom also rubbed me the wrong way, almost like he was exploiting her story for attention, because it didn’t really feel relevant to the subject of minimalism.
Im American. It's not a cultural difference: The documentary is just so so bad. I can't believe they went with that fake approach. It's such an amazing message, but just really boring content delivered in a very unauthentic way.
I think the comments re the Minimalists are a bit mean. Sure, they are professional at what they do, they make no secret of it. They are entrepreneurs with a good idea and they give help to many, many people through their books, films and podcasts. I did my major declutter before The Minimalists came along but I would have liked to try their #Minsgame. Sounds fun and for many it has been a good kickstarter to getting rid of stuff. I like a lot of their "Minimalist Rules", for example, the 90 day rule. Often if I am hesitant about getting rid of something I will think, well I haven't used it in the last 90 days and if I don't use it in the next 90 days out it goes! I admit I am sometimes sad when a favourite UA-camr goes "professional" because it necessarily has become a job not just something they are passionate about and want to pass on. But that is life - we all move on. Nothing is static.
You have the best insight, very analytical. It's true, it's a never ending cycle of debts in America and people talk about it openly. I am Canadian, so we're pretty much on the same boat as the Americans, not pretty. Anyway, I've never seen this movie but it does seem like it's mislead and probably sensationalized in the wrong direction. I agree with you. Hoping to see you take a stroll in the woods again. Have a lovely day Undine, - Jason
I think it is really good that people are talking about debt issues. Because it shouldn't be a stigma, if it is such a big issue. I think, it is just a b it too cheesy for my taste. Not sure if it is on purpose, but it's just not my style. I'm more of an arthouse fan... And I did film another one in the woods and I've already done the post production. I'll upload it soon :-)
The first one was better but still very strange in places. I guess it’s personal choice at the end of the day. It is very American but then again Americans have a lot of stuff! (Not all of them obviously but that’s definitely the feeling.) I found you by accident today but I like what you are saying. 😀
Haha, cool. Welcome to the channel then :-D Yeah, it's definitely a question of style. However, the reviews on reddit, IMDB and other platforms are pretty similar. I watched the older one now and I also think it is better because it involves more voices and stories. The word "hoarder" ist definitely something I only know from American shows and documentaries. But it's coming here too, and we've been calling it "Messie". Maybe a lot of these pheonomenons are due to the accessibility of certain markets or cheap products like cheap clothing, coupons and the whole credit card system. We have less "Discounters" (discount stores), I believe, and our credit card system works differently. Coupons also don't do much for anyone here. But it's an interesting question. And it's a good thing if this whole minimalism idea helps a lot of people. I think it's so cool that there are international UA-cam channels, and that you can learn so much about other societies and their habits by communicating with some real people out there :))
OMG! Finally someone I agree with! I've watched their first documentary (Minimalism) and it was okay but not enlightening. I expected more, it was too shallow. Besides, I listen to their podcasts but they are usually boring and Joshua is annoying and self-centred. I don't know why I keep doing this to myself hahaha. Some very few podcasts are totally worth it and I do like Ryan. But it seems like they always make fun of their listeners' questions, they mention their past aaaaall the time and yes, they are very US-centric. So going from their podcast to their first documentary it was frustrating because it was more of the same. When they announced their second documentary (Less is More, the one you're talking about now) I got so excited expecting MORE, something NEW. And again here they are sharing their personal story for the millionth time. Ugh. Thank you for sharing your honest point of view! Greetings from Argentina!
I agree with your review. I have watched the Minimalist grow their empire if you will over the years and everything now is so scripted and seams very staged. One of them was an aspiring writer if I'm not mistaken and I honestly feel as though he's trying to kick start that career when he talks or gives advice. I appreciate your honest review and wouldn't care what the haters say, you're just being honest on a lifestyle that you've had and technically isn't new, they have just capitalized on it :)
Thank you, appreciate it! 🤍 I think that's just what happens if you stay in one niche for a decade. Kind of a good reminder to keep it personal and evolve. I don't envy them for their money and I really just like making videos at this point. And I would actually listen to that podcast, even for inspiration. But it has become the Joshua and Ryan Show...
100% agree. Also, where was the woman point of view they talked what 7 minutes is that not too much? Not deep and if The Minimalist desappointed me, I was also disappointed by Matt D'Avella that I loved for a long time. He is the director he could ask different people from different background (culture, social class...) he had the choice.
That is a really good point. I miss that too. It would also have been interesting to hear their spouses say something about this lifestyle. Mine is absolutely not a minimalist, and that is a thing many normal people just have to deal with, when they get into minimalism. But there is just zero practical advice on how to do anything about the whole minimalism journey in this movie... About Matt D'Avella - I'm not even sure he had that kind of freedom there. I mean, even on his own channel he provides more value than that film, so he is obviously capable of doing that. It's not my personal taste, but it seems to be helpful to a lot of people. In this film, it feels like he is just a VJ that puts together the scenes from the story book of the last movie and some additional "ornaments" :/
Maybe they did lol. I mean, they have Amazon affiliate links in all of their blog posts... 😁😂 (I do too though. They're useful as a reference with images and stuff and you don't have to buy there...)
It's so un-minimalist to be as repetitive with their content as these guys are! In fact, I haven't even seen their first movie past the first 5 minutes or so, it's just so freaking boring to listen to all of that autobiographical stuff over and over and over and over again, especially if you can't relate to 99% of it. It's supposed to be a documentary, not a freaking wedding video! And for me their 20/20 rule sounds really wasteful, and, ironically, very consumerist. I really don't like the buisness side of what they're doing either. There's quite a harsh word for such people in my native language, really makes see those guys for what they are.
🤣 You're mean but I kinda agree. I don't hate their content. I have no beef with them... But it's really repetitive. I'm struggling with that myself though. Because, if you create videos, you also want to do them for the new viewers who might not catch up and watch older videos anytime soon... So sometimes I actually make them repetitive on purpose... I don't like the 20/20 rule either... I have another one, I'll be writing about it in my own lame minimalism book lol. I think, for a lot of people, $20 is a lot of money. I can eat some fine sushi from that kind of money! Also, 20 minutes? I have 2 hours each night when my kid finally is in bed... Time is more precious to me sometimes than space... It needs to be well-balanced... 😁
Yeah, That's true. It's just very cheesy and in the movie the kinda inauthentic "replays" of their stories just made it more weird than anything else. But most of all, I had expected a more inclusive movie, not an autobiography decorated with a few inconsistently designed graphs...
@@UndineAlmani the clingiest moment is when that guy peeks into his old house and implicitly telling us "hey guys look how much better of a person I am today!" with all that artificial tanning and silicone valley type hairdo.
Didn't notice a tan lol 😂 But yeah. Oh, and the poor suburbs house compared to the nice designer stuff condo... Btw, if you want to see a hard rant on the movie, check out the link in the pinned comment. It's kind of hilarious...
It was a bit clumsy. I dont know who helped them making the movie. I still liked it but it left me with a wierd feeling. But they always leave me with a wierd feeling, there is something strange about them
That's kinda true... I think it is because it's inherently weird to complicate minimalism into some difficult sort of topic. It's not that deep. Part of why I started mixing in other content.
I agree with everything that you said. I was cringing, too. Frankly, their first “movie” was better. This one was trying too hard to be a “film.” Fail. And what’s with that stupid title?
I seen the movie and I wasn’t too surprised by the information they shared. I don’t believe nothing is wrong with spreading the message to minimize because the more we consume the more we damage the earth. As for him talking about his mom and the addictions I can understand cause I lived through it who was a hoarder. Maybe there was a correlation between the stuff piling along with mental health? All in all, I don’t think you should spread a positive message while trying to consume money from others to push a narrative that cost absolutely nothing $0.
I'm not really sure about that. Like, I think there are more downsides to capitalism than upsides currently. On the other hand: unless someone is promoting unhealthy or wasteful behavior, I think it's fine if people want to spend money on it. I don't judge people who see them as inspiration just cause I draw practically none from their content. My content is just as obsolete in my opinion (like I don't need my own content and would not watch it). But on the other hand I think that minimalism ultimately should sustainability and that they really don't add much to the message anymore at this point. It's become repetitive and the movie is a remake of the first one, so in a way, they are overcharging for milking a dead cow.
@@UndineAlmani :) But your right with your Analysis. I felt a little bit that the Minimalists turn themselve in Kind of a Cult/Religion about their persons. That just Minimalism is the answer for everthing. This is a very shallow Point of view.
😹 Hahaha.. mean but true. I think that is what becomes of anyone's content if they make everything about minimalism and kind of built this whole minimalism imperium around it... 🙈
Haha. I actually just googled that, because I was sure they had merch, but they actually don't 😳 ... But hey, that's the minimalist thing to do. That's actually a good thing 😂
I did not appreciate them imo stealing the To This Day scheme from another youtuber. I found this "movie" to be very disappointing compared to their first release. Yes I do believe they are buying into making money but...even they need an income.
I have no idea about that. I think, it's fine to offer your own take or perspective on a common topic, but apart from that it's not nice to copy style or content. I watched the first one now too and I agree. It must be very disappointing to see the second movie after that :/
@@UndineAlmani it was definitely a let down and quite offensive considering the punch of Shane's video (offensive for a few reasons). Thank you for your response.
Good for you and thanks for sharing. Can I ask why you watched it and what you got out of it? I'd be interested to hear more, because I want to know more about why views on this are so different in the minimalism community... Thanks!
@@UndineAlmani I have 2 UA-cam channels and minimalism is a good part of my hoarder to minimalist journey, so I did a video myself on what I thought so feel free to say hi on there 👍 (I talk about my past on there and how Minimalism is to do with that) hope you have a lovely day 🌸
this documentary is almost like a cult group trying to seduce you with repeating rhetoric, especially when a bunch of people keep saying how great it is without viewers' knowing contexts in which they started to do it.
I don't even doubt that they have their own stories. They shared that. But I do agree that it's cult-ish, as with many other influencers who all just show a fraction of their reality online.
I don't know. I mean, I put ads on my videos, and people can use an ad blocker if they don't want to support my channel. People write books about minimalism, that makes sense to me as well. I don't think everything has to be for free, just because it is common sense (a lot of people struggle with common sense). Where I do see a problem is the point where it gets too basic in coincidence with being very repetitive, yet highly monetized. Because if you don't put in any more work, and just remonetize old stuff over and over again, that's kind of sleazy to me, and that's also why I don't like that movie... But I am not against "monetization". I mean, if we're being honest, free content is a phenomenon of the internet. Before that, people had to pay for everything. I don't actually take that for granted and I switch off my ad blocker on a lot of channels I like :-)
Yeah, the podcasts are okay. But I stopped listening to them a while ago, because it's also always the same phrases... I can't even say how often I've heard this "minimalism is a tool" quote...
I'm a white American. And I am not a fan of these guys. I just can't get into their podcasts. I appreciate their story of why they chose minimalism.....but that's about where it ends.
Same for me. It's okay and everyone has their story. But at some point I also think that it's useful to broaden the horizon and nut just make content about one topic... Hope that I'll be able to do that eventually.
Everybody has to earn a living wether you are minimalist or not , just because they earn a living off what they do doesn't make it wrong . If you have followed these guys for over 10 years you would understand the message they are putting out . I do find your you tube clip snearing and mocking which these guys don't deserve . Minimalist people are all doing things there own way , there is no rule book , they put ideas or suggestions forward , its up to you, the individual if you want to take them on.
Maybe you're idolizing them a bit. I mean, you might have followed them for so long, you might not notice what irritates me and others (just have a look at all the comments) about their content. I have watched several of their podcasts. Also, you might not have watched the whole video. Because I made very clear that I have absolutely no interest in shaming anybody for making money online, with minimalism or anything else. That assumption is just completely incorrect. Moreover, I made clear that I am not criticizing their view on minimalism at all. I think, you should pay more attention to what you criticize after all. You're not even talking about a thing of what I said in my video. If I can take anything away from this comment at all, it would be that you just don't like my style. Well, I did not like the style of this movie - how it was made and that it did not really focus on minimalism itself, but mostly on the life's story of The Minimalists. That was the point of my whole critique.
@@UndineAlmani, I don't idolise anybody particularly UA-cam wannabees, I only give recognition, as far as I'm concerned these guys deserve recognition, because they highlight something that needed addressing, I follow many minimalist sites , yours won't be one of them , all I can see from you is jealousy .
I think you're kind of right (not about jealousy, I have a real job which I like, but about that they highlight something important - it is just a question of how do they do that). But that doesn't mean you can't criticize a lack of effort and creativity in a movie...? Or the commercialization of a cause...? We might just have different offsets to what is still nice and where it starts being too polished and inauthentic. That's probably something very personal, and also depending on that feeling of connection with a person and their work. I've only watched a few of their podcasts as well, maybe 20? I don't have that connection. But I liked the podcast better than the film... I will also give the first movie a chance. But I still think that there is a lot of truth in what people criticize here (not just me). Under various videos people also say things like "Please let Ryan talk" and similar. I couldn't quite put a finger on it when I made this video, it was rather spontaneous. But now I think, it just bugs me when someone is talked over and when something very basic is over-emphasized. It even bugs me to hear myself talk, because in a way, UA-cam can lead to a lot of self-involvement. Especially when you hover over one topic for years... Anyway. I wish you a great day or night. It's late here and I'll get some sleep now 😴 🙋🏼♀️ Also: You're clearly idolizing. Sorry, but I just can't take over-protective followers seriously... lol. Nope.
Holy sh..., my friends! If you think, my review was mean and too harsh: I just found this dude: ua-cam.com/video/YAvs-RqTIhk/v-deo.html (Oh, and for the ones that were telling me to shut up because I don't have enough subscribers, he seems to have 2.83 Mio. So that hopefully makes it legit enough to people who like to obsess about street credit on UA-cam :P )
Anyone that tells you that you should shut up because you don't have enough subscribers are very simple people and by simple i mean simple in their heads.
🤣 100% my attitude! The linked video is pretty hilarious though, he does a way better job at exposing all the cringe than I.
I think anyone familiar with their first movie or podcast would watch the movie and be bored out of their mind. It’s repetitive of everything their podcast and movie already was. It would’ve been much more inspiring had it shared more people’s stories, showed some tricks or history about it, testimonials or something! So I agree it wasn’t great.
I want to watch that one, but I kind of wanted an unbiased view on the new movie. I've heard a few episodes of the podcast, and when I saw the movie, it felt like they just copy-pasted a whole bunch of phrases. Maybe that's just what happens, if you talk about the same topic over and over again. Like a great campfire story. I still think the podcast is encouraging to a lot of people and I just listen to the ones with interesting guests...
I agree!
Yeah, that was pretty much my experience of it. I liked their first documentary pretty well. Not the best I've ever seen, but it introduced several good people doing good things and had actual good tips and advice. This later one seemed like too much personality fluff. I felt let down.
Consume minimalism-content is just another form of consumerism, I could know because I am trying to recover from it :)
Yeah. It is. I've often heard this mantra »Create more than you consume« in the context of content cration/UA-cam creators advice etc. But I think, everyone of us has once been there or still is there, where we just consume more than we can ever create...
I think I need to recover from that too 🥴
Hi there.. I think it’s brave of you to start a discussion about The Minimalists.. In the beginning, I liked their content, when I was absorbing a lot about the principles of minimalism.. But the active way of promoting for themselfs is so frustrating/annoying/tiring.. I do think it’s an american thing, almost to brag about yourself and to get out as much as possible.. I feel that with a lot of American people.. So that is perhaps also a cultural thing
Same here. I listened to a few of their podcasts and actually liked it. But it gets repetitive fast. I think, I like it when people don't just create content on one single topic. I get it, the UA-cam algorithm likes it better if you just do that, if you just stick to a niche. But it's not what I need or what I want for myself even.
I just think Americans might be more outgoing and open about this kind of stuff. I don't mind a bit of bragging and being proud about one's accomplishements. Don't want to make too many assupmtions here. But I don't like what is called "humble-bragging".
I like you review. The thing that bothered me the most about this movie was that it was mostly about them and not about minimalism general.
Yeah. I'm just glad others see that too, because I was absolutely not sure of it was just me. I would actually have liked a real documentary on minimalism...
@@UndineAlmani The documentary had more of that.
Same! I've tried their podcast, but that very soon becomes repetitive. And quite mentoring. Also, I cannot relate to their stories. I'm not American, I've never get 100k a year (lol), I'm young adult female and immigrant... and so on.
Upd. A good point that they criticize ads and aggressively advertise themselves :)
I feel you. I think they even mention something like earning 50 grand per year, wanting more etc... And I just thought: That's a decent amount of money for most people... Some never even get there.
@@UndineAlmani I think it's not even particular number that matters, but that I've never valued attempts to earn 100k. Although I'm also from a foodstamps-level of income family, and that's the only point I can relate (well, that was the fate of most post-Soviet population in 90s-00s). But that's the difference of the mindset at the start point
@@katjarozantseva8069 Yes, you're right. Although I do think, having income goals is a good thing... But it has nothing to do with minimalism for rme... I can't even say what the message of the movie would have been in the end. It just felt like a biography.
@@UndineAlmani I agree that goal matter, just this accent on income, debt, dependence of lifestyle on income is what making it a little bit cringy for me
I find Joshua F-M to be extremely off-putting. He seems to think he is superior to everyone. If Ryan had his own podcast, I could see myself listening. He seems down to earth, easy to talk to, he can see different perspectives. But as long as Joshua is running the show, I can’t consume that content.
That is so true. Whenever I listened to the podcast, I just thought "Why doesn't Ryan talk more?" Je seems like a nice guy. I'd totally subscribe to his solo project, if he had one 👍🏻
I feel exactly the same. I stopped following because of him and boy he can # waffle # , the guest on a show is just an addition to his monologues. (He is good at writing though). Ryan however seems like a really nice guy!
Wow, I’m relieved I’m not the only one who felt this way.
totally agree! Joshua is listening to himself as he speaks. It is really anoying.
That's Life Caro He loves to stroke his own ego, so full of himself
the minimalists podcast is a giant ad for their books, movies and patreon!!!
It's a very intelligent ad. I think, a lot of people see value in their content and don't really mind. And I also don't have anything against paywalls. I just find the level of professionalism weird in such a simple lifestyle topic as minimalism, having made something that open source as minimalism into a product. It's like selling air to me, especially with regard to all the very good free content on minimalism out there.
Canadian here. I can't get past the first 5 - mins of any of their podcasts. They are so puerile, superficial, egotistical, pedantic, and sexist. 🤷🏼♀️ So, yeah - your basic mainstream American media tripe. Thank you for this review & more global perspective🌿✨
I thought my video was mean but these comments sincerely make my day :-D I'm kind of relieved that so many people get annoyed with their content. I thought, I was the only one 🙈 Don't know much about Americans though, as I've never been there (and if I ever go to that continent, I kind of want to see the Alberta first hehe).
And with a weird saviors complex going to “exotic lands” to build schools and “change lives” as if there’s no problems where they’re from
I fully acknowledge the issue of white saviorism, but I also don't want to start a debate fueled by too many generalizations. I'm a boring white potato myself, but I don't want to be a savior weirdo. I think, there are a lot of nice Americans, who are not at all like this. But those are usually not as loud... 💙
I agree! Especially Joshua haha. I hate the way they treat their female guests, they barely get to say anything and they are interrupted all the time, while male guests are treated as if they were their best friends.
American here, but I fully agree.... except that it isn't strictly American, it's (ironically) capitalist/consumerist and the American variety is first and foremost (certainly) .... But I see it all around the world, heavily, from Greece to Latin America to Australia to Singapore.... It's everywhere. And it's very tiresome.
I agree 100%. It's definitely not a documentary, it's purely hype for their own highly monetized brand. Like you, I much prefer the many (free) personal stories about real people on their unique and individual journeys. I initially came to minimalism 15 years ago via the tiny house movement, and even in my beginning stages I found these guys tiresome and irrelevant. My very American form of debt was not credit card debt, but medical debt. In 2005 I lived in a state in the US where I wasn't eligible for health insurance because I have scoliosis, so when I was diagnosed with stage IV lymphoma I had to sell my house and all my belongings, as well as liquidate all my retirement funds and other life savings, to pay for treatment. I was in my 50s and left with nothing except debt. Minimalism and a tiny house were initially acts of necessity and desperation, the only way I could manage to survive. I mostly ignore "The Minimalists" and their ilk, but I'm still a bit bitter about the moralistic undertones they have around debt, and the way they dismiss it as nothing more than a form of greed and self-indulgence. Thanks for your always interesting UA-cam channel!
Wow. Thank you for sharing this. I'd love to have you on a podcast! This is so much more inspiring than most things you see online. I hope you are good now. I didn't even know that tiny houses existed 15 years ago...
Yes, it's not alright to reduce debt to personal failure or brush over it like everyone can overcome it by decluttering a few things. I don't think that I ever got any money for 80% of what I got rid of... And as you said, debt can have many different reasons. In my country, it is just harder to accumulate debt because you'd get your cards cancelled fast. And we have public health insurance that covers almost every treatment. We kinda give 40-50% of our income to taxes but I never knew any other way, and so I never really questioned it.
I think, minimalism should be about helping people. That's it's main purpose. To enable people and make life easier or more bearable. 💙
Late to the party, but I'm glad to see that I'm not alone in the things that feel weird/off/disconcerting about The Minimalists. It feels like they've hardly progressed from where they started ten years ago. Books, tours, podcasts, and other media aside, I don't get the sense that their perspective or message has really evolved. As a result I find it increasingly less relevant to my own journey. At times on their podcast it seems that Ryan and/or their guest is held hostage to JFM's monologues, and so I often lose interest in the finishing an episode. I think it's important to remember that before they were The Minimalists, both Joshua and Ryan were salesmen--successful salesmen. Even though I think they genuinely believe their minimalist message, they definitely know how to market themselves.
Yeah, I mean there's no shame in making money with that. But if it was a software product and not a movie and books and videos, it would simply need a patch and a ton of updates, desperately, by now.
I feel like they simply have no competition, because they have allocated this brand for themselves, and that universal name, so they will be the first hit on Google for the rest of their lives, I guess. Maybe you just need some sort of pressure to be creative... I'd be the first to check their format out again if they'd start putting in the effort.
Yes, totally agree. This first one was ok, the second was totally garbage.
I'm kind of relieved to hear so many people share this opinion. I thought I was harsh ;-D Thanks for watching! :)
@@UndineAlmani haha Well, It had to be said. I saw it on the day it came out. I have to say that It was disappointing. I was expecting a more in depth video about minimalism, and got a longer version of their "tragic and indebted" life.😂
It was a repeat of their first movie, the first one was better. But they just repeat the same thing over and over, same wording, over and over, they haven’t had any original content in years. They are just trying to stay relevant and make money. For someone new to minimalism it could be helpful but just watch the first movie, no need to consume anything else from them.
I only know that effect from listening to my husband telling the same anecdote the 125th time when we have friends over that don't already know the one ;-D Felt exactly like it... only that I like my husband's anecdotes actually XD
I will give the first movie a chance! A lot of my friends said the same thing and I'm going to check it out.
I find that The Minimalists are very commercial, materialistic & consumerists.
I think they want to communicate "quality > quantity", but their brand has become so extremely professional... it's more like "high end design > just good quality" ...
@mika 161 lol. Nothing is wrong with that. Just watch the video. And when you're done with that, watch the one in the pinned comment. Nothing more to say than that. Enjoy.
Their first movie was better in my memory because there were more different people explaining the concept of minimalism. I did not like their 2 nd movie which is just redundant and as you said the part when they play their role in the past seem a bit narcissic to me and on my opinion does not match with the idea that the minimalism represents.
But as a matter of fact, american culture is différent of european as well as asian, and it is so obvious when watching videos about the way each people express their vision of minimalism...
I am looking for other movies on the subject, would you please share the titles you made reference to ? (except Marie Kondo series..)
Thank you for your videos and minimalist style !
I think they tried that too with this one. But the documentary part really was too short.
I think that different views on minimalism and different definitions are super interesting. I am currently working on a discussion style format for UA-cam. But I'm not inviting "famous minimalists". Just normal people from my community. Let's see where it leads. I don't want to get too caught up in the bubble. At some point, it can really only be redundant...
I shared the UA-camrs I like in the video description. Especially *Benita Larsson* makes beautiful calming videos about minimalism. Hope that helps :-) On my channel page, there are also some links.
@@UndineAlmani Thank you ! I think that testimonies from normal people could be absolutely interesting and more in phase with how « common people » live their journey towards or in minimalism, more realistic and not an unreachable fantasy.
I am looking forward to your new project (no pressure ;))
Thank you. You're kind of the first one to know here. I've only shared the idea on Instagram so far. There will be a few other videos up before though. Because I want to ba able to upload a couple as a series, and not just one and then nothing for three weeks or so.
Their response to "we accumulated all this money and all this stuff but we're still not happy" is part of the reason why I stopped following them. Shouldn't that direct you to a more outward look of the American (consumerism) system rather than the individual self? And then to start making money off that notion... it's a SUPER privileged thing to be able to do and they don't seem to recognise that.
Also, thanks for making this video because I don't think enough people offer constructive criticism of them.
it's generic because it's mass market. that's the compromise it takes to get on a global platform like netflix. matt d'avella is the director behind those guys who is never on camera there but speaks better than they do on his own youtube channel. I prefer him but he is still sort of superficial as americans are want to be . you might not get past that with him but it might be worth it. I don't delve much into their podcasts or anything like either.
I watched the movie, and I felt so-so about it. It was a dramatic re-enactment of their Less is Now Tour -- which I also saw when they came to Pittsburgh.
From time to time, I will listen to snippets of their podcasts, but there are other creators with whom I connect more.
As for needing to have a particular amount of subscribers in order to voice YOUR opinion -- what the hell is that?
Yep. But I give them that they pimped it pretty well ;-D Came across a bit cringy tho imo. I listen to their podcast when I'm interested in the guest, but oftentimes the guests don't get to talk enough for my taste. In a few newer episodes I do however see improvement. Maybe they get the criticism finally (or I just don't notice anymore).
Thanks for that! I agree! I hear this only on "unpopular opinion" videos. People demand you got some sort of youtube street credit... idk, I am interested in all opinions, no matter where they come from.
hi :)
american here - your summary on americans cracked me *up* with how accurate i felt it was. "credit card debt, coca-cola, and a.a." i lived my entire life in the us until i moved to tokyo 5 years ago at 28. i have such a different view of america from outside of it now.
i also don't do podcasts... it's refreshing to hear someone else doesn't either.
i tried watching their first movie a few years ago and didn't make it very far into it so have no interest in their latest one. but i am so glad i watched this review of it because i'll be watching the rest of your content throughout the day today. i'm in the last few weeks of my first pregnancy and it's brightened my day to find a new content creator to enjoy!
thank you for sharing your time and a portion of your life on youtube
I just don't have the time to listen to podcasts a lot... I rather listen to music while working, because otherwise I can't contentrate...
It's interesting to hear that. I didn't want it to sound bad or anything. It is just what you see on TV, it's a cliche. There are a lot about my country too ;-D But I guess, there is some truth in cliches. They are like condensed problem descriptions, I think :)
Thank you for subscribing and best of luck to you and your little one! I was awake about 2-3 hours each night towards the end of my pregnancy and I watched so many UA-cam videos, just to relax... Enjoy that sleep! :-)
@@UndineAlmani yes, i'm the same with listening to music while i work. there's definitely truth to the cliche in regards to the us - no offense taken there! it's like one of my favorite quotes from the movie 'up in the air' - i stereotype, it's faster.
and thank you! i appreciate how much in your content, both here and on insta, that you protect your child's right to privacy. it's refreshing to see this alternative since some people post absolutely every detail about their child's development on social media.
I started reading about minimalism in 2012 (I think) and when I found their content it was very valuable to me. I listened to their podcast while going to work and I really liked their first documentary and I recommended it to lots of friends, it talks about their story (in less detail than this documentary) and other people search for happiness in minimalism, and I found it very inspiring.
I live in Chile and as a country we idolize and copy most of the american style kind of living, so I found that part very relatable of what I can see in my society.
However, when they started promoting their patreon they made their podcast chapters very short (so you had to pay to get the extended version) and I found that their content was no longer valuable to me. I still get their e-mails to see if they make a chapter that is for interest but I currently use them for recommendations of topics-authors to explore. I had high expectations for this documentary and I found to be redundant and not as well made as the first one.
I also like to watch/listen to the podcast, if the guest is someone interesting. And I completely understand that they put them behind a paywall. I would do that too, if I only had a podcast as my main content. It is like paying for a newspaper imo. I also have a Patreon and offer Patreon-only content (yoga videos, behind the scenes, book chapters, meditations and so on). But I don't want my free content to suffer, so I want to avoid "preview stuff" like that and just use it as an early-access and support community. I also agree that their content is valuable to a lot of people and I find some of it still interesting. But it has become repetitive (the 2nd move is the best example for that) and I am also not too much into that kind of "designer minimalism", with the fancy furniture and all that, and they kind of represent that to me. It just doesn't resonate much with me. - However, I find it really hard to criticize that, because apart from sustainability awareness, it's really a personal choice. So, my critique mostly goes out to the bad style and the monetization of the same stuff twice in a row without adding new value, I guess :D
the point of this movie was the little snippets of people telling what minimalism did for them because it's the sequel to their last doc. but like that one they reiterate too much because they worry people aren't going to get it and also there really isn't that much to say about minimalism in a general sense. better to take it in tacitly by learning from people's experiences
I think they do a great job and I’ve derived a lot of value from them…..and I’ve never spent a cent. I value their approach and find it inspiring . If it’s not for you, pass on by and find something that is for you.
Hi, I just seen this vlog in my feed, so I have just subscribed to your channel. I didn't enjoy the less is now documentary as much as I did the first one, and I did find alot of its content repetitive from the first. I got interested in minimalism through my great love of the philosophy of stoicism. I Look forward to your vlogs in the future. I hope you have a great week and Best wishes and stay safe and well to you and your family
A great quote from stoicism that is very apt for minimalism
"Until we have begun to go without them, we fail to realize how unnecessary many things are. We've been using them not because we needed them, but because we had them"
Seneca
I plan to watch that one too. I just didn't because I wanted an unbiased impression of this one.
Thank you for subscribing! Stoicism I'd so interesting. I only learned about it in school. Maybe I should do some more reading on it. Can you recommend anything in particular? Are you reading the original literature?
That's also true. It's still a better investment of time and money. But I think, both can be done. Simple living and quality purchases don't exclude each other, at least if you limit it to a reasonable amount of luxury....
@@UndineAlmani hi, yes stoicism to me is beautiful. The first book I would highly recommend would be Marcus Aurelius - meditations, it wasn't a book ever intended for publish, it was his own personal journal to use as reflection for mindfulness. Another is Seneca - letters from a stoic, and a modern book that uses the ancient wisdom would be the daily stoic by Ryan Holiday. I think you may really like stoicism as it not at odds with minimalism or mindfulness, if anything it compliments them both and goes hand in hand with them.
@Kieran Denieffe hi, I think minimalism will vary from person to person the fundamentals are all pretty similar, me personally I also am mindful of my consumption but also enjoy the serenity of living a life without excess. But sometimes we may make purchases of things that are beneficial or enriching to our lives, for me it's books. Some books I keep forever such as Marcus Aurelius meditations, but ones i am not keeping I will give to libraries, that way many other people get to read them too.
I really appreciate how respectful and mild mannered this vid is.
Truth be told, I was just hoping to see other people call them douchebags (Personally, I think Ryan is a lot more smug than Joshua and I don't get why so many people see it as the other way around.)
But, I like what you said a lot more, your take on their brand is very well thought out and you were very clear with your thoughts on the matter. I really like what you have to say.
First documentary really inspired me and jolting me into being proactive about consuming less but this follow up sequel is literally a rehash, I was really let down.
Now that I have seen the first one (didn't want to watch it to have an unbiased view on the new movie), I totally feel you! It's pretty repetitive. Also the podcast. After a while, I knew most of their repertoire (sentence-wise). Too bad, it could be such a variety there!
I love your suggestions for people to follow! I think that anything that goes so viral is kind of a "basic bitch" of minimalism haha. It's something that people think of if you stop them in the street and ask what minimalism is. But anyone who starts looking into minimalism, following other people, reading and looking into their own progress, have a different, personal view of minimalism.
Yes. And at some point you just start looking for that. At least, if you are into this kind of content and if it's like... let's say... a hobby?
Your review is completely unsurprising to me with your reaction to these guys and their content... I've not seen the movie but I've seen plenty of their other stuff and a few interviews over the years and your description of the film is exactly what I'd have imagined it to be, and exactly why I never bothered. "Content creation" has become such a strange thing, and just like *anything* in pop culture, when there is a trend that has value it does not take long for the sponsorship variety of that thing, whatever it may be, to take hold and at that point the core of the message/activity/'ism has changed. That's what they are. They seem like genuinely good guys, but sound like any other sponsored pop trend in the delivery and manner of it all..... The same is true of sports, clothing, travel, just about anything lifestyle related and beyond.
I get what you mean exactly.
I think the problem is also that minimalism is a very trivial topic in itself. And they are stuck with this tiny niche. I want my channel to include all the things I think about and make helpful stuff out of it and that's actually not that easy. So I feel how hard it must be for them to make the same content over and over again. I just don't think it's a good excuse, or that the money they make is in relation to the value they give, because it simply isn't anything new at this point. I hope I don't get there one day. UA-cam is constantly evolving. So should creators...
To your point about personal debt as a uniquely American problem: I get the impression that credit is especially frowned upon in Germany, even in comparison with equivalent economies, but that’s definitely not the case in the U.K. I think things there are more similar to the US.
Ah, okay. How come? I have heard that a lot of debt issues come from student fees. That is one thing we don't have in Germany. I've personally never known anyone with a huge debt, no credit card debts especially, other than when taking on a loan to buy a house. I don't want to be arrogant about it. I think, it's a flawed system, if it allows debt to pile up like that. You'd quickly lose your credit card for that here and not get another one even.
@@UndineAlmani i believe it’s as the result of credit liberalisation and a change in attitudes as a result. Also, big emphasis on home ownership and one of the most expensive cities in the world (London) as well as few renters’ rights, so mortgages can be massive.
The movie was out in Canada years ago 😉
And I don't listen to podcasts either...
The only thing I really appreciated in this movie was the 20 minute/20 dollar rule!
Yeah, that's a good one. I call it the "pain in the a__"-rule. If it's too much of a pain to get some item, I rather keep it and save myself the trouble. Once I got rid of a book and I thought, if I ever need this again, I can just buy it online. So I donated it. Turns out, I needed it again, bought it new because it was unavailable on second hand bookshop sites. And guess what? They made a new version with such a crappy print, I really regretted having given up the first one. I still have this one now, but it's so annoying to read it because of the bad quality -.-
Do we just ignore how long it takes to earn $20 take home pay after income taxes? We just don’t put that into the equation?
@@justsayin3647 No, you're right! This rule can and should be adapted individually.
I couldn’t agree more with your perspective on this movie. Being a practicing minimalist myself, it took everything I had to finish the movie. Goes against everything I value pertaining to my time. it was an hour of my time I will never get back. I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed their initial documentary in my early days of my transition from being a hoarder essentially.
It’s clear the movie was geared towards a certain audience. Certainly not for those who pursue minimalism for the deeper meaning.
Yeah, I couldn't have done it without food lol ;D It was pretty boring (and I didn't see the first one intentionally!) I think if I had seen this in my hoarder days, I would have probably liked it too and be motivated. But that was a long time ago XD
It's the American way 😉 (push people to buy your stuff!)
I watched the first movie and I remember that I liked it. I watched the trailer for the second and I realized it was exactly the same as the first. Good review!
Thank you! Hearing that a lot in the comments. I watched the first one now too and I agree that it is very repetitive when compared to it...
I think the minimalist definitely have a place as a brand: it follows that converting dissatisfied consumer capitalists to minimalism world require content that looks more like what they're used to (consumer capitalist). Though the content is repetitive, I often listen to feel a sense of community in being minimalist - sometimes it gets lonely
That's a good point. Their content is definitely helping people by providing a low entry level to minimalism, making it available and fun.
Agreed, I just watched it and ended up skipping through most of it, thinking there might be something new or insightful. Nope, just a rehash of the same old material from their previous documentary. Same old “hey, a bunch of stuff won’t make you happier” cliches with B-roll of giant factories and amazon deliveries. There weren’t any practical suggestions or interesting stories from other people. His talking about his mom also rubbed me the wrong way, almost like he was exploiting her story for attention, because it didn’t really feel relevant to the subject of minimalism.
Kind of relieved to hear that others like you feel the same way. I wonder if there's going to be a third movie and if so, how they'll milk that cow 😂
Im American. It's not a cultural difference: The documentary is just so so bad. I can't believe they went with that fake approach. It's such an amazing message, but just really boring content delivered in a very unauthentic way.
I think the comments re the Minimalists are a bit mean. Sure, they are professional at what they do, they make no secret of it. They are entrepreneurs with a good idea and they give help to many, many people through their books, films and podcasts. I did my major declutter before The Minimalists came along but I would have liked to try their #Minsgame. Sounds fun and for many it has been a good kickstarter to getting rid of stuff. I like a lot of their "Minimalist Rules", for example, the 90 day rule. Often if I am hesitant about getting rid of something I will think, well I haven't used it in the last 90 days and if I don't use it in the next 90 days out it goes! I admit I am sometimes sad when a favourite UA-camr goes "professional" because it necessarily has become a job not just something they are passionate about and want to pass on. But that is life - we all move on. Nothing is static.
If you think that's mean, you should really watch the video I pinned in the comment section.
You have the best insight, very analytical. It's true, it's a never ending cycle of debts in America and people talk about it openly. I am Canadian, so we're pretty much on the same boat as the Americans, not pretty. Anyway, I've never seen this movie but it does seem like it's mislead and probably sensationalized in the wrong direction.
I agree with you.
Hoping to see you take a stroll in the woods again. Have a lovely day Undine,
- Jason
I think it is really good that people are talking about debt issues. Because it shouldn't be a stigma, if it is such a big issue.
I think, it is just a b it too cheesy for my taste. Not sure if it is on purpose, but it's just not my style. I'm more of an arthouse fan...
And I did film another one in the woods and I've already done the post production. I'll upload it soon :-)
The first one was better but still very strange in places. I guess it’s personal choice at the end of the day. It is very American but then again Americans have a lot of stuff! (Not all of them obviously but that’s definitely the feeling.) I found you by accident today but I like what you are saying. 😀
Haha, cool. Welcome to the channel then :-D Yeah, it's definitely a question of style. However, the reviews on reddit, IMDB and other platforms are pretty similar. I watched the older one now and I also think it is better because it involves more voices and stories. The word "hoarder" ist definitely something I only know from American shows and documentaries. But it's coming here too, and we've been calling it "Messie". Maybe a lot of these pheonomenons are due to the accessibility of certain markets or cheap products like cheap clothing, coupons and the whole credit card system. We have less "Discounters" (discount stores), I believe, and our credit card system works differently. Coupons also don't do much for anyone here. But it's an interesting question. And it's a good thing if this whole minimalism idea helps a lot of people. I think it's so cool that there are international UA-cam channels, and that you can learn so much about other societies and their habits by communicating with some real people out there :))
OMG! Finally someone I agree with! I've watched their first documentary (Minimalism) and it was okay but not enlightening. I expected more, it was too shallow. Besides, I listen to their podcasts but they are usually boring and Joshua is annoying and self-centred. I don't know why I keep doing this to myself hahaha. Some very few podcasts are totally worth it and I do like Ryan. But it seems like they always make fun of their listeners' questions, they mention their past aaaaall the time and yes, they are very US-centric. So going from their podcast to their first documentary it was frustrating because it was more of the same. When they announced their second documentary (Less is More, the one you're talking about now) I got so excited expecting MORE, something NEW. And again here they are sharing their personal story for the millionth time. Ugh.
Thank you for sharing your honest point of view! Greetings from Argentina!
I totally agree. I thought this was a terrible movie and a waste of my time.
Yep. I'm glad I did some organizing while watching it... Let's hope for better ones in the future!
I agree with your review. I have watched the Minimalist grow their empire if you will over the years and everything now is so scripted and seams very staged. One of them was an aspiring writer if I'm not mistaken and I honestly feel as though he's trying to kick start that career when he talks or gives advice. I appreciate your honest review and wouldn't care what the haters say, you're just being honest on a lifestyle that you've had and technically isn't new, they have just capitalized on it :)
Thank you, appreciate it! 🤍 I think that's just what happens if you stay in one niche for a decade. Kind of a good reminder to keep it personal and evolve. I don't envy them for their money and I really just like making videos at this point. And I would actually listen to that podcast, even for inspiration. But it has become the Joshua and Ryan Show...
100% agree. Also, where was the woman point of view they talked what 7 minutes is that not too much? Not deep and if The Minimalist desappointed me, I was also disappointed by Matt D'Avella that I loved for a long time. He is the director he could ask different people from different background (culture, social class...) he had the choice.
That is a really good point. I miss that too. It would also have been interesting to hear their spouses say something about this lifestyle. Mine is absolutely not a minimalist, and that is a thing many normal people just have to deal with, when they get into minimalism. But there is just zero practical advice on how to do anything about the whole minimalism journey in this movie...
About Matt D'Avella - I'm not even sure he had that kind of freedom there. I mean, even on his own channel he provides more value than that film, so he is obviously capable of doing that. It's not my personal taste, but it seems to be helpful to a lot of people. In this film, it feels like he is just a VJ that puts together the scenes from the story book of the last movie and some additional "ornaments" :/
The ultimate conundrum: less is now makes you wealthy now..now then is more!!
😂😂😂 💯 👍🏻 Yes, more please!
Honestly, what didn’t make any sense to me was the amount of Amazon boxes we see through out the 2nd movie 😂😂 its like Amazon financed the movie.
Maybe they did lol. I mean, they have Amazon affiliate links in all of their blog posts... 😁😂 (I do too though. They're useful as a reference with images and stuff and you don't have to buy there...)
I 100% agree with everything you said
Thank you! This is my most disliked video, so I appreciate it. 😸🙈
It's so un-minimalist to be as repetitive with their content as these guys are! In fact, I haven't even seen their first movie past the first 5 minutes or so, it's just so freaking boring to listen to all of that autobiographical stuff over and over and over and over again, especially if you can't relate to 99% of it. It's supposed to be a documentary, not a freaking wedding video! And for me their 20/20 rule sounds really wasteful, and, ironically, very consumerist. I really don't like the buisness side of what they're doing either. There's quite a harsh word for such people in my native language, really makes see those guys for what they are.
🤣 You're mean but I kinda agree. I don't hate their content. I have no beef with them... But it's really repetitive. I'm struggling with that myself though. Because, if you create videos, you also want to do them for the new viewers who might not catch up and watch older videos anytime soon... So sometimes I actually make them repetitive on purpose...
I don't like the 20/20 rule either... I have another one, I'll be writing about it in my own lame minimalism book lol. I think, for a lot of people, $20 is a lot of money. I can eat some fine sushi from that kind of money! Also, 20 minutes? I have 2 hours each night when my kid finally is in bed... Time is more precious to me sometimes than space... It needs to be well-balanced... 😁
Those personal stories they told could've been somewhat dramatized. That is why I (and maybe you too) find the, boring.
Yeah, That's true. It's just very cheesy and in the movie the kinda inauthentic "replays" of their stories just made it more weird than anything else. But most of all, I had expected a more inclusive movie, not an autobiography decorated with a few inconsistently designed graphs...
@@UndineAlmani the clingiest moment is when that guy peeks into his old house and implicitly telling us "hey guys look how much better of a person I am today!" with all that artificial tanning and silicone valley type hairdo.
Didn't notice a tan lol 😂 But yeah. Oh, and the poor suburbs house compared to the nice designer stuff condo... Btw, if you want to see a hard rant on the movie, check out the link in the pinned comment. It's kind of hilarious...
It was a bit clumsy. I dont know who helped them making the movie. I still liked it but it left me with a wierd feeling. But they always leave me with a wierd feeling, there is something strange about them
That's kinda true... I think it is because it's inherently weird to complicate minimalism into some difficult sort of topic. It's not that deep. Part of why I started mixing in other content.
I agree with everything that you said. I was cringing, too. Frankly, their first “movie” was better. This one was trying too hard to be a “film.” Fail. And what’s with that stupid title?
I seen the movie and I wasn’t too surprised by the information they shared. I don’t believe nothing is wrong with spreading the message to minimize because the more we consume the more we damage the earth. As for him talking about his mom and the addictions I can understand cause I lived through it who was a hoarder. Maybe there was a correlation between the stuff piling along with mental health? All in all, I don’t think you should spread a positive message while trying to consume money from others to push a narrative that cost absolutely nothing $0.
I'm not really sure about that. Like, I think there are more downsides to capitalism than upsides currently. On the other hand: unless someone is promoting unhealthy or wasteful behavior, I think it's fine if people want to spend money on it. I don't judge people who see them as inspiration just cause I draw practically none from their content. My content is just as obsolete in my opinion (like I don't need my own content and would not watch it). But on the other hand I think that minimalism ultimately should sustainability and that they really don't add much to the message anymore at this point. It's become repetitive and the movie is a remake of the first one, so in a way, they are overcharging for milking a dead cow.
This is a very good analysis. Thank you! :)
Glad you liked it!
I also watched the Movie. First one was better.
I'll check it out. Just didn't want to spoil this one and have an unbiased first impression... ☺️
@@UndineAlmani :) But your right with your Analysis. I felt a little bit that the Minimalists turn themselve in Kind of a Cult/Religion about their persons. That just Minimalism is the answer for everthing. This is a very shallow Point of view.
😹 Hahaha.. mean but true. I think that is what becomes of anyone's content if they make everything about minimalism and kind of built this whole minimalism imperium around it... 🙈
@@UndineAlmani Maybe they will also have Merchandising in the Future. Like Cups, T-Shirts etc. 😂
Haha. I actually just googled that, because I was sure they had merch, but they actually don't 😳 ... But hey, that's the minimalist thing to do. That's actually a good thing 😂
Minimalism promoted commercially is an oxymoron.
I did not appreciate them imo stealing the To This Day scheme from another youtuber. I found this "movie" to be very disappointing compared to their first release. Yes I do believe they are buying into making money but...even they need an income.
I have no idea about that. I think, it's fine to offer your own take or perspective on a common topic, but apart from that it's not nice to copy style or content. I watched the first one now too and I agree. It must be very disappointing to see the second movie after that :/
@@UndineAlmani it was definitely a let down and quite offensive considering the punch of Shane's video (offensive for a few reasons). Thank you for your response.
@@tomandamandasmolik523 Googled that video now. Pretty amazing artwork. It's like a poem.
Absolutely agree. 100 %. 👍
Thank you and for your content. I am grateful to you
Thank you for watching :-) 🌻
I loved it (I mean the whole documentary) 👍
Good for you and thanks for sharing. Can I ask why you watched it and what you got out of it? I'd be interested to hear more, because I want to know more about why views on this are so different in the minimalism community... Thanks!
@@UndineAlmani I have 2 UA-cam channels and minimalism is a good part of my hoarder to minimalist journey, so I did a video myself on what I thought so feel free to say hi on there 👍 (I talk about my past on there and how Minimalism is to do with that) hope you have a lovely day 🌸
Thank you, I'll check it out! Nice day to you too 🙋🏼♀️
The comment section kind of makes me doubt that if they actually watch through your whole video lol
Not just you... not just you. 😅
this documentary is almost like a cult group trying to seduce you with repeating rhetoric, especially when a bunch of people keep saying how great it is without viewers' knowing contexts in which they started to do it.
I don't even doubt that they have their own stories. They shared that. But I do agree that it's cult-ish, as with many other influencers who all just show a fraction of their reality online.
I agree with your review of the minimalist movie. I fast forwarded through it.
I couldn't 😄 I had to watch the whole thing in order to make this review... but I had a lot of coffee and chocolate to spice it up...
If you're already a minimalist by nature, the commercializtion of it would seem silly.
I don't know. I mean, I put ads on my videos, and people can use an ad blocker if they don't want to support my channel. People write books about minimalism, that makes sense to me as well. I don't think everything has to be for free, just because it is common sense (a lot of people struggle with common sense). Where I do see a problem is the point where it gets too basic in coincidence with being very repetitive, yet highly monetized. Because if you don't put in any more work, and just remonetize old stuff over and over again, that's kind of sleazy to me, and that's also why I don't like that movie... But I am not against "monetization". I mean, if we're being honest, free content is a phenomenon of the internet. Before that, people had to pay for everything. I don't actually take that for granted and I switch off my ad blocker on a lot of channels I like :-)
I didn't like this movie either. I saw the first one they made and the second. They seem the same.
I definitely want to check out the first one though. I didn't see it yet cause I didn't want to spoil this one...
@@UndineAlmani The first one is not any better. I do prefer the podcasts over the films.
Yeah, the podcasts are okay. But I stopped listening to them a while ago, because it's also always the same phrases... I can't even say how often I've heard this "minimalism is a tool" quote...
I'm a white American. And I am not a fan of these guys. I just can't get into their podcasts. I appreciate their story of why they chose minimalism.....but that's about where it ends.
Same for me. It's okay and everyone has their story. But at some point I also think that it's useful to broaden the horizon and nut just make content about one topic... Hope that I'll be able to do that eventually.
The first one was way better.
Love Joanna Hinton 🧡
couldn't agree more!
Totally agree with your review!
I'm half way into video and you;ve put me to sleep/ Please redo
No, that's great. Happy relaxing!
شكرًا لك، انا احبك واحب قناتك
This video was brutal
Yeah, I probably have to make a minimalism movie now, fail ridiculously and then make a review of my own crappy movie :-D
Friends go and buy stuff😂
Everybody has to earn a living wether you are minimalist or not , just because they earn a living off what they do doesn't make it wrong . If you have followed these guys for over 10 years you would understand the message they are putting out . I do find your you tube clip snearing and mocking which these guys don't deserve . Minimalist people are all doing things there own way , there is no rule book , they put ideas or suggestions forward , its up to you, the individual if you want to take them on.
Maybe you're idolizing them a bit. I mean, you might have followed them for so long, you might not notice what irritates me and others (just have a look at all the comments) about their content. I have watched several of their podcasts.
Also, you might not have watched the whole video. Because I made very clear that I have absolutely no interest in shaming anybody for making money online, with minimalism or anything else. That assumption is just completely incorrect. Moreover, I made clear that I am not criticizing their view on minimalism at all.
I think, you should pay more attention to what you criticize after all. You're not even talking about a thing of what I said in my video. If I can take anything away from this comment at all, it would be that you just don't like my style. Well, I did not like the style of this movie - how it was made and that it did not really focus on minimalism itself, but mostly on the life's story of The Minimalists. That was the point of my whole critique.
@@UndineAlmani, I don't idolise anybody particularly UA-cam wannabees, I only give recognition, as far as I'm concerned these guys deserve recognition, because they highlight something that needed addressing, I follow many minimalist sites , yours won't be one of them , all I can see from you is jealousy .
I think you're kind of right (not about jealousy, I have a real job which I like, but about that they highlight something important - it is just a question of how do they do that). But that doesn't mean you can't criticize a lack of effort and creativity in a movie...? Or the commercialization of a cause...? We might just have different offsets to what is still nice and where it starts being too polished and inauthentic. That's probably something very personal, and also depending on that feeling of connection with a person and their work. I've only watched a few of their podcasts as well, maybe 20? I don't have that connection. But I liked the podcast better than the film... I will also give the first movie a chance. But I still think that there is a lot of truth in what people criticize here (not just me). Under various videos people also say things like "Please let Ryan talk" and similar. I couldn't quite put a finger on it when I made this video, it was rather spontaneous. But now I think, it just bugs me when someone is talked over and when something very basic is over-emphasized. It even bugs me to hear myself talk, because in a way, UA-cam can lead to a lot of self-involvement. Especially when you hover over one topic for years... Anyway. I wish you a great day or night. It's late here and I'll get some sleep now 😴 🙋🏼♀️
Also: You're clearly idolizing. Sorry, but I just can't take over-protective followers seriously... lol. Nope.