Simple Living in Practice, Lesson #10
One of the online groups we are a member of recently discussed household gizmos and gadgets, and I would like to devote lesson #10 to this topic.
Basically, the idea shared by those who took part in the discussion was that we all have much too many (mostly electrical) devices that make household work easier, allegedly. People accumulate mixers and blenders, hand held or otherwise, bread machines that knead and bake for them, toasters, electrical woks, electrical coffee and tee machines, ice machines, electrical scales and electrical knives, and whatever other device I cannot even think of right off hand. And mind you, I am not even addressing machines like dish washers, electric stoves, microwaves, washers and driers, fridges and deep freezers, or go into the whole issue of electrical tools, garden tools as well as general tools.
Some of these machine undoubtedly come in handy - the process of doing laundry has certainly been facilitated much, and being able to keep things cool or freeze them certainly helps - but if you plan on simple living that relies as little on society as possible, you are well advised to think about every gadget that uses precious energy, and some have even decided to go off the grid completely, and they do so for good reasons.
To put it simply, most everything that we are accustomed to using that needs electricity (fridge and freezer are exemptions here) can be substituted by some other gadget that does not. Besides, many things can be done without any gadget at all.
Why do I need a bread machine if I have two hands that do the job just fine ? Why do I need electrical mixers and blenders if a wire whisk or even a fork do the job just fine too ? If I have a (wood-burning) stove, why do I need an extra toaster, or an electrical coffee and tea machine when kettle and percolator produce just what I want ?
For the most part, there are only three things that you need if you want to live without all these gadgets and gizmos, and those are your own hands (and feet), time, and a low degree of functional fixedness.
Think about it next time you pick up one of your electrical devices, and get rid of everything you can do without. It will make a tremendous difference once you have made the big step and moved out of town, and into your cabin.
Technorati Tags: simple life, household gadgets, off grid, Christian ladies, God's creation, nature, homesteading, self sufficiency, separation, SAHM, plural marriage, polygamy, dominion covenant, multi-generational family, Joshuah's House
Basically, the idea shared by those who took part in the discussion was that we all have much too many (mostly electrical) devices that make household work easier, allegedly. People accumulate mixers and blenders, hand held or otherwise, bread machines that knead and bake for them, toasters, electrical woks, electrical coffee and tee machines, ice machines, electrical scales and electrical knives, and whatever other device I cannot even think of right off hand. And mind you, I am not even addressing machines like dish washers, electric stoves, microwaves, washers and driers, fridges and deep freezers, or go into the whole issue of electrical tools, garden tools as well as general tools.
Some of these machine undoubtedly come in handy - the process of doing laundry has certainly been facilitated much, and being able to keep things cool or freeze them certainly helps - but if you plan on simple living that relies as little on society as possible, you are well advised to think about every gadget that uses precious energy, and some have even decided to go off the grid completely, and they do so for good reasons.
To put it simply, most everything that we are accustomed to using that needs electricity (fridge and freezer are exemptions here) can be substituted by some other gadget that does not. Besides, many things can be done without any gadget at all.
Why do I need a bread machine if I have two hands that do the job just fine ? Why do I need electrical mixers and blenders if a wire whisk or even a fork do the job just fine too ? If I have a (wood-burning) stove, why do I need an extra toaster, or an electrical coffee and tea machine when kettle and percolator produce just what I want ?
For the most part, there are only three things that you need if you want to live without all these gadgets and gizmos, and those are your own hands (and feet), time, and a low degree of functional fixedness.
Think about it next time you pick up one of your electrical devices, and get rid of everything you can do without. It will make a tremendous difference once you have made the big step and moved out of town, and into your cabin.
Technorati Tags: simple life, household gadgets, off grid, Christian ladies, God's creation, nature, homesteading, self sufficiency, separation, SAHM, plural marriage, polygamy, dominion covenant, multi-generational family, Joshuah's House
No comments:
Post a Comment