I decided that I had one too many large tables this week thats primary function just served to collect plates and trash.
I got rid of it and sort of had an existential moment of realization. I'm scraping the barrel on minimalism. Last year I moved into a small tent full time. Downsized my bed to a cot, made my own solar system, pump my water, and got rid of all my trinkets and toys.
I just don't have much left to get rid of. Not much left to store or organize. No need for large tables, my smaller collapsable tables do what I need. All thats left is bare essential appliances, clothing, bedding, and daily use devices. just a little more I wouldn't even need a shelf anymore.
I feel free. Like a weight is being lifted off of me. Possessing means maintenance and emotional attachment to objects. Each thing I get rid of feels like a win, like I'm letting go of something that I didn't really need. The few things that stay I truly appreciate for what they provide me in life.
But I feel like I'm kind of weird for feeling these way. Its the societal norm to collect things, compare social status with objects, show off your ideaologoies and interest by decorations. The 'dream' for most people is a big home to fill with a spouce, kids, and things.
People get mad at the idea of 'pod life' and 'owning nothing and being happy', which I understand its about being g forced into poverty not minimalistic zen type letting go of attachment. But I personally feel like theres too much hoarding and consumerism in daily life.
I wish that nomadic minimal lifestyles were looked better upon by society and not equated to homelessness. I don't have any stuff tying me down I want to explore my country without monthly apartment rents in an old van. Why is that wrong? Because I'm not making taxable property income or stimulating the economy with constant purchase?
I started enjoy lemmy a lot more when I embraced a more active hands on mindset.
I opened a community for my niche metal detecting hobby and post every find I can.
Then I became a mod of several communities I was really into and embraced my creative side to give them glow-ups. Custom animated artwork and high quality banners. Detailed descriptions and change-logs. Still actively posting in them to keep alive.
I try to make one meme a day in gimp and shitpost somewhere. Sometimes its loved, sometimes its dogpiled, Lemmy got its engagement either way mission accomplished. The computer should be used as a tool of productivity/creativity sometimes not just entertainment machine.
I'm so happy its a small social media. I have a chance to make a difference and be seen and socially network. To be motivated to post and have people recognize my pseudonym and help fuel the growing of a platform I believe in. This isnt a smaller reddit or the next successor to dig. Its a return to web 1.0 defederated BBS with a shiny new coat of paint free from corpo bs I'm so here for it.