[ email | Criticism/analysis of society | Travelling | Projects | Goncharenko centre: Talks/discussions » Talk/discussion: Goncharenko centre 2025-7-6: Minimalism part 2 and other topics ]

Goncharenko centre 2025-7-6: Minimalism part 2, and other topics

Minimalism part 2, and other topics

So, this meeting was somewhat unstructured because I forgot my notes, but I went back to the topic of minimalism and showed a video about 'experiences rather than stuff' that coincidentally a friend of mine sent me after the previous meeting, in response to my question about a manufacturer of bicycle components that seemed to have stopped. The bicycle industry was in a bad shape since 2023 after the chinese flu (and only slowly getting better due to manufacturers at the time putting in large orders as there were 2 year lead times in some cases, this was for components but also complete bicycles there was too much stock at various bicycle manufacturers and bicycle component manufacturers).

He then said people want "Experiences, not stuff" and I didn't realise what he meant (because 'stuff' for me has almost always been about utility, not collecting for the sake of it, no decorations for my house or my room, etc.
[ Addition 2025-7-25: I had a stint with collecting, though it did not start out as collecting. It came from trying to experience a time in the past with old computers and games, so I was trying to find all old games of a particular type, bought them, tried them out, and then, yes, what to do with it all? I sort of 'collected' but I wasn't interested in collecting. I realised that I was in this state of mind, immediately put a stop to it and sold everything that I didn't like. ]

He sent a link to explain it, this video: Why experiences make you happier than things, which is coincidentally also about minimalism... In the period of the chinese flu, apparently many people switched to pursue having good experiences, rather than buying 'things'.

What they stated is:

• the same point that I mentioned the previous meeting: Getting rid of things that you don't need/want gives a feeling of relief.
• They got rid of things if they didn't get used in 6 months. To me that is too short, example tools for the in the garden that you use briefly then next time a year later, tools for house maintenance such as a drill/screwdriver, belt sander, jigsaw, angle grinder. I haven't used them since selling my house but now in my new house I could use them (but they are in the Netherlands)
• You get tired of 'things'. I disagree, I almost never get tired of the things that I have because most things that I buy are in essence tools for something in life. Tools are: A computer, a bicycle, a drill, a saw, a soldering iron, and parts for uses for these tools (such as optics and LEDs to modify pocket lights). I use them, I don't look at them as decorations. I don't have decorations in my house...
• You will always have the memory of experiences: I don't agree, you forget things, and the impact is different when you were there vs. thinking back. The essence is not not minimise but to enjoy your life. You can do that in many ways. Minimalism isn't needed, experiences (such as travels) aren't needed... Before I travelled to Ukraine I was not interested at all in travelling and I had not really travelled, and still now I think travelling is not important, other matters can give a joy of life: Hobbies, doing what you find interesting in life, family.

We also deviated a bit to other topics such as winter life in Kremenchuk and in other places, cats, and more.

Post meeting notes:

Thank you to the people who took something to distribute for with the tea break!

Copyright W.H.Scholten, 2025. To contact me you can email or send a message via telegram (via phone +31648816383), or via vk.com (https://vk.com/w.h.scholten, which I don't really use but I will get notified of messages from there). I don't use: facebook, linkedin, twitter.