The Abundance of Sacrifice
Contentment is natural wealth; luxury, artificial poverty. -Socrates
A few weeks ago I found myself in a state of discontent over the disagreeable military-esque mattress in my apartment. I didn’t want to be overly particular, but compared to the relative luxury I had grown accustomed to back home in Colorado, my new Korean set-up felt more like a slab of granite than any reasonable concept of a proper sleeping surface. Even so, I was getting every bit as much quality sleep as I had in the past, yet I still found myself longing for a mattress to rival the comfort I was used to. I knew that rectifying action was needed.
Had it been one of my former hedonistic selves facing this dilemma, my chosen solution would surely have been to spend money on a costly mattress pad, which, taken at face value logic, would have been a perfectly reasonable decision. Satisfaction is, after all, the natural result of met expectations.
However, due to a recent conservative shift in my consumer mindset, I felt deeply inclined to discover a more cost effective option. At this point it occurred to me that, in order to achieve a favorable outcome, one of two things had to happen- either my circumstances needed to be raised to meet my expectations, or my expectations needed to be lowered to meet my circumstances. And so, determined not to spend a single penny, I opted for the latter. Instead of purchasing a pad, I vowed to gain perspective by spending seven nights on the cold, hard floor.
In the groggy mornings to follow the first three restless nights, I found myself harshly judging the sacrifice heavy methodology I had chosen. My body ached, I was tired for work, and my mood was sour. The pleasure seeking voice within was reprimanding my actions- “Quit being ridiculous; you are going about this all wrong. Go buy a mattress pad. Why suffer when you don’t have to?” Despite the readily apparent appeal of this argument, I chose to carry on. Why should I not successfully sleep on the floor? After all, have not billions of people managed to do just the same, night after night, throughout their entire lives? Am I so reliant on 21st century comforts that I could not join their ranks, if only for seven short nights? One thing was clear- I owed it to my curiosity to see it through.
Then, having come to terms with my circumstances as being temporarily unchangeable, something peculiar happened- I adapted. An immediate shift took place, such that, despite seemingly unfavorable conditions, I had no problem enjoying eight hours of deep, restful slumber. Absent was the longing for improvement, in its place a sense satisfaction born of a small victory over the vice of materialistic attachment. Restful nights, I learned, are not only derived from material luxuries, as is commonly assumed, but also from the acceptance one feels when they recognize how wholly unnecessary these frivolities truly are.
My eventual return to the previously unsatisfactory sleeping arrangement was largely anti-climatic. Contrary to my prediction, it wasn’t as if the contrast provided by the floor had granted the mattress some newfound quality of comfort. In truth, it felt no different than it had before, but that didn’t matter. I learned that it was my mindset, not the mattress, which needed to change.
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We in the West have been spoiled to the core by our affluence. Such is the effect of excess wealth (wealth beyond the realm of basic need fulfillment), that it inevitably results in a one-sided, often skewed approach to need fulfillment. We assume that the only path to satisfaction is through the accumulation of newer, more complex, and often more expensive goods. What we continually fail to realize is that the enjoyment gained from these so-called improvements is remarkably short lived. Blind to our ignorance, we expend precious time and energy working mindless jobs so that we can afford to make unnecessary purchases and thus feed our raging addiction to excessive spending.
I decided to share the outcome of my mattress situation with you, because I think it represents one practical solution to our ever present over-consumption issue. The simple method, which I believe is widely applicable, is as follows-
The next time you feel the need to spend money on an upgrade, see first how it feels to downgrade or eliminate entirely. If, following this period of self-inflicted sacrifice, you still deem it necessary to make the purchase, feel free to do so with a clear conscience.
If you are able to withstand the initial period of doubt and discomfort, my prediction is that you will inevitably experience any combination of the following advantages-
1. Gained perspective- Scaling back our desire for a luxurious lifestyle helps us to realize how little of what we demand is actually needed to survive and thrive. Human beings have been living successfully for thousands of years on a fraction of the material wealth we enjoy today. There is no reason that we in the 21st century should be any different.
2. Money saved- This one is obvious. Upgrades cost money; without them, you save. How much money you wish to keep in your pocket is entirely up to you. There is no reason why anyone starting their 20’s right now should ever have to feel the strain of economic hardship.
3. Increased satisfaction (without spending money)- Affluence has a way of causing us to under-value our present circumstances. When thoughts of excess luxury pervade our minds, we lose the humble appreciation which is entirely prerequisite to sustainable contentedness. Temporary downgrades help us to regain this perspective.
4. A better understanding of needs vs. wants- In a world where the line between necessary and superfluous has become impossibly blurred, this method is a sure way to properly differentiate between needs and wants.
5. Freedom- When the nagging desire for improvement is given a rest, we are left with more of the resources we need to engage in truly worthwhile pursuits. We are free to live our lives in a more meaningful way.
So, the next time you find yourself being sucked into the never ending cycle of increased materialistic expectations, do yourself the ultimate favor. Replace your drive to consume with a will to engage in sacrifice. It’s simple, it’s beautiful, and if the global economic outlook is as bleak as many experts say, it may very well be the key to a new brand of 21st century well-being.
