“There is no wealth but life. Life, including all of its powers of joy, of love, and of admiration.... That country is richest which nourishes the greatest number of happy and noble human beings” (Ruskin, 1985: 222).
“The main question is only – what is worth doing and having” (Ruskin, 1985: 126).
From a book I am currently reading - “Simple Living in History”.
I am not a socialist or communist. I was a recipient of a communist upbringing, and I have to say that not the limitation of possessions, but the limitation of information, was their weapon. Communists were mass murderers and destroyers because of their grip on information. You were not allowed to speak up, and those who did were immediately imprisoned and put to death. You were not even allowed to see or hear “fringe ideas”. My grandfather was a wealthy businessman who was persecuted by the communists, barely kept his life, was never allowed to work after the Communist Regime took over, and the entire family suffered for more than 40 years. My aunt was not allowed to attend college, all our possessions were nationalized, and Grandpa’s house was partitioned and sold off because he was not allowed to live in more than two rooms. Grandpa's radio's knobs were soldered by the party so he couldn't listen to Western radio stations. My grandparents even had a live-in communist in their house. As I said, an enemy of the state’s family was not allowed more than two rooms, and he stayed in the third. Kafka and George Orwell can’t even come close to the made-up history I had to study in school.
I only started learning the real history of my country when I came to the US. I know from my brother, who is 10 years older than me and allowed secret listening sessions with Grandpa, where he and his Jewish friend from across the street listened to BBC and the Voice of America on a smaller radio. I see now everywhere around me the slippery slope of tyranny spread by MSM. Mean Spirited Media only allows corporate speak and advertisements and attacks and destroys anyone with “fringe ideas”.
They now attack people for thinking and saying differently. They will soon start killing them. I have always advocated a simple life, minimalism, quietly. But now it is more important than ever to start killing brands, the dragon of Mass Murder Media. If you don’t buy whatever they are shilling, they die.
"The cardinal rule of ethical consumption is to support activities that foster human virtues." From Simple Living in History.
"Social justice demands paying just prices and supporting practices that develop people’s capabilities."
From Simple Living in History.