极简主义不是要么全部要么没有

极简主义不是要么全部要么没有

It's OK to be a partial or 'selective' minimalist, if you wish.

如果你愿意，做一个部分的或“有选择的”极简主义者是可以的。

When you hear the word 'minimalism,' what comes to mind? I tend to picture the interior of a house, painted white and sparsely furnished. It's a beautiful space, if a bit empty and cold. There's a good chance that you have a similar mental image, too, as this is what most proponents of minimalism focus on – purging physical items from one's home space and, for some reason, always painting it white.

当你听到“极简主义”这个词时，你会想到什么?我倾向于描绘一所房子的内部，漆成白色，很少装饰家具。这是一个美丽的空间，虽然有点空旷和寒冷。你很有可能也有类似的想法，因为这是大多数极简主义的支持者所关注的——从一个人的家里清理物理物品，并且，出于某种原因，总是把它刷成白色。

Public Domain. Unsplash – Maybe your version of minimalism is keeping an empty calendar.

While there is valuable philosophy behind the purging of unnecessary goods, i.e. a decluttered space allows for clearer thinking and less wasted time spent tidying and looking for misplaced objects, this version of minimalism can feel limiting. Some people just don't like the look of a stark, white room with nothing in it, nor the level of maintenance that must be required to keep it looking that way, and so they assume that they can't be minimalists.

虽然在清理不必要的物品的背后有一个有价值的哲学，即一个整洁的空间允许更清晰的思考，更少的时间浪费在整理和寻找错位的物品上，这种极简主义的版本可能会感到限制。有些人就是不喜欢什么都没有、赤裸裸的白色房间的样子，也不喜欢保持这种样子所需要的维护水平，所以他们认为自己不能成为极简主义者。

This is unfortunate. Minimalism is not black and white – I mean that literally and metaphorically – and people should feel free to interpret it as they please, based on their personal interests and aesthetic. For example, a person should be able to identify as a minimalist while living in a brightly colored space, decorated with a handful of funky bohemian furnishings.

这是不幸的。极简主义不是黑白分明的——我指的是字面上的和比喻上的——人们应该根据他们的个人兴趣和审美自由地诠释它。例如，如果一个人住在色彩鲜艳的空间里，用一些时髦的波西米亚家具装饰，那么他就应该能够被认为是一个极简主义者。

Blogger Emma Scheib writes about how it took her a long time to realize this. In a guest post for Becoming Minimalist, she writes that she thought the movement was all about clearing clutter in the home, but in reality it's about more than that – clearing clutter in one's calendar and one's head.

博主Emma Scheib写道她是如何花了很长时间才意识到这一点的。在《成为极简主义者》的一篇客座文章中，她写道，她认为这个运动只是为了清理家里的杂物，但实际上它不仅仅是为了清理日历上和头脑里的杂物。

I like to think of minimalism as a philosophy that can apply to various aspects of one's life. Whether it's your social obligations, your wardrobe, your children's extracurricular activities and toy collection, your menu planning, beauty routine or approach to travel and gift-giving, you too can be a minimalist.

我喜欢把极简主义看作一种哲学，它可以应用于一个人生活的各个方面。无论是你的社会原则，你的衣橱，你孩子的课外活动和收集玩具，你的菜单计划，美容常规或旅行和送礼，你也可以成为一个极简主义者。

A broader definition of what it means to be a minimalist will make it more accessible to a greater number of people, which will encourage them to embrace the philosophy. That in turn reduces consumption, promotes face-to-face human interactions, frees up time, saves money, and improves overall quality of life. I also think it has a tendency to spread, and people who start out as single-area minimalists may eventually apply the philosophy to other parts of their lives, too.

一个更广泛的极简主义者的定义将会使更多的人更容易理解，这将鼓励他们接受这个哲学。这反过来又减少了消费，促进了面对面的人际交往，节省了时间，节省了金钱，提高了整体生活质量。我也认为它有一种传播的趋势，那些一开始是单一区域极简主义者的人最终可能也会将这种哲学应用到他们生活的其他方面。

The point is to realize that minimalism can be for everyone. Don't get discouraged if you think you can't live in a sterile, white space. You don't have to. Make it your own.

关键是要认识到极简主义可以适用于每个人。如果你认为你不能生活在一个贫瘠的、空白的空间里，不要气馁。你不必这么做。成为自己的极简主义者。