As many know, Stoics believe that the only good is virtue. Physical things, social status, and even personal health are considered “indifferents” as they are not necessary for us to practice or attain virtue. As I think about applying virtue, and creating environments conducive to practicing virtue, I recall an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show. Now I am not much of a TV or movie viewer, and certainly do not seek out talk shows, but fate smiled in allowing me to see this episode.
In the show, Oprah is in Denmark which at the time of airing was considered the happiest country on earth. Oprah was speaking with a Danish mother from a location in a beautiful, but tiny bedroom of one of her children. Oprah said something like “this room is so beautiful but is very small, where are all the toys and stuff?” To which the mother replied “Oprah, we have a saying here ‘Less space, less stuff, more life’.” The mother went on to explain that the children and parents spend less time with their “stuff” and more time outside, creating experiences and relationships with others.
I personally struggle to be more like this Danish mother focusing on wanting less to live more. In my family we try to frame our desires as “needs” vs “wants”. Needs are those things we must have to live and wants are “preferred indifferents.” Preferred indifferents, such as new lawn furniture, more complex cell phones, top-end electric bikes, and extensive wardrobes are unnecessary for living fully. Of course, I have good-natured debates with my 16-year-old daughter on the definition of a need vs what is a want. I frequently lose the fight and we have plenty more stuff than we truly need. Yet, I sometimes can help reframe and minimize my “needs” and I think it helps me refocus on developing my virtue and driving “more life.”
To me, this Oprah episode is a modern version of Epictetus reminding his students to not get attached to things, and in doing so result in a greater sense of peace or equanimity. Perhaps if he were alive today, he might even be quoted as saying “Less stuff creates more space for the good life.”
What do you think?