How can people find a sense of the good life through voluntary simplicity?

B. What is "voluntary simplicity"?

A. What is a "good life"?

lifestyle or a movement?

F. Where are the gaps/opportunities in existing literature?

definitions

history

overview of challenges/benefits

a continuum: radical versus mainstream

politics, economics, ecology

Canadian focused research is limited

existing research dominated by realms of consumer studies, economics, psychology | opportunity to bring the interdisciplinary nature of communications to this space

D. Theory & Method

Performance Theory

history

key factors

Brief overview

Why it is a fit - what unique insight does it have to offer?

disaffection with consumerist lifestyle

desire to be versus have

other labels for this way of living #

satisfaction, happiness, well-being

connection to voluntary simplicity

(auto)ethnography using reflexive dyadic interviews

alternative hedonism / sustainable hedonism #

Post-materialism / post-consumption

anti-consumption

sustainable consumption / sustainable living

citizenship & community

roots

emergence of minimalist lifestyle

often misunderstood

consumerist norms i.e. advertising, raising a family, peer expectations

benefits: the "more" of less

(auto)ethnographic study limited, and mostly to radical simplicity (i.e. off grid lifestyles, etc)

Paradigm: interpretive, leaning into critical

kindness (self, others) rooted in empathy and acceptance