Simple Living vs. Survivalism

Posted by Jeremy in philosophy, self-reliance, simple living, survivalism

I've been pondering a lot recently about how those attempting a simpler life might be perceived by disinterested onlookers. Many will say, "Who cares?" And I will give them hardy amens. But, what is it that those onlookers see, and is it accurate?

I searched "simple living" on Wikipedia and was brought to a category listing. Wouldn't you know it? "Survivalism" is listed as a subcategory of simple living. So, that really got the juices flowing, and here is but a snippet of my stream of thought.

First of all, simple living is a very personal concept (see my post: What is Simplicity?). What it is to me may be very different than what it is to you. But, I think a major precept of simple living is self-reliance. The American Heritage® Dictionary defines self reliance as "Reliance on one's own capabilities, judgment, or resources; independence." If "simple living" is taken as an earnest attempt to achieve self-reliance, then it follows that simple-living is nothing more than seeking independence.

Now, I have stated, and continue to believe, that simple living is a very personal matter. However, maybe it is the personal motives that drive the desire to achieve simplicity that makes it so personal. For me, I sometimes feel like I fell into this mortal sojourn a century or two too late. I have often felt a bit of jealousy towards our pioneer ancestors who blazed new trails, and lived daring lives just to survive. While I am not sure what I'd do without email and my cell phone, I would love to have been alive back when a trip to the store was an all day outing, or better yet, in a place where that was unheard of.

My journey to achieve simplicity is not about survival; my journey is about independence and to achieve that feeling that I am beholding to no one (except my wife).

But, that doesn't mean that the survivalist, whose motive may be more driven by apocalyptic notions, doesn't seek the same independence and self-reliance that I do. The survivalist that stockpiles food, guns and ammo, and supplies, may do so under a different vision of the future. When it comes right down to it, the survivalist is seeking the same thing I am, to be his/her own person, relying on the only person on Earth he/she can trust 100% without reservation.
As I seek to achieve simplicity, and as the survivalist seeks the same, you may see a few, if not many, similarities between our lifestyles. I may raise some of my own food, and try to preserve what I can for when the harvest may not be as plentiful. I may try to reduce my debt and reliance on consumer goods. I may have a gun or two (or more) and have a few extra boxes of ammunition.

No matter what the similarity or difference apparent from the outside, the only difference between the survivalist and the run-of-the-mill, back-to-the-basics simplicity seeker may be nothing more than their motives and/or vision of the future.

What do you think?