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14. What would happen to the economy if lots of people started buying less or only what they actually need?
Here are five ways that voluntary simplicity can be good for the economy (and you). How many more can you think of?
Voluntary Simplicity Lifestyle:
Tendency toward economic activity characterized by moderation and sufficiency
More savings for investment and capital formation
Jobs created to help build a sustainable future for all
Reduction of debt, both personal and national
Resources used to meet needs, bringing a sense of fulfillment
High Consumption Lifestyle:
Tendency toward economic activity characterized by excess and fluctuation
Less savings for investment and capital formation
Jobs created without focus on a sustainable future for all Increase in debt, both personal and national
Resources used to manufacture wants, bringing a sense of unfulfillment

15. What if we value free enterprise and don't think that there should ever be anything like upper or lower limits on wealth?

One of the best ways to ensure freedom -- as well as a more just, sustainable and peaceful world -- is for each person to voluntarily act in a responsible way.
16. Is there a way that these discussions can include meeting children's needs, since they are more susceptible to commercial pressures than most?
Yes. There is a strong connection between voluntary simplicity and children's well-being, including their emotional, physical and mental health. Multi-level children's curricula, parenting resources, and general information on simple living is available from Seeds of Simplicity.
17. Why is this called "simplicity," when it seems like some of the suggestions might bring increased complexity to our lives?
It is a paradox that living more simply -- with fewer unnecessary material goods -- can sometimes seem more complicated than having every gadget or preprepared "convenience." It may help to consider the built-in costs, like clutter, maintenance, insurance, etc. -- as well as the monetary costs -- of these items, not to mention the costs to the Earth of producing and ultimately disposing of them. It is good for each person to find a workable balance on this issue, since the simple life is without a doubt a deliberate life. Speaking of complexity, let's reflect on the degree to which voluntary simplicity can be a great balancing agent in a global society that is getting more complex by itself every minute.

18. Some have said that voluntary simplicity advocates are somehow "elitist." Is there any truth to this?
Definitely not. It is generally our concern for our own disproportionate consumption of Earth's resources that is one of our strongest motivations. We seek to offer the benefits of the simplified lifestyle to other overconsumers, not to underconsumers. Nevertheless, we all need to avoid getting too pleased with ourselves, as the following letter from Peg Ferm in the magazine, Sierra, points out so well: "I find the spectacle of the environmentally aware middle class attempting 'voluntary simplicity' mildly hilarious. Don't get me wrong -- I'm all for it. But even with ten-year-old cars, ten-year-old hiking boots, organic-cotton T-shirts, membership in community-sponsored agriculture, and nary a paper towel in the house, our middle-class lives are lavish and opulent. How can people say with a straight face that they practice voluntary simplicity when their automobiles are better housed than most [Two] Third[s] World families? Please, let us all vow to cut down. But let us not be too smug. Even in relatively simplified lifestyles, our material wealth is vast."

19. Do you recommend trying to go back to simpler, better times?
No, simple living is forward living, not backward living. Earlier times were often neither simpler nor better. We now have the opportunity to help create a more sustainable future for all children by taking steps such as redefining the good life.
20. Since some environmentalists consider factors like peace of mind to be irrelevant to policy issues, is there a way that this widespread advantage of voluntary simplicity can be well-represented?
Studies show that our country's emphasis on materialism contributes to increased levels of dissatisfaction among its people. We can never feel completely satisfied because we can never get quite enough. People who are preoccupied with obtainingun achievable fulfillment from consumer goods are less likely to prioritize environmental concerns, just as others are more likely to take good care of the Earth when they feel good about themselves.
21. Does the voluntary simplicity field tend to have a particular religious perspective?
Not necessarily. Although reducing our society's high degree of materialism is important to nearly every spiritual path, it also holds great appeal from a secular humanist point of view.
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