However, I struggle with the idea of contentment. Contentment seems to be a common theme among minimalist ideas. I don’t believe individuals who had a profound influence on others or a profound life were ever content. Was Martin Luther King Jr. content? Was Albert Einstein content? Was Gandhi content?
In fact, I would argue that people who are content are content to stay exactly where they are. A person on government assistance might be content to be on assistance, so no need to try and make their life better. An average middle class person might be content to live their life, be middle class, do nothing to better their life or anyone else’s life, and die.
If I’m content, even the idea of working towards minimalism fails, because I might be content with all the clutter, non-sense, and junk in my life.
"May I never be complete. May I never be content. May I never be perfect.”
- Fight Club (novel)