559 | Social Contagion

Joshua and T.K. speak with author Ben Meer about choosing a slower life in a fast world, why many work promotions turn into downgrades at home, creating distance from your current routine, five decluttering hot takes from apartment therapy, and more.  Discussed in this episode: How can I choose a slower life in a culture that expects me to keep climbing? (2:08)  Right Here, Right Now: Patreon Zoom calls and a programming note. (21:01)  Listener Tip: What should someone look for when they're trying out a different way of living? (21:59)  Listen to the full Maximal episode on Patreon: patreon.com/theminimalists Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Joshua and T.K. talk about responsibilities that aren't ours to carry, the problem with ethical purity tests, 50 things one writer has stopped buying since becoming a minimalist, and much more.  Discussed in this episode: When does helping someone you love become taking responsibility for something that isn't yours to carry? (1:45)  Right Here, Right Now: Can you separate the product from the person? (26:47)  Listen to the full Maximal episode on Patreon: patreon.com/theminimalists Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Joshua and T.K. speak with Luke Burgis about the identities hidden in our desires, the psychological problem with keeping things "just in case," why sentimental items can be so emotionally heavy, and much more. Discussed in this episode: How has being a father made Luke better? (1:58) Do the lightest objects carry the most weight? (3:51) How much of what we keep is tied to who we believe we are—or who we might need to be again someday? (6:03) Listener Tip: When we let go of something deeply sentimental, what are we actually letting go of? (30:51) Listen to the full Maximal episode on Patreon: patreon.com/theminimalists Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Joshua and T.K. talk about how minimalists might curate an intentional collection, what to do with antique clutter, their favorite black t-shirts, seven items minimalists avoid to keep their living rooms calm and clutter free, and more! Discussed in this episode: What's the difference between collecting and curating? (1:11)

Why are we so good at finding loopholes that let us keep the same behavior in a slightly different form? (3:45) Right Here, Right Now: Joshua recaps his solo tour experience. (20:46) WWJO: Where do The Minimalists get their black t-shirts? (28:16) Listen to the full Maximal episode on Patreon: patreon.com/theminimalists Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

​​T.K. Coleman speaks with Zach Bush, MD, about why context matters more than content, why relationships are more important than possessions, how we learn to be dissatisfied, what disconnection from nature has to do with addiction and disease, how social media distorts our sense of enough, and much more. Discussed in this episode: What is antibiosis? (3:09) How did boxed apple juice compromise the last remaining indigenous culture? (7:41) What have we really lost in our loss of ancient technologies? (29:06) What's it like to watch a cancer cell under a microscope? (45:14) Listen to the full Maximal episode on Patreon: patreon.com/theminimalists Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Joshua and T.K. talk about irreversible decisions, how to simplify everything in your life in five weeks, downgrading your smartphone to a dumbphone, and much more. Discussed in this episode: What did Lao Tzu mean by "It is easier to carry an empty cup than one that is filled to the brim"?(0:44) How much weight should we give a decision based on how difficult it is to undo? (4:20) Give It Five Minutes. (12:50) Right Here, Right Now: Enrollment for Simplify Everything is now open year-round. (26:05) WWJO: Would Joshua consider getting a dumbphone? (29:02) Listen to the full Maximal episode on Patreon: patreon.com/theminimalists Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Joshua and T.K. speak with Mark Sisson about the health benefits of walking, ultra-high-networth minimalism, the most minimalist exercises, and much more! Discussed in this episode: What does the fitness industry get wrong about exercise? (2:48) How does Mark rate these 12 fitness activities? (11:01) If you woke up tomorrow ultra-wealthy, in what ways would you still be a minimalist? (32:30) Right Here, Right Now: The How to Let Go Tour and Joshua's late brother's birthday. (48:24) Listen to the full Maximal episode on Patreon: patreon.com/theminimalists Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Joshua and T.K. speak with Natasha Theresa about how subtraction can help us see what matters most, the pros and cons of Japanese floor sleeping, the power of a single question, and much more. Discussed in this episode: Is comfort a wonderful servant but a terrible master? (1:31) Can Japanese floor sleeping improve sleep and lower-back pain, and what should a beginner know about transitioning from a traditional mattress to sleeping on the floor? (3:29) Talkaboutable: Is floor sleeping the most minimalist form of sleeping? (9:23) What are the pros and cons of floor sleeping? (19:12) Right Here, Right Now: Joshua's appearance on T.K.'s new show, One Question.  (36:16) Check out the FULI futon. (Enter code THEMINIMALISTS for 15% off.) Check out the Nuropod. Listen to the full Maximal episode on Patreon: patreon.com/theminimalists Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Joshua and T.K. speak with Julia Raz about struggling to keep common areas clutter free, organizing your home by room, the difference between decluttering and eliminating, three signs you're emotionally drained from cleaning your home, and much more! Discussed in this episode: How have unrealistic expectations contributed to the clutter and stress in people's homes? (1:01) When one person in a household embraces minimalism but everyone else doesn't, where's the healthiest place to begin? (4:03) Right Here, Right Now: The Letting Go Tour and the Simple Newsletter (20:47) Listener Tip: A tip for managing children's pajamas. (21:42) Listen to the full Maximal episode on Patreon: patreon.com/theminimalists Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Joshua and T.K. speak with writer Conner Habib about how the stories we consume shape our lives, esotericism, letting go of heirlooms, what to do with the junk you don't want to inherit from your parents, and more! Discussed in this episode: Whatever tracks you leave in the mud or the sand, the wind smooths them over. (1:17) Why does storytelling matter, and how do the stories we consume and create shape our lives? (3:51) Who was Rudolf Steiner, and what is esotericism? (19:06) Listener Tip: Letting go of an heirloom doesn't mean letting go of its story. (25:32) Right Here, Right Now: Joshua's solo tour and T.K.'s Clutter Counseling sessions. (35:34) Listen to the full Maximal episode on Patreon: patreon.com/theminimalists Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast