Complicating Minimalism
It’s not as simple as you think!
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In response to Charlie Brown:
I find Charlie Brown’s interpretation of minimalism in the essay, “Minimalism is a Feminist Issue” quite interesting…and conflicting.
Interesting interpretation. But I am the “odd woman out,” as the last thing I am is someone who puts great value on the order of my home. But also, I don’t see any of that as a cause of such things as depression, but rather one of the results of being depressed. Aside from seeming more rational to me, it is absolutely and unequivocally supported by personal experience. Having too much stuff lying around in a disorderly fashion is a reflection of my depression, rather than a cause.
It’s hard for me to imagine that those assertions could even be conceivably true. Plus Brown mentions several things as if they were separate causes rather than integral.
Example: procrastination usually happens as a result of depression or anxiety, specifically depression arising from anxiety over one’s ability to perform the necessary task, or anxiety over the feelings associated with the actions to be taken that reference bad experiences (such as, for instance, constantly being yelled at for failing at “simple” tasks).
Then there’s the gender issue. Quite to contrary to her generalizations regarding gender, with women being far more concerned with neatness and order than men, I tend to be messy.
1) The messes result from several causes: I am a creative person in many different areas.
2) Accompanying all that, I am ADHD. Combine the two and KABOOM!
3) Because of that ADHD, and now age as I head through my eighth decade of life, I find it terribly important to hang on to things that keep my memories alive.
By the way: contrary to earlier beliefs about ADHD, the percent of girls/women with ADHD is approximately the same as the percent of boys/men with ADHD. It’s just manifested differently.
Frankly, I cannot bear the sight of a super clean and orderly living situation — at least if it is my own. It gives me the heebie jeebies (she says, shivering with anxiety).
And reminds me of a mom who was exceedingly critical of me about everything, not just the mess in my room.
