Minimalism Is Not The Goal

Why the minimalist fad fails to bring true happiness

E.M. DuBois
4 min readOct 30, 2023
Photo by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič on Unsplash

Minimalism is trending.

The idea of minimalism was made popular by the documentary “The Minimalists.” After watching the documentary, people all over the world are paring down their lifestyles and getting rid of stuff. The Minimalists themselves are Emmy-nominated Netflix stars and New York Times–bestselling authors Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus.

I have to admit, at first glance, I was all for the idea of minimalism. At heart, I am a minimalist, I believe in getting rid of unnecessary stuff and living a simple life.

However, now that the idea has taken off I have some serious questions and concerns over how individuals are implementing this lifestyle. In this article, I will lay out some of these concerns while also addressing how to use minimalism for good in your life.

What is minimalism?

Minimalism is a lifestyle and design concept that revolves around the idea of “less is more.” It is characterized by simplicity, minimal clutter, and a focus on essential elements. Minimalism can be applied…

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E.M. DuBois

E.M. is a teacher, freelance writer, husband, and father who loves writing creative non-fiction.