Minimalism has always interested me. One of my attractions to Greek thought and living is their belief in having nothing in excess and knowing yourself as outlined by the Oracle at Delphi. These always seemed to be sensible goals. These motifs are prevalent in Greek thought all the way from Socrates to Epicurus to Epictetus and the Desert Fathers. Jesus even picked up on these motifs and integrated them into his message.

It's remarkable how much we have forgotten over the centuries. Although we may admire the aforementioned men, our society comes way short of trying to live a sensible life or even trying to emulate their example. We are all too absorbed in things that really do not lead to sensible living.

A good place for people to start thinking minimalistically (and thereby sensibly) is to read an excellent post on Miss Minimalist on SOPHROSYNE.

Miss Minimalist on Sophrosyne

This well-thought out post shows what steps can be taken to live sensibly.

This snippet from “The Cynic” shows a good understanding of what qualifies for minimalistic living:

Take Heracles, the best man that ever lived, a divine man, and rightly reckoned a God; was it wrong-headedness that made him go about in nothing but a lion's skin, insensible to all the needs you feel? No, he was not wrong-headed, who righted other people's wrongs; he was not poor, who was lord of land and sea. Wherever he went, he was master; he never met his superior or his equal as long as he lived.