
Ask HN: Is a simple life desirable to you? Why or why not? - personlurking
If you think simple living should not include the city, yet you still remain a city-dweller, why? If you could work remotely, would you try out the countryside or an island?<p>My questions stem from a recent conversation with a friend over why it should be generally considered odd or wrong to want less for one&#x27;s life - to be satisfied with less money, less work hours, less things, less ambition. Maybe it&#x27;s my American upbringing but the idea I got from those around me, media and society is that simple living isn&#x27;t even a thing to be considered, that it doesn&#x27;t even enter into the realm of desirable possibilities for one&#x27;s life.<p>Into my thirties, the idea I always got is that if you want less you are a loser, you&#x27;re lost, and you can&#x27;t be taken seriously (in business and relationships). Thus the title of my Ask HN.
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lj3
A lot of people do it, you just don't hear from them. The media and popular
culture pushes the idea of city living very hard. I have some theories as to
why, but they're not appropriate for this venue.

In any case, I'm one of those who lives in the countryside. I grew up out
here, went to college, spent a few years kicking around various cities in the
US and Europe, lived and worked in the SF bay area for about 5 years then
moved back to the countryside.

I don't see it as "less" at all. In fact, I see it as more. What can you do in
the city? Restaurants, movies, theater, concerts... it's all consumer
behavior. If you want to produce something physical, that requires space,
tools and materials. I will admit, getting materials in the city is much
cheaper and easier than in the country, but you pay for it in the lack of
space. My time in the bay area was extremely frustrating because I didn't have
the space to tinker.

From a job perspective, I work freelance remotely while I build up my app
empire! :) If you're not a programmer, then finding new employment is a
problem out in the country for sure. Most of the people I know out in the
country who aren't programmers and are doing ok financially own their own
businesses and provide services to their neighbors. Lawn care, snow plowing,
glass replacement, plumbing, contracting, carpentry, electrical, HVAC,
embroidery, screen printing, accounting, lawyers, dentists, etc. There are
unique entrepreneurial opportunities in small towns because there's so little
competition. When something needs to be done in a hurry, some people will pay
extra not to have to drive an hour or two to the nearest city to get it done.
One guy I knew made a mint being the only skateboard retailer in 100 miles.

From a people perspective, there's this impression I get from city folk that
country folk are stupid and if they had a room temperature IQ they'd relocate
to the city. This couldn't be farther from the truth. There are lots of
brilliant people in the country who stay because they like being close to
family. They cherish the interpersonal connections they've made over a
lifetime and are unwilling to throw them away. For better or worse, people are
a commodity in the city. Most people don't spend a lot of time making deep
connections because there's always somebody more interesting around the
corner. I find it an exhausting and incredibly lonely way to live.

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jasonwelk
A lot depends on your definition of "simple" and whether you equate external
details like environment and even profession to internal state of your mind. A
lot people lead very creative inner lives that are not revealed by their
outward life, and I personally think creativity is a major contributor to
happiness.

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arisAlexis
I always wondered how people living in small villages or clerks in cities are
happy. I am genuinely jealous of them.

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percept
"What do I _really_ want?"

