theminimalists posts
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Watch: "Preparing Without Hoarding"
Patreon Exclusive. The Minimalists discuss what people can do to responsibility prepare for emergencies, pandemics, supply-chain shortages, and financial shock events without hoarding, and they answer the following questions:How do we appropriately manage scarcity? (05:33)What was “tulip mania”? (10:59)What is an “NFT”? (14:45)How do we address family members who purchase unsolicited “emergency” items for us at the hint of a public panic? (26:46)What is a “financial shock event”? (33:17)What do you consider the three ways to pre...
"All These Distractions"
Patreon Exclusive. The Minimalists talk about avoiding the distractions that create psychological and emotional clutter with Dr. Amishi Jha, and they answer the following questions:How are distractions and disconnection related? (00:32)What is “working memory”? (02:30)How do you view mental clutter? (04:51)What is the “River of Thought Practice”? (07:34)What are some helpful tips for improving focus and attention? (09:38)How do we become better listeners? (12:14)What is “mind traveling”? (16:16)Can some people handle more on their ...
Watch: "All These Distractions"
Patreon Exclusive. The Minimalists talk about avoiding the distractions that create psychological and emotional clutter with Dr. Amishi Jha, and they answer the following questions:How are distractions and disconnection related? (00:32)What is “working memory”? (02:30)How do you view mental clutter? (04:51)What is the “River of Thought Practice”? (07:34)What are some helpful tips for improving focus and attention? (09:38)How do we become better listeners? (12:14)What is “mind traveling”? (16:16)Can some people handle more on their ...
"Seven Daily Habits"
Patreon Exclusive. The Minimalists talk about the seven daily habits to change your life forever, and they answer the following questions:Why do New Year’s resolutions typically fail? (01:53)Why do you believe there’s no such thing as “priorities”? (06:53)What is Joshua’s workout regime? (12:21)What are cold-shock proteins? (16:07)What is the path to greatness? (31:39)What is your perspective regarding sentimental items? (53:31)How do minimalist families manage the plethora of children’s keepsakes? (54:44)How do savings and credit f...
Watch: "Seven Daily Habits"
Patreon Exclusive. The Minimalists talk about the seven daily habits to change your life forever, and they answer the following questions:Why do New Year’s resolutions typically fail? (01:53)Why do you believe there’s no such thing as “priorities”? (06:53)What is Joshua’s workout regime? (12:42)What are cold-shock proteins? (16:28)What is the path to greatness? (32:00)What is your perspective regarding sentimental items? (53:52)How do minimalist families manage the plethora of children’s keepsakes? (55:05)How do savings and credit f...
Benefits for True Fans
Patrons,This message is specifically for our True Fans on Patreon, but we're including all of our patrons on this missive in case you're interested in reading this update.Ask The Minimalists. We are getting ready to record the fifty-third installment of Ask The Minimalists Anything next month and we need your questions. Ask us literally anything in the comments below. (In the meantime, you can watch the first 52 episodes of Ask The Minimalists Anything here; the most recent one with Peter Rollins was especially meaningful.)Live Events. ...
"The Signifiers of Suffering"
Patreon Exclusive. The Minimalists are joined by philosopher Peter Rollins to discuss signifiers, suffering, the “death of God,” desire, happiness, and wisdom, and they answer the following questions:What is the “discourse of the analyst”? (02:44)What are Jacque Lacan’s four discourses? (03:04)What purpose does a psychoanalyst actually serve in therapy? (05:30)What are the two kinds of suffering? (06:59)What is “unenjoyable enjoyment”? (11:13)What are “signifiers”? (12:06)Why does the attainment of products never satisfy us? (...
Watch: "The Signifiers of Suffering"
Patreon Exclusive. The Minimalists are joined by philosopher Peter Rollins to discuss signifiers, suffering, the “death of God,” desire, happiness, and wisdom, and they answer the following questions:What is the “discourse of the analyst”? (02:44)What are Jacque Lacan’s four discourses? (03:04)What purpose does a psychoanalyst actually serve in therapy? (05:30)What are the two kinds of suffering? (06:59)What is “unenjoyable enjoyment”? (11:13)What are “signifiers”? (12:06)Why does the attainment of products never satisfy us? (...
"Other Kinds of Clutter"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and The Minimalists’ team discuss non-material clutter, including relationship clutter, career clutter, emotional clutter, calendar clutter, organizational clutter, and other kinds of clutter, and they answer the following questions:Is deprivation ever helpful? (06:07)What do you think of New Year’s resolutions? (45:12)How many intentions did you set for 2022 and how did you categorize them? (45:27)What did Joshua look like when he was 80 pounds heavier? (50:22)Should we let go of our affection for sports teams to ...
Watch: "Other Kinds of Clutter"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and The Minimalists’ team discuss non-material clutter, including relationship clutter, career clutter, emotional clutter, calendar clutter, organizational clutter, and other kinds of clutter, and they answer the following questions:Is deprivation ever helpful? (06:07)What do you think of New Year’s resolutions? (45:12)How many intentions did you set for 2022 and how did you categorize them? (45:27)What did Joshua look like when he was 80 pounds heavier? (50:22)Should we let go of our affection for sports teams to ...
"Simplicity Creates a New Starting Line: Live from Atlanta"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan are joined by T.K. Coleman in Atlanta to discuss putting your foot down with family members, the difference between abundance and wealth, poverty being the default human state, creating a new starting line, and the lies we tell ourselves, and they answer the following questions:When have you found telling the truth problematic? (04:06)Is minimalism a Western solution for overconsumption? (08:50)Why are so many so consumed with consumption? (10:24)What is the “American Dream”? (11:33)What makes us singularl...
Watch: "Simplicity Creates a New Starting Line: Live from Atlanta"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan are joined by T.K. Coleman in Atlanta to discuss putting your foot down with family members, the difference between abundance and wealth, poverty being the default human state, creating a new starting line, and the lies we tell ourselves, and they answer the following questions:When have you found telling the truth problematic? (04:03)Is minimalism a Western solution for overconsumption? (08:47)Why are so many so consumed with consumption? (10:21)What is the “American Dream”? (11:30)What makes us singularl...
"The Mask of Personality"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan are joined by counselor, podcaster, and author Ian Morgan Cron to discuss personal strengths, inner weaknesses, and the nine personality types of the Enneagram, and they answer the following questions:How have you found the Enneagram to be most helpful? (04:13)What is one of the greatest mistakes we make in life? (05:37)What are the attributes of the Type 8 according to the Enneagram? (07:44)What are the attributes of the Type 9 according to the Enneagram? (10:43)What are the attributes of the Type 1 according...
Watch: "The Mask of Personality"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan are joined by counselor, podcaster, and author Ian Morgan Cron to discuss personal strengths, inner weaknesses, and the nine personality types of the Enneagram, and they answer the following questions:How have you found the Enneagram to be most helpful? (04:13)What is one of the greatest mistakes we make in life? (05:37)What are the attributes of the Type 8 according to the Enneagram? (07:44)What are the attributes of the Type 9 according to the Enneagram? (10:43)What are the attributes of the Type 1 according...
"Emotional Intelligence"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan discuss emotional intelligence, getting upset, kindness, self-awareness, curiosity, and they answer the following questions:What does it mean to be emotionally intelligent? (01:07)What are the two types of blame? (01:42)What is the difference between power and freedom? (06:29)What is “blaming, shaming, and naming”? (08:56)Why does our culture often praise “rage”? (10:58)How do we appropriately manage emotions? (11:31)What is the primary source of our misery? (12:26)How do I tactfully ask for complete c...
Watch: "Emotional Intelligence"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan discuss emotional intelligence, getting upset, kindness, self-awareness, curiosity, and they answer the following questions:What does it mean to be emotionally intelligent? (01:07)What are the two types of blame? (01:42)What is the difference between power and freedom? (06:29)What is “blaming, shaming, and naming”? (08:56)Why does our culture often praise “rage”? (10:58)How do we appropriately manage emotions? (11:31)What is the primary source of our misery? (12:26)How do I tactfully ask for complete c...
"30 Years of Friendship"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan talk about lessons from their 30 years of friendship, as well as some of their failures from the past decade, and they answer the following questions:When did you launch your website? (04:06)What’s the harm in occasionally breaking the rules? (08:19)Were there items you ever saved for special occasions? (14:43)What are some of your personal failures over the past eleven years? (35:40)How do you define “happiness”? (40:05)Why do many people seek out chaos? (41:08)What is the problem with happiness? (43:32...
Watch: "30 Years of Friendship"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan talk about lessons from their 30 years of friendship, as well as some of their failures from the past decade, and they answer the following questions:When did you launch your website? (04:06)What’s the harm in occasionally breaking the rules? (08:19)Were there items you ever saved for special occasions? (14:43)What are some of your personal failures over the past eleven years? (35:40)How do you define “happiness”? (40:05)Why do many people seek out chaos? (41:08)What is the problem with happiness? (43:32...
"The Cult of Minimalism"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan speak with Amanda Montell, author of Cultish, about power, freedom, influence, and whether minimalism could become a cult, and they answer the following questions:Why are so many people resistant to authority? (03:29)Why are people drawn to groups? (16:10)What would make minimalism a cult? (17:04)How do celebrity fan cults develop? (18:25)Is veganism a cult? (20:00)What is the difference between “cult” and “cultish”? (24:16)How is language twisted to control others? (35:20)Where did the phrase “drink...
Watch: "The Cult of Minimalism"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan speak with Amanda Montell, author of Cultish, about power, freedom, influence, and whether minimalism could become a cult, and they answer the following questions:Why are so many people resistant to authority? (03:29)Why are people drawn to groups? (16:10)What would make minimalism a cult? (17:04)How do celebrity fan cults develop? (18:25)Is veganism a cult? (20:00)What is the difference between “cult” and “cultish”? (24:16)How is language twisted to control others? (35:20)Where did the phrase “drink...
"Buy Nothing New This Christmas"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan talk about trying to buy nothing new this holiday season, and they answer the following questions:What has stressed you out in past holiday seasons? (00:49)Why are we so obsessed regarding our material possessions? (04:58)What is the difference between the Diderot effect and Object A? (05:17)What is mimetic desire? (09:37)What are the three types of fun? (15:41)What is “America poor”? (20:31)What causes poverty? (21:04)Why don’t you share the myth of Santa Claus with your child? (36:49)How do we appropri...
Watch: "Buy Nothing New This Christmas"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan talk about trying to buy nothing new this holiday season, and they answer the following questions:What has stressed you out in past holiday seasons? (00:49)Why are we so obsessed regarding our material possessions? (04:58)What is the difference between the Diderot effect and Object A? (05:17)What is mimetic desire? (09:37)What are the three types of fun? (15:41)What is “America poor”? (20:31)What causes poverty? (21:04)Why don’t you share the myth of Santa Claus with your child? (36:49)How do we appropri...
Nothing to Do with Cyber Monday
Hello, Simpletons!Happy Cyber Monday. Just kidding. You can put away your debit card. Hehe. While you can watch our latest one-minute rant about "Stupid Christmas Gifts" on Instagram or TikTok, this Patreon post has nothing to do with the commodification of the holidays—just a few updates for you, our patrons.Studio. First, as you can see in the above picture, our new studio is 90% complete. We just installed our new broadcast desk and carpet. Next month, we'll hang our new paintings and audio/video equipment, and then, once the d...
"The Expiration Date on Friendships"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan talk about expired careers, expired obligations, expired hometowns, and even expired relationships, and they answer the following questions:Is there a value in placing expiration dates on everything in our lives? (00:00)What does your acronym “TARA” represent? (07:33)What are the three essential components of a relationship? (20:07)How do I let go of a relationship of thirty years? (21:21)How do we determine when it’s the appropriate time to switch careers? (30:24)How do you find a new hometown when your...
Watch: "The Expiration Date on Friendships"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan talk about expired careers, expired obligations, expired hometowns, and even expired relationships, and they answer the following questions:Is there a value in placing expiration dates on everything in our lives? (00:00)What does your acronym “TARA” represent? (07:33)What are the three essential components of a relationship? (20:07)How do I let go of a relationship of thirty years? (21:21)How do we determine when it’s the appropriate time to switch careers? (30:24)How do you find a new hometown when your...
"Possessed by Possessions"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan talk about the emotional and psychological pain that arises when we constantly need more stuff, and they answer the following questions:How do we quell our mindless consumption? (00:00)What is “expensive pain”? (08:47)What is “toxic clinging”? (13:22)What is the definition of “luxury”? (29:39)When do luxury goods make sense to own? (34:31)What about items perceived as superfluous that are actually essential, such as nutritious food compared to processed food that is cheaper and more readily availab...
Watch: "Possessed by Possessions"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan talk about the emotional and psychological pain that arises when we constantly need more stuff, and they answer the following questions:How do we quell our mindless consumption? (00:00)What is “expensive pain”? (08:47)What is “toxic clinging”? (13:22)What is the definition of “luxury”? (29:39)When do luxury goods make sense to own? (34:31)What about items perceived as superfluous that are actually essential, such as nutritious food compared to processed food that is cheaper and more readily availab...
"The Great Resignation"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan talk about the seven stages of finding purpose in a career, quitting your job if you’re miserable, and “The Great Resignation” with career expert, author, and Ramsey personality Ken Coleman, and they answer the following questions:What is “The Great Resignation”? (00:00)Why are humans so averse to change? (03:08)What do you consider essential? (15:35)What are the seven stages to finding purpose? (15:58)How do we organically develop connections? (17:52)How do you create a purpose statement? (28:24)How...
Watch: "The Great Resignation"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan talk about the seven stages of finding purpose in a career, quitting your job if you’re miserable, and “The Great Resignation” with career expert, author, and Ramsey personality Ken Coleman, and they answer the following questions:What is “The Great Resignation”? (00:00)Why are humans so averse to change? (03:30)What do you consider essential? (15:57)What are the seven stages to finding purpose? (16:20)How do we organically develop connections? (18:14)How do you create a purpose statement? (28:46)How...
"Consumerist Equanimity"
Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan talk about blowing up past relationships; rules for letting go of careers, habits, and routines; and nine ways to avoid spending money on trends; and they answer the following questions:What do you mean by “blowing up a relationship”? (00:00)What would you do differently if you could? (33:55)What is “low-grade misery”? (36:13)What are the three types of relationships? (38:52)How do I make my boss spontaneously combust? (45:05)How do I let go of the FOMO regarding Facebook so I can cancel my account? (5...
