Minimalism is an overly romanticized trend that survives through condescension. The notion that a minimalist lives for the sake of personal growth and enjoyment hides the fact that they are directing energy towards their image. Chelsea Fagan states in the source below, “It’s all about spending an incredible amount of time and attention to look as if you hadn’t thought about it at all.” She uses the term “conspicuous consumption” to acknowledge that minimalists think in terms of what they have. Just because they are buying less does not mean that they are not living an average consumerist lifestyle. It is a mask. Finding the *ultimate* items for yourself that bring you the most joy is a task that calls for excessive shopping and comparison. Minimalists seem to always own the most expensive versions of quite normal items. Fagan also notes, “It’s a way of aping the connotations of simplicity and even, to a degree, asceticism, without actually having to give up those sweet, sweet class signifiers.” Sure, you might have less, but you are still living above your own means. Taking on a minimalist lifestyle is a privilege that continues to go against everything the lifestyle stands for. Also: https://twitter.com/2nickels/status/1353893744148439041?s=20 https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/mar/04/minimalism-conspicuous-consumption-class

While high end minimalism may be trend orientated, keeping things simple is a less consumeristic way of living. For instance, if I was to decorate a minimalist living room, I would paint the walls white, add a few plants, etc. Avoiding over-patterned wallpapers, and the general clutter which does nothing for the environment or our homes. The need to constantly buy more is not good. It clutters both the mind and room. Some high end spenders do attempt to consumerise and make trends of minimalism, however for the everyday person, there is no harm in wanting to keep things simple.

Unfortunately, most "movements"/ ideas get adopted by people who don't accurately represent the true intention of it, and these voices also tend to be the loudest. Think feminism and the bad rap it's gotten because of the few that misrepresent it, despite the fact that most people agree that women are equal to men. So while there are definitely some on the forefront that make minimalism into their ego-scratcher or try to force it on others, it still simply means "owning fewer possessions" (according to becomingminimalist.com). This is followed by "it is about intentionality" and a few other "it is" statements. While one personally may not feel compelled to sell everything except their mattress and one outfit, the basic idea that someone would want to declutter their life (externally and internally) makes perfect sense and seems genuine. Also, I don't think that them owning expensive things contradicts minimalism. By cutting down on quantity, quality is emphasized. So it's not supposed to look like "you hadn't thought about it at all" or buying the dollar store version of the few things you do own, but "it is about intentionality" about what you own and spend your money on. The only issue I have with minimalism on the trend level is that it can make people feel guilty for finding joy in possessions, which defeats the purpose.

I found a very brief [article on what minimalism is not](https://www.theminimalists.com/not/) and thought it might be an interesting contribution to this conversation.