Forum Post: The Minimalist

I have recently gone through a lot of things involving family, moving, poverty, and the slow economy. By recently, I mean over the last 7 years. As a result, what I have left is this netbook, a 13 year old car and my clothing.

I'm now back at a decent paying job in the service industry and I am going to be blogging about my rebuilding in various venues on the web, starting here.

My goal is not to prove that poverty is awesome, not to show that jealousy is the driver behind our protests. My goal is to stop feeding the beast and to show how easy it is.

For most other people, this path would require you to make some tough choices. I have been fortunate enough to have everything taken from me so I didn't have to make those tough decisions.

To find out exactly how inadequate our system is, I need first to figure out what I need, not want, and see if these things are obtainable though the system in place, without intervention. How long it takes to build this type of life and what I must give in exchange for it will be my final judgement of our system.

List of needs

1. Food
2. Shelter
3. Clothing
4. Transportation
5. Communication
6. Healthcare

To be fair to this argument, I am making $12.00 per hour. Those making less than this will struggle or find it impossible to fulfill this list without assistance. I believe I am a good candidate for this test because I believe my wage is what the federal minimum wage should already be. There is no question that our current minimum wage is inadequate, it's down right slave wages and the exacerbation of our safety net is plenty proof of that.

I will be purchasing another netbook on this journey because the one I now own was given to me by a good friend. I will be purchasing another car because the one I own now was left to me by my mother who passed from cancer.

I would like others to take this challenge to test our system and aid in starving the beast.

God Bless