At about the time I became vegan, I started to embrace minimalism. Nowadays, I feel much less of a need to spend money on much of anything. Are there other people who just go "I am not going to buy anything to prove a point." I am not sure what point I am proving by being so cheap. But, gosh it feels good to say, "I don't need or want _____."
Are there other vegans like me who became super cheap after they went vegan?
Please keep in mind that I am still very new to the vegan lifestyle.
I have certainly been a cheapscate and a minimalist, ever since childhood. I didn't need much, so I was content with what I had. I liked to wear the same outfit everyday, the minimalist would call that a "uniform", and I still do use the same clothes almost everyday. But to reduce the smell, I of course have multiples of the same shirt and pants. I also have other clothes that are similar, but not exactly the same.
But even though I was a minimalist, and I didn't have much earthly possessions when I moved out, I was apparently also a sort of hoarder, because I had a huge collection of paper. Just boxes full of blank paper. That was a weird discovery. Supposedly, I was worried that I would run out of drawing paper. A rule in minimalism is that what you value, you keep. To some it is books, to some drawing equipment. Some don't need furniture, others do...
As a child, I had very veganish thoughts, about how humans shouldn't kill other animals. Also, always got immensely upset when ever I did see a dead animal. But I wasn't a vegan yet. And now... I am a vegan.
So the answer to your question is no, I didn't became super cheap after veganism. The cheaponess and minimalism came first as a natural thing for me, because I need to keep things as simple as possible, in order to decrease stress...
veganism developed much later.
Borrowing, exchanging and giving forward, helps to protect nature from more harm. I think this aspect is important to most environmentalist, and thus also to vegans. Maybe this is why some vegans lean towards freeconomy and minimalism?
...I don't think that there is anything wrong with materialism, balance in everything makes more sense to me.
If I could find something otter-related: plushies, figurines or books about otters, I would probably fill my small 24,5 square meter apartment fairly quickly.
Actually, can you be a minimalist and a collector at the same time? I think yes, since the rule is: you can keep that which you value.
I don't value excessive clothing or a variety of clothing, so I have just a few that are similar. I don't value furniture, so I don't have much, just a coffee table and a bed.
I value drawing equipment, so I have all that I need. And in order to value those art supplies that I have, I must use those as well, instead of accumulating mindlessly and wasting money. As a child, when I collected paper, that wasn't being used, I basically just filled the empty space in my closet. Keeping my surroundings clean, simple and almost empty, having only what I need suits me.
I just watched 4 minutes into the video that
@Lou sent and am unable to finish it. Was way too anxiety inducing experience with all those noises and flashing pictures..
I think we humans collect things to remind us that we are here.... or when we die and someone has to throw our things away, that we were here. Things are part of our identity. And mark our private territory. Thankfully, we don't mark our territory like otters (but then again it would be more eco-friendly).
And what is left when we die? Things. Huge amounts of things. Without meaning, purpose, or value, that someone has to get rid of and that probably ends up in a landfill.
When we have nothing, and we are alone without distractions, we have to face our mortality and try to come into terms with it. You either reach enlightenment or go crazy or both.
In minimalism we try to value people and life over things. It's passing, and over soon. Some people don't want to be reminded of inevitable change, so it's easier to just surround ourselves with stuff.
This YouTuber is precious.
