fuyarde

I often have this desire, this fantasy, to leave everything behind, to leave my family, friends, job and home, to go and live according to my own ideals, especially when everything in my life is going wrong. I have this image, most likely an illusion, that life seemed simpler in my grandparents' day, when society, although already highly industrialised, seemed much slower. Throughout my short life, I remember always feeling nostalgic for a past I had never experienced, being attracted to old things, austere houses, vintage cars, old films, traditional crafts. A life far from technology and modernity, where everything was tangible, mechanical and non-electronic, but also where medicine was not at its best.

The more time passes, the less happy I feel in my life, where I want to get closer to nature and the real things in life. I love my house and my furniture, which is halfway between vintage and modern. However, my heart races when I imagine living in an even more austere house, made of stone, with a few very old wooden pieces of furniture, not very well lit. Where it is really cold in winter, but where the fire in the stove keeps us warm, and where in summer, the stones cool the house. With a cute little garden, with my own fruit and vegetables to tend to. I must be a masochist.

My favourite place to sleep was an old tiny house, made of stone, with no insulation or locks, furnished with old furniture salvaged from here and there, in a medieval village surrounded by mountains and vegetation, where I was completely disconnected from the outside world. I often dream of being able to afford this type of house and live this lifestyle.

I like to take my time, happily waiting 15 minutes for a photo taken with my 40-year-old Polaroid to develop, for my 22-year-old Bialetti to brew my coffee, or for my old car, straight out of the 1980s, to pick up speed. In a way, it allows me to anchor myself in reality through real actions.

When I approach technology, it's like an endless spiral; I feel like I'm disconnecting and becoming an automaton. I've blocked social media on my phone, I rarely play video games, whereas when I was younger I could spend dozens of hours a day on them during the holidays, and I'm no longer fond of films and series. However, I have managed to get back into reading, take up sport, do daily household chores, cook, which gives me the impression of producing something concrete, meditate, write, reflect, think, and I even have time to do watercolour painting.

I often hesitate to just throw away my phone, my television, my computer. But in this day and age, not having a phone or the internet means being completely marginalised. Many essential services, such as banking, taxes, salaries, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some, rely on them.

We no longer take the time to enjoy life's little pleasures. When was the last time you enjoyed the sound of birds singing or the feeling of the breeze on your face? Our modern society is synonymous with speed, a relentless pursuit of financial gain to satisfy our ever-changing desires, the quest for appearances, fashion, etc.

The pleasure of shopping is often fleeting. The satisfaction associated with material consumption is often short-lived: we always want more, we are insatiable in our desire for possessions, even if it means cluttering up our lives.

Schopenhauer developed the concept of satiety, which represents the feeling of life and boredom that one may experience after satisfying a desire.

Desire is a deviation from need, involving the addition of unnecessary elements and pleasure. Eating and drinking are our basic needs, but they become desires when we consume luxury foods such as caviar and champagne, which involve desire and are not necessary for survival.

When it comes to food, it is preferable to favour local and seasonal agriculture, and ideally to grow your own fruit and vegetables, so that you can prepare your own meals and become self-sufficient in food. This can be healthier and of better quality, and also provides a guarantee in the event of a shortage or crisis. For those who do not have a garden, it is always possible to grow certain fruits and vegetables on a balcony or even indoors.

Even if it means going to extremes: living off the grid. Completely autonomous management of our lifestyle, our housing, food, water and electricity to achieve total independence from conventional production and consumption systems.

By taking the time to reflect, it is possible to adopt a frugal, minimalist lifestyle, where life is not based on material goods, but above all on what is necessary and essential. This allows us to reduce unnecessary consumption, appreciate each object for its true usefulness, avoid cluttering our lives with unnecessary superfluous items, and also save money. People who have adopted this lifestyle are often more satisfied with their lives than heavy consumers.

My vision, my goal is to simplify things as much as possible, anchor myself in the present and reality, put humans back at the heart of things, take my time, think about nature, and be happy. ✷