Voluntary simplicity and the steadystate economy center. Entropia life beyond industrial civilisation youtube. The poetic alternative to consumer culture was produced for plug in tv, a documentary filmmakers initiative here in melbourne which we were a part of in 20089. A multinational survey analysis in theoretical context samuel alexander and simon ussher journal of consumer culture 2012 12. Samuel alexander, looking backward from the year 2099. Toward a politics of voluntary simplicity january 22, 2011. Just enough is plenty permaculture principles australian. Permaculture samuel alexander holmgren store permaculture. Samuel alexander of the simplicity institute, who has written numerous articles for, has just published prosperous descent. Written with clarity, rigour, and insight, this book will both challenge and inspire. A multinational survey analysis in theoretical context show all authors. The voluntary simplicity movement can be understood broadly as a diverse.
The poetic alternative to consumer culture 2009 111126. Duane elgin in his book, voluntary simplicity provides a simple filter to help us decide where to spend money. The case for simplicity simplicity institute report, 15c, 2015 ted trainer. The term voluntary simplicity was coined by richard gregg, an american lawyer and committed follower of gandhi. Voluntary simplicity, or simple living, is a way of life that rejects the highconsumption, materialistic lifestyles of consumer cultures and affirms what is often just called the simple life or downshifting. Founded as an experiment in living on a small island off new zealand, the collapse of. Please sign up to the simplicity institute here to receive the link introduction to prosperous descent by samuel alexander. Collected writings of ted trainer, 2020 edited by samuel alexander and jonathan rutherford paperback here and ebook here carbon civilisation and the energy descent future. John slaters introduction to the collected works of samuel alexander has some biographical details on alexander s life. More specifically, this paper examines the potential of the voluntary simplicity movement to socially reconstruct law to that end. Samuel alexander, codirector of the simplicity institute, is a lecturer at the office for environmental programs, university of melbourne, australia, teaching a course called consumerism and the growth economy. Founded in 1997, has become a leading book price comparison site.
As well as his academic work, sam is working on a simpler way demonstration project called wurrukan. His father died just before he was born, and eliza moved to the adjacent colony of victoria in 1863 or 1864. It is set in 2099, a fictional account of a small community cut off from the rest of the world and forced to adopt a selfsufficient and sustainable way of life. Alexanders interdisciplinary research focuses on degrowth, permaculture, voluntary simplicity, grassroots theories of transition, and the relationship between culture and political economy.
Interdisciplinary perspectives into the masters of environment. Suggested citation alexander, samuel, property beyond growth. A multinational survey analysis in theoretical context. By samuel alexander, the simplicity collective the main argument of this essay is that xr and rebellions like it are almost certainly going to grow in coming months and years as more people around the world become politically frustrated, angry, scared, and directly impacted by inaction in the face of todays overlapping ecological and humanitarian crises. Voluntary simplicity toward a way of life that is outwardly simple, inwardly rich by duane elgin 240 pages, paperback, harpercollins, 2d ed. The 2008 financial crisis has spurred research on alternative development trajectories for the global economy. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. Degrowth permaculture voluntary simplicity biography dr samuel alexander is a lecturer and researcher at the university of melbourne, australia, teaching a course called consumerism and the growth economy.
This book will appeal to readers looking for concepts to bolster their lifestyle of voluntary simplicity. The intention of voluntary simplicity is not to dogmatically live with less. Samuel alexander article by emily thomas in internet encyclopedia of philosophy originally published 28 may 2012. He is also codirector of the simplicity institute and a research fellow at the melbourne sustainable society. The dominant culture of industrial civilisation is highly materialistic, holding up westernstyle, consumer lifestyles as the path to happiness and fulfilment. Life beyond this brief anomaly 2018 paperback here and pdf here samuel alexander and. Critical interdisciplinary perspectives into the masters of environment. Samuel alexander expertly guides the reader through the often difficult terrain of thoreaus economic ideas, highlighting the opportunities for living simpler. Degrowth, permaculture, and the simpler way samuel alexander on. Samuel alexander, voluntary simplicity and the social.
The global economy is undermining the ecological foundations of life, producing perverse inequalities of wealth, and spreading a cultural malaise as evermore people discover that consumerism cannot satisfy the human craving for meaning. Simplicity collective join the simple living movement. A full list of publications with links is available here and i discuss the themes of my work here with links. He is also codirector of the simplicity institute and a research fellow at the melbourne sustainable society institute. Ive just published my second book of collected essays, sufficiency economy. By embracing the tenets of voluntary simplicityfrugal consumption, ecological awareness and personal growthpeople can change their lives and begin to change the world. The documentary made its broadcast premiere on c31, melbournes community tv station, in april 2009 and since then it has appeared on a number of local and. When industrial civilisation collapsed in the third decade. Dec, 2016 just enough is plenty is a superb introduction to thoreaus life and ideas, written with clarity and style by a leading exponent of thoreaus economics of voluntary simplicity. The poetic alternative to consumer culture samuel alexander, mark a.
He teaches a course called consumerism and the growth economy. Samuel alexander, codirector of the simplicity institute, is a lecturer at the office. Dr samuel alexander melbourne sustainable society institute. Postcapitalism by design not disaster samuel alexander. Calling for a sufficiencybased culture of simple living to underpin a macroeconomic framework of degrowth, samuel alexander draws on a remarkable breadth of economic, political, ecological, and sociological literature to explore the radical implications of living in an age of limits. In 2015 i published two books of my collected essays, first, prosperous descent. A few weeks ago i posted about the new book ive published, degrowth in the suburbs. Samuel alexander expertly guides the reader through the often difficult terrain of thoreaus economic ideas, highlighting the opportunities for living simpler, freer lives. Samuel alexander, codirector of the simplicity institute, is a lecturer at the office for environmental programs, university of melbourne, australia, teaching a course called. The poetic alternative to consumer culture in 2009 i published on a notforprofit basis an anthology of articles on simple living, entitled voluntary simplicity. Dr samuel alexander is a research fellow with the melbourne sustainable. Two critical thinkers here remove the rosetinted glasses of much. Pioneers of the deep future various authors, samuel alexander, amanda mcleod on. The poetic alternative to consumer culture was quickly recognized as a powerful and visionary work in the emerging dialogue over sustainable living.
Voluntary simplicity and the social reconstruction of law. Voluntary simplicity, samuel alexander shop online for. The cheaper it is, the more it costs simplicity institute report, 15a, 2015 samuel alexander. Alexander, samuel, degrowth implies voluntary simplicity. Oct 27, 2011 posted by samuel alexander on oct 27, 2011 0 comments voluntary simplicity. This book was originally published in 1981 and remnants of the new agecommune hippie lifestyle are still evident. Dr samuel alexander is a lecturer with the office for environmental programs, university of melbourne, teaching a course called consumerism and. Voluntary simplicity is an art of living that is aglow with the insight that just enough is plenty. Samuel alexander, degrowth implies voluntary simplicity. Dr samuel alexander is a research fellow with the melbourne sustainable society institute and a lecturer with the office for environmental programs. Reddit gives you the best of the internet in one place. Feb 02, 2012 this paper engages some aspects of these complex issues by looking into what role social movements may have to play in creating the preconditions needed for a degrowth or steadystate economy to materialize. Voluntary simplicity is most basically characterized by the practices of mindfulness and material sufficiency.
The contributors to this anthology all leading figures in the voluntary simplicity movement are highly distinguished scholars, activists, educators, and artists. Samuel alexander samuel, alexander, used books, rare books and new books find all books by samuel alexander and compare prices find signed collectible books by samuel alexander english. This jurisprudential thesis argues that when an economy has grown so large that it has reached or exceeded the threshold point beyond which any further growth is uneconomic i. Conversations on the end of empire and what lies beyond by rupert read and samuel alexander postscript by helena norberghodge this book is for those ready to accept the full gravity of the human predicament and to consider what in the world is to be done. Samuel alexander papers at the university of manchester library. Community of people living simply and exploring voluntary simplicity. They are listed below hardback, paperback and some pdfs with summaries of the books.
Just enough is plenty is a superb introduction to thoreaus life and ideas, written with clarity and style by a leading exponent of thoreaus economics of voluntary simplicity. How can humanity mindfully navigate the inevitable descent ahead. Be the first to ask a question about voluntary simplicity. Samuel has made available a free pdf version of his book, please visit his site here for more details. Toward a way of life that is outwardly simple, inwardly rich revised edition on. Just enough is plenty ebook permaculture principles. Crisis as opportunity in an age of limits, is available here and a link to a free pdf copy of the book will be sent out to subscribers of the simplicity institute in a week. He is author of thirteen books, including degrowth in the suburbs. You have permission to spend money for the rest of us.
Samuel alexander 26 the permaculture research institute. This civilisation is finished, rupert read samuel alexander. Alexander, samuel, the voluntary simplicity movement. Voluntary simplicity and the social reconstruction of law jstor. Critical interdisciplinary perspectives as part of the master of environment. Dec 29, 2014 dr samuel alexander, codirector of the simplicity institute, is a lecturer at the office for environmental programs, university of melbourne, australia, and a research fellow with the melbourne sustainable society institute. This is the companion volume to prosperous descent. I am also codirector of the simplicity institute and a research fellow with the melbourne sustainable society institute. Samuel alexander degrowth permaculture voluntary simplicity. Through bringing mindfulness to our daily lives, we seek the maximum of wellbeing achievable through the minimum of material consumption. Sams books include degrowth in the suburbs 2018, carbon civilisation. Wild democracy is a daring and compelling collection of essays that explores the theory and practice of moving towards an equitable.
See richard gregg, the value of voluntary simplicity, in samuel alexander ed, voluntary simplicity. Just enough is plenty permaculture principles australian store. Voluntary simplicity otherwise known as downshifting or just simple living is an anti. Simple living in history share book recommendations with.
Crisis as opportunity in an age of limits, published earlier in the year the paperback of sufficiency economy is available here. This concise introduction provides a deep but accessible overview of thoreaus philosophy of voluntary simplicity. Alexander was born at 436 george street, in what is now the commercial heart of sydney, australia. Ecozoic reflections on the future earth jurisprudence and environmental justice journal 2011 11. The simplicity collective is founded upon the idea that a simpler life of reduced resource and energy consumption is a viable and desirable alternative to consumer culture. Our position is that simple living will improve not only our own lives, but the lives of others, as well as help save our planet from the environmental catastrophe towards.
Overcoming barriers to sustainable consumption, simplicity institute report 12b 2012 117. Voluntary simplicity movement alexander major reference. But consumer lifestyles are failing to satisfy the human craving for meaning. In our study, we discovered a subtype of this hedonistic frame, which samuel alexander terms alternative hedonistic or voluntary simplicity alexander, 2011. Dr samuel alexander is a lecturer and researcher at the university of melbourne, australia, teaching a course called consumerism and the growth economy. Book awards book club selections books by author books by series coming soon kids books new releases teens books. Thoreaus alternative economics by samuel alexander. Reimagining the good life beyond consumer culture by samuel alexander. Our renewable future simplicity institute report, 15b, 2015 richard heinberg. I am a lecturer at the university of melbourne, australia, teaching a course called consumerism and the growth economy.