Voluntary simplicity

·14 · Making more out of less

Pre-reading
Using the following questionnaire, interview your classmates, colleagues, family,
and friends.

Questionnaire A B C
How much stress do you have in your life?
a. Too much
b. Not very much
c. None
How much time do you have to do the things
you really enjoy doing?
a. Lots of time
b. Always enough time
c. Never enough time
d. No time at all
What makes you happy?
a. Money
b. Success
c. Family relationships
d. Friends
e. New experiences
f. Other (specify: )
How important are “things” to you?
a. Very important
b. Somewhat important
c. Not very important
Why do you buy things?
a. Because I need them
b. Because I want them
c. Because everyone else has them
d. Because I can’t say no
e. Because I saw an advertisement or commercial
f. Other (specify: )
How much “stuf” do you have?
a. Too much
b. Enough
c. Not very much
d. Only what I really need

188
Predicting content
Read only the irst paragraph of the reading text, then make three predictions about the
content of the entire text.

Reading text
1 In 1988, American vocalist Bobby McFerrin released “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Accompa-
nied by an entertaining video featuring comic actors Robin Williams and Bill Irwin, McFerrin’s
a cappella song had a catchy tune, but it was the simple, upbeat message that lited it to No. 1 on
the Billboard Hot 100. As stated in the American Declaration of Independence of 1776, life, lib-
erty, and the pursuit of happiness are inalienable rights. Happiness motivates us; without it, our
lives would be empty and meaningless.
2 Of course, what makes a person happy difers greatly from individual to individual. For
some it’s money, fame, or power; for others, it’s family, relationships, work, adventure, creativity,
or peace of mind. In its short refrain, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” ofers a straightforward formula
for happiness—one that most people would agree with—but not worrying and being happy aren’t
always so easy. Or is it possible that by simplifying our lives, by reducing the clutter that worries
and burdens us, we can ind true happiness?
3 he majority of people have always lived simply, and most of humanity still struggles on a
daily basis to eke out a meager existence under dire circumstances. Only in affluent industrialized
countries do people have the luxury of more goods and services than they need to survive. On the
basis of material wealth, North Americans and Europeans should be the happiest people on earth,
but according to the 2012 Happy Planet Index (HPI), they are not.
4 Introduced in 2006 by the New Economics Foundation as a challenge to the Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) and the Human Development Index (HDI) as measures of a country’s well-being,
the Happy Planet Index assesses happiness in terms of life expectancy, experienced well-being,
and the country’s ecological footprint. he results are astounding. he top ive ranking coun-
tries are Costa Rica, Vietnam, Colombia, Belize, and El Salvador, in that order; these poor coun-
tries also have a minimal ecological footprint between 1.4 and 2.4. he least happy of the 161
countries listed are Mali, the Central African Republic, Qatar, Chad, and Botswana. Except for
oil-rich Qatar with an ecological footprint of 11.7, these countries are poor and have an ecological
footprint between 1.4 and 2.8. Wealthy countries show the following results:
Country Rank Ecological footprint
Switzerland 34 5.0
United Kingdom 41 4.7
Japan 45 4.2
Germany 46 4.6
Canada 64 6.4
Australia 76 6.7
United States 105 17.2
5 Not only are Americans, Canadians, Britons, Germans, Australians, the Swiss, and the Japa-
nese less happy than their counterparts in Central and Latin American countries, but—ironi-
cally—in the last few decades, some people, particularly in North America, have been turning
away from consumerism and embracing a simpler, more natural lifestyle. During the counter-

Voluntary simplicity: Making more out of less 189

 culture era of the 1960s, there was a trend for mostly young people to reject the “American Dream”
and the White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) work ethic. Even professionals and intellectuals
were “dropping out” of society and moving “back to the land” to commune with nature. In the
1980s, surveys conducted in the United States revealed that 25 percent of the adult population had
simpliied how they lived and worked. he results of a 1991 Time-CNN survey published in Time
magazine showed that 69 percent of participants wanted to slow down and enjoy a more relaxed
lifestyle, and that 60 percent found that work made it diicult to enjoy life.
6 What had begun as an experimental lifestyle evolved into a quiet revolution that spread the
word through books such as Duane Elgin’s best-selling Voluntary Simplicity: Toward a Way of Life
hat is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich (1981), as well as numerous magazines, alternative com-
munities of the like-minded, and, later, Internet websites. Combined with a growing awareness of
the environmental consequences of consumerism, the voluntary simplicity movement sought to
reduce the consumption of goods and energy and to minimize one’s personal impact on the envi-
ronment. “Voluntary” denotes a free and conscious choice to make appropriate changes that will
enrich life in a deeper, spiritual sense. “Simplicity” refers to the lack of clutter, that is, eliminating
all those things, patterns, habits, and ideas that take control of our lives and distract us from our
inner selves.
7 Voluntary simplicity is not to be confused with poverty, which is involuntary, degrading, and
debilitating. Neither does it mean that people must live on a farm or reject progress or technol-
ogy, or do without what is necessary for their comfort and welfare. For example, we need food
and shelter, but we don’t necessarily need to eat steak and lobster or to live in a palace. In today’s
world, most of us need a computer and an Internet connection for work and school, but at home
we don’t need a computer in every room—and we don’t need to spend our time endlessly suring
the Internet.
8 To practice voluntary simplicity, one must diferentiate between what one wants (psycho-
logical desires) and what one needs (basic requirements of life), and seek a healthy balance that is
compatible with both. In a consumer society where advertising bombards us with the message
that without this, that, and the other product, we are unsuccessful, undesirable, and unimportant,
being clear on what you really need and resisting what you don’t can be an ongoing struggle.
9 he beauty of voluntary simplicity is that it is a philosophy, and not a dogma. How one goes
about it depends on individual character, cultural background, and climate. Although there is no
single right way to practice voluntary simplicity, there are some general guidelines that one can
apply to one’s individual circumstances:
1. Take stock Before you make any changes, you must examine your life. Do you spend your
time and energy on activities that fulill you, or do you let other people or pressures control
you? Do you use your time efectively, or do you waste it on activities that bring neither satis-
faction nor results? How much stuf do you own? Do you use what you have on a regular basis,
or do most of your possessions just take up space?
2. Set priorities Once you have taken stock, you can identify what you value most and what you
can deinitely dispense with. Making a list and assigning a numerical value to each item can
help you sort things out. Next, you can decide how much time and energy you will dedicate to
your priorities. If family is important, how will you make sure that you give your loved ones
your full attention? If learning a new skill means a lot to you, how can you free up your sched-
ule to accommodate taking a course?
3. Reduce, recycle, and reuse he three Rs represent the best way to get a handle on rampant
consumerism. In economies driven by the quest for ever more, living with less is erroneously
equated with poverty and social inferiority. By conserving energy, for instance, you are actu-
ally ensuring that more resources are available for future use. By making a frugal budget and
sticking to it, you can eliminate unnecessary expenses. Recycling paper, metal, plastic, and

190 practice makes perfect Advanced English Reading and Comprehension

 glass and reusing building materials and old clothing keep materials in the loop and out of
landills.
4. Share, give away, and use public resources Pooling skills and resources through barter
networks not only saves money, but sharing with others establishes bonds and fosters a sense
of community. You can donate what you no longer use to charitable organizations or give it
away to someone in need, rather than throwing usable items into the trash. You can also utilize
public libraries, public transportation, and other public facilities.
5. Choose quality over quantity With the glut of cheap goods that are usually designed for
obsolescence, quality products that last are becoming progressively harder to ind. In the long
run, a more expensive but durable and repairable item or even an older used item that is still
in good condition is a better investment than a brand new piece of junk that will only break
down and end up in the trash.
6. Resist pressure We are raised to believe that more and bigger are synonymous with better,
and that without lots of money, a big house, a new car, and the latest fashions, we are nobody.
What we are never told is that all these things come with an enormous price tag, and that we
have to sacriice much of our lives chasing ater the dollars we need to pay for them. Choosing
a simpler life means going against the grain of mainstream society, and you must be committed
in order to withstand the pressures that society, the media, and even sometimes family and
friends exert on you to conform.
7. Take time hey say that time is money, but time is actually more precious than money. You
do not have to change your life or your habits overnight. Not only is it impossible, but like
crash diets, rash behavior is sure to backire. Only by taking small, reasonable steps and giving
yourself suicient time to adjust and evaluate your progress will you be able to commit yourself
to your choices and see them through.
8. Be grateful People chase ater more because they either have accumulated the wrong things
or do not appreciate what they have. If you can be genuinely grateful for what you have, you
will always have enough.
10 At the heart of voluntary simplicity is the conscious realization that less is really more. Less
consumption means more resources for future generations. Less activity that brings little satisfac-
tion or reward is more time for yourself and your loved ones. Less stuf is more space to move
around in. Less stress means more relaxation and better health. Less worry provides more enjoy-
ment and more fulillment in life. How we live our lives is essentially our choice, but one choice
we can make is simple enough: in the words of Bobby McFerrin, “Don’t worry, be happy.”

After reading
In the Pre-reading section, check to see if your predictions about the reading text were correct.

Voluntary simplicity: Making more out of less 191

 Vocabulary
EXERCISE

14 · 1
Thematic vocabulary List 10 words or phrases related to social and cultural
values.

EXERCISE

14 · 2
Academic vocabulary Using a dictionary, complete the following chart with the
correct forms and deinitions of the academic words from the reading text. If a word has
multiple meanings, match the deinition to the context in which the word is used in the
text.

Noun Adjective Verb Deinition

1. equate
2. X publish
3. X release
4. X utilize
5. index X
6. stress
7. erroneous(ly)
8. individual,

9. X accompany
10. X conform
11. X denote
12. X reject
13. X X seek
14. bond, bonding X
15. priority X

192 practice makes perfect Advanced English Reading and Comprehension

 Noun Adjective Verb Deinition
16. formula X
17. majority X
18. compatible X
19. welfare X X
20. X straightforward X

EXERCISE

14 · 3
Using vocabulary Complete each of the following sentences with the appropriate
word from the chart in Exercise 14-2. Be sure to use the correct form of each verb and
to pluralize nouns, if necessary.

1. Meditation can help you reduce your level and ind a sense of balance.
2. The Consumer Price relects spending patterns and indicates
inlationary trends.
3. If you have a library card, you can all of its resources.
4. The between mother and child is one of the strongest human
relationships.
5. Individualists ind it diicult to to the rules of society, especially if the
rules do not make sense.
6. The president won the election by a large .
7. The bride will be to the altar by her father and three bridesmaids.
8. It is to believe that everyone can become rich.
9. J. K. Rowling has just her irst adult novel.
10. It is better to be than beat around the bush.
11. The symbols ♀ and ♂ female and male, respectively.
12. The government is responsible for the safety and of its citizens.
13. People often money with happiness.
14. If you do not want to keep on wasting your time and energy, you need to sit down and
set your .
15. The Bill of Rights protects the democratic rights of every .
16. There is no simple for success or happiness.
17. At the end of the semester, a lot of college students will be a summer
job.

Voluntary simplicity: Making more out of less 193

 18. When Sally latly refused to go on a date with Harry, he felt deeply hurt and
.
19. When is the band going to its latest CD and video?
20. My roommate and I get along, because our interests are so .

EXERCISE

14 · 4
Nonacademic vocabulary Fill in the part of speech for each of the nonacademic
words below, then indicate which of the words best conveys the meaning of the
underlined word or phrase in each sentence that follows. Be sure to use the correct
form of each verb and to change an adjective to an adverb, if necessary.

aluent balance budget clutter durable

foster frugal fulillment grateful rank

1. I would be very appreciative if you could help me with this project.

2. A person who has a stressful and demanding job inds it diicult to put in an equal
position family and work.

3. Mrs. Johnson gets a lot of satisfaction out of volunteering in the community.

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology holds a top position among the world’s top
universities.

5. If you have trouble making ends meet, you need to sit down and make a plan of income
and expenditures.

6. Josephine’s family lives in a very wealthy neighborhood.

7. I don’t know how you can stand the untidy jumble of papers and stuf on your desk.

8. Student exchange programs promote the development of cultural understanding and

a spirit of cooperation.

9. People who have to raise a family on a low income have to live using as little money as
possible.

194 practice makes perfect Advanced English Reading and Comprehension

 10. If you want to go hiking in the mountains, you need to get a good hardwearing pair
of hiking boots.

Reading comprehension
EXERCISE

14 · 5
Reading for main ideas Choose the boldface word or phrase that correctly
completes each of the following statements. Some statements include two sets
of choices.

1. Wealth | Happiness is what gives our lives true meaning, but there is | isn’t a simple,
straightforward formula for achieving it.
2. According to the Happy Planet Index, people living in aluent countries are | are not
the happiest people on earth.
3. According to the Happy Planet Index, the happiest people live in countries with the
lowest | highest ecological footprint.
4. Voluntary simplicity originated in North America | Central and South America as a
counterculture that evolved into an alternative lifestyle movement.
5. Voluntary simplicity seeks to reduce | increase consumption patterns and personal impact
on the environment.
6. Voluntary simplicity equates | diferentiates between “wants” and “needs.”
7. Voluntary simplicity is a philosophy | dogma that depends on individual circumstances |
societal pressures.

EXERCISE

14 · 6
Reading for details For each of the following sentences, choose the correct answer
to ill in the blank.

1. A Time-Life survey found that percent of participants wanted a more

relaxed lifestyle.
a. 25
b. 60
c. 69
2. According to the 2012 Happy Planet Index, the happiest countries are in .
a. North America
b. Central and South America
c. Europe

Voluntary simplicity: Making more out of less 195

 3. According to the 2012 Happy Planet Index, the least happy countries are in
.
a. North America
b. Africa
c. Asia
4. Of the least happy countries, all have a low ecological footprint except .
a. Qatar
b. Mali
c. Chad
5. Voluntary simplicity began as a movement in the .
a. 1960s
b. 1970s
c. 1980s
6. Surveys conducted in the 1980s in the United States showed that
percent of adults had simpliied their lifestyle and work.
a. 69
b. 60
c. 25

Indicate which of the following statements are true (T) and which are false (F).

7. People in wealthy countries are the happiest people on earth.

8. The happiest countries have a low ecological footprint.
9. It is not possible to apply voluntary simplicity both to your life and to your work.
10. Bobby McFerrin wrote a book about voluntary simplicity.
11. People don’t have to live on a farm or in the country to practice voluntary simplicity.
12. People who practice voluntary simplicity reduce, recycle, and reuse.

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

13. What is the deinition of voluntary simplicity?

14. What is the diference between “wants” and “needs”?

15. What three factors does the Happy Planet Index measure?

196 practice makes perfect Advanced English Reading and Comprehension

16. What are the two main goals of the voluntary simplicity movement?

17. What inluences make it diicult for people to reduce their consumption patterns?

EXERCISE

14 · 7
Reading for interpretation and inference Match each of the following
guidelines with the appropriate explanation below.

a. Take stock.
b. Set priorities.
c. Reduce, recycle, and reuse.
d. Share, give away, and use public resources.
e. Choose quality over quantity.
f. Resist pressure.
g. Take time.
h. Be grateful.
1. Buy things that last instead of cheap junk.
2. Don’t consume needlessly, waste resources, or throw useful things away.
3. Look at all you have and give thanks.
4. Do things because you believe in them, not because others expect it of you.
5. Look closely at your life and ask yourself how much you really get out of what you
have and do.
6. Make changes thoughtfully and without being in a big hurry.
7. Contribute to the community instead of accumulating things for selish purposes.
8. Decide what is really important to you and use your time, energy, and resources
accordingly.

Voluntary simplicity: Making more out of less 197

 Reading strategies
EXERCISE

14 · 8
Summarizing Summarize the reading text, using the following questions as a guide.
First, answer the questions in bullet points, then write sentences and organize them
into paragraphs.

1. How important is happiness to most people, and what is the relationship between material
wealth and happiness?
2. What does the term voluntary simplicity mean?
3. How did the movement get its start, and what are its goals?
4. What is the diference between “wants” and “needs”?
5. What can people do to simplify their lives?
6. What are the challenges and rewards of voluntary simplicity?

198 practice makes perfect Advanced English Reading and Comprehension

Critical thinking
EXERCISE

14 · 9
Making evaluations Indicate which of the following choices conform (✓) to the
philosophy of voluntary simplicity and which do not (X).

1. a. Living in a mansion
b. Living in a small apartment
2. a. Buying a brand new car
b. Buying a good used car
3. a. Driving to work or school
b. Organizing a car pool with colleagues who live in the same neighborhood
4. a. Buying clothes that match
b. Buying clothes that are fashionable but don’t go with anything that you have
in your wardrobe
5. a. Making a schedule to manage your time
b. Doing things on the ly
6. a. Buying a new product because it is advertised on television
b. Buying a new product because it is efective and useful
7. a. Shopping locally and buying food that is in season
b. Buying expensive and exotic products that are imported from far away
8. a. Sharing tools or machines with friends
b. Buying a brand new item even if you are going to use it only once or very rarely
9. a. Borrowing books from the library
b. Buying every book you are interested in reading
10. a. Going for a long walk on the beach
b. Working overtime to earn money to pay of your credit card debt

Voluntary simplicity: Making more out of less 199

 EXERCISE

14 · 10
Making a case Give the meaning of each of the following quotations, and explain
how it relates to the concept of voluntary simplicity. Do you agree or disagree with
the quotations? Give reasons to support your opinion.

1. Only give up a thing when you want some other condition so much that the thing no longer
has any attraction for you.—Mahatma Gandhi

2. A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can aford to let alone.
—Henry David Thoreau

3. The simplest things are often the truest.—Richard Bach

4. With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures and some books, I live without envy.
—Lope de Vega

5. Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without.—New England Puritans

6. Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph
of principles.—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Bibliography
Elgin, Duane, Voluntary Simplicity: Toward a Way of Life hat is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich
(New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1981).

200 practice makes perfect Advanced English Reading and Comprehension