In search of simplicity

Across the country, a growing number of people are living “off the grid,” i.e., people who have disconnected from the electrical grid in order to develop a greener lifestyle. This You Tube video, featured in the New York Times, tells the story of one Pasadena family:

The idea of living more simply has fascinated me for years. The continuing popularity of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden suggests that I am far from alone in my fascination with a simple lifestyle.

One reason for the fascination is the appeal of self-reliant independence. Another reason is the appeal of living in a more environmentally friendly manner that respects other life forms and emphasizes sustainability rather than maximizing benefits for the present generation. Yet another component of the fascination is believing that the truly valuable aspects of life tend to be those unrelated to consumerism and rejecting the idea that more possessions equates to a better life. Imelda Marcos notwithstanding, most individuals only want a limited number of shoes, even if the shoes are free.

The publication of Twelve by Twelve, William Powers’ narrative of living for a year in a 12’ by 12’ cabin near Chapel Hill that is off the grid caught my attention (for a review, cf. Jerry Cope, Living Off The Grid: William Powers' Extraordinary 12 X 12, The Huffington Post, June 23, 2010). If he could do this, so near to where I live, could I do it?

Yet the hard truth is that I’m not ready to live out my life in 144 square feet with minimal electricity. Realistically, I know that human community reflects our basic nature as social animals and that improved quality of life is a significant benefit of communal living. People contributing their skills, talents, time, and interests collectively can benefit all (or most), a concept that economists call specialization of labor.

Powers lived in a small community of like-minded people. The New York Times video features a family not an individual. The vast majority of people attempting to live off the grid are not isolated hermits but part of a small community.

These small communities, however, perform a beneficial moral function similar to the role played by hermits a thousand years ago. Hermits bore witness to non-material values and an interiority that many people ignored. Those living off the grid today similarly bear witness to non-material values frequently ignored in our high tech, consumer culture. These important values include time for introspection, an appreciation of human life as an integral element of nature (not something separate from it), and respect for all life. Everyone living off the grid is neither desirable nor practical. Yet reflecting on the experiences of those who have adopted that lifestyle can promote human flourishing.