The Minimalists

Joshua and Ryan talk about all the digital clutter on our computers, phones, tablets, and other devices taking up space on our hard drives and in our minds, and they answer the following questions:

What are the benefits of not having digital clutter taking up space in your mind? (00:00)

What is the Diderot effect? (04:48)

What do you define as ‘digital clutter’? (10:41)

Where do we start in addressing digital clutter to ensure we stay focused and motivated and not get overwhelmed with all of it? (13:31)

As an avid gamer, how do I ensure I don’t let my enthusiasm and passion for gaming turn into clutter with all of the games and consoles available, and how do I ensure it doesn’t consume me to the detriment of my relationships? (21:00)

How about a basic overview of how to manage it all: emails, documents, photos? (30:18)

How can overwhelm actually help us? (33:17)

Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Support The Minimalists: minimalists.com/support

Joshua and Ryan talk about the perniciousness of compulsive decluttering (aka obsessive-compulsive spartanism) on the occasion of their 300th episode, and they answer the following questions:

What is spartanism? (00:00)

Hoarding, spartanism, ad nauseum—must we diagnose everything? (06:06)

How do we recognize and respect the challenges of others? (06:59)

How could letting go of everything be a bad thing? (11:16)

How do we ensure our decluttering doesn’t trigger other compulsive behaviors; for instance, the compulsion to constantly check our phones for notifications when we’re trying to sell what we decluttered? (11:46)

What is the “art of noticing”? (17:38)

When does minimalism turn into compulsive decluttering or obsessive-compulsive spartanism—what signs do we look for? (19:40)

Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Support The Minimalists: minimalists.com/support

Joshua and Ryan talk about healing our relationships with stuff, truth, self, values, money, creativity, and people with podcaster and Director of Entrepreneurial Education for FEE, T.K. Coleman, and they answer the following questions:

What gave you the inspiration for Love People, Use Things? (00:00)

Do we learn more from those that have been redeemed, or from those that have led “perfect” lives? (08:51)

How did the line blur so much between private lives and public lives? (10:31)

How do I reconcile with my minimalist values when I must trash items I no longer use that can’t be donated, recycled, or upcycled? (13:48)

What is the true cost of things?  (14:43)

How do I justify to my minimalist self that it’s okay to have numerous accoutrements for several hobbies that bring me joy? (21:00)

What separates minimalism from dogmatism? (23:57)

How do I rejuvenate my creativity when I’m overwhelmed by burnout? (36:04)

How do we avoid falling into maintenance mode as creatives? (40:31)

Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Support The Minimalists: minimalists.com/support

Joshua and Ryan discuss the perils of pursuing fame, clout, and attention in today's insta-world with director Nick Bilton and artist Chris Bailey of HBO’s Fake Famous, and they answer the following questions:

Why did Nick make a film about fake fame? (00:00)

What constitutes actual fame? (07:01)

What impact is social media having on our children? (09:24)

How has Chris’s life changed since the film? (13:04)

Why do the people who just post photos of themselves in skimpy outfits and pouts get five million followers, yet the people who actually have something meaningful to say get only a handful of followers? (21:27)

What is the number one photo opportunity in L.A. for influencers? (26:49)

What is an “Instagram vacation”? (27:55)

If maintaining social media accounts is part of our daily work, how do we incorporate minimalism to ensure our use is intentional, appropriate, and valuable? (28:38)

What value have you gotten from social media? (32:19)

Has the experience of the global pandemic actually helped us get away from our glowing screens? (32:57)

What is the prime purpose of social media? (35:52)

Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Support The Minimalists: minimalists.com/support

Joshua and Ryan talk about gift-getting, gift-giving, and birthday celebrations for adults and kids alike with podcaster and Registered Dietitian Rebecca Shern, and they answer the following questions:

What does Joshua want for his birthday? (00:00)

Why do we never seem to know what we truly want? (04:06)

Instead of spending lots of money and giving expensive gifts, what are some meaningful ways to celebrate birthdays? (06:22)

How do you celebrate your child’s birthday? (07:27)

What if gift-giving is one of my love languages? (11:14)

How do you celebrate your birthday? (14:57)

Is gift-giving just a matter of simply asking others what they want? (17:31)

How do we appropriately address a loved one who insists on giving us gifts when we’ve asked them countless times not to, and do we tell them that we’ve actually given away most of the gifts they’ve given us? (18:20)

How do my spouse and I address the societal expectations of others regarding our choice of participation in traditional gift-giving events, such as birthdays and Christmas? (31:04)

Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Support The Minimalists: minimalists.com/support

Joshua and Ryan talk about how minimalism, in more ways than one, is about starting over with less, and they answer the following questions:

How do we start over? (00:00)

As I’m letting everything go and starting over, how do I explain it to my friends and family who think I am crazy or terminally ill? (05:25)

What advice do you have for those of us dealing with the stress and anxiety of being forced to start over professionally after being let go from our jobs? (09:06) 

What is absolutely essential? (11:51)

What two questions should we ask ourselves when we’re considering a fresh start? (14:43)

How important is an emergency fund when you’re starting over? (15:46)

Is starting over simply a matter of considering a new direction? (16:23)

When you’re starting over from scratch and you realize you can’t do it alone, how do you get over your pride and ask others for help? (17:46)

What is the difference between enhancement and dependency? (19:38)

Why should we give money rather than loan money? (21:56)

When you’re starting over with nothing, how do you live without sentimental stuff in your life? (25:53)

Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Support The Minimalists: minimalists.com/support

Joshua and Ryan talk about what we must refine to ensure our spiritual and material lives align with author, podcaster, and fitness expert Ben Greenfield and podcaster and Registered Dietitian Rebecca Shern, and they answer the following questions:

What is a “fit soul”? (00:00)

What are the dangers of transactional relationships? (08:47)

What are the four pillars of the spiritual journey? (13:35)

What is the practice of self-examination? (18:02)

How do we determine our purpose? (21:38)

Is there a link between sex and spirituality? (26:44)

How do you explain sex to your children? (29:21)

What is “eye gazing”? (33:58)

How do you punish and reward your children? (36:12)

What is the “God-shaped hole”? (39:59)

Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Support The Minimalists: minimalists.com/support

Joshua and Ryan talk about how we all seem to find ourselves having the things we don’t need, and needing the things we don’t have—and how we’re so disconnected from our communities that bartering for those things is nearly impossible—with the founder of HaveNeed, Josh Kline, and they answer the following questions:

What is HaveNeed? (00:00)

How has the pandemic affected bartering? (04:01)

What is your distinction between items that are essential, nonessential, and junk? (06:16)

What would the world look like if there was no such thing as money, which has a vice-like grip on the material world; that is, what would the world look like if it ran strictly on barter? (07:02)

What is the history of bartering? (07:26)

What is the “mutual coincidence of wants”? (08:11)

What is “Object A”? (13:44)

Bartering has been around forever, but seems to have fallen out of favor in recent times—why? (26:51)

Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Support The Minimalists: minimalists.com/support

Joshua and Ryan talk about how to take back control of our income and our creative outcomes by making a living on our own as an aspiring creator, small business owner, artist, or entrepreneur with the CEO of Patreon, Jack Conte, and they answer the following questions:

Why did Jack start Patreon? (04:40)

Where do you find the most practical feedback from your audience? (13:25)

How do I best prepare myself to make the jump from working full-time for others to working full-time as a small business owner with as much tranquility as possible? (15:46)

What should be my primary focus as a budding entrepreneur? (18:20)

How did Jack benefit from his “not be prudent” approach to his professional pursuits? (22:23)

When do you know it’s time to turn your side hustle into your full-time business? (26:00)

What is the first step I should take to become an online creator? (27:32)

What do you mean by “add value”? (28:55)

Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Support The Minimalists: minimalists.com/support

Joshua and Ryan talk about that empty feeling we all experience from time to time—and the things we do when we attempt to fill the void—with podcaster, writer, and director Jennette McCurdy, and they answer the following questions:

Why did Jennette start her podcast? (00:00)

What is the disconnect between our higher quality of life in this modern age and our happiness? (04:26)

How does society and culture influence disorders? (06:21)

Why do others often insist we not give up our “successful” careers? (10:59)

What are the three different types of relationships? (14:06)

How do we appropriately manage expectations in relationships? (16:09)

I think minimalism can help many of my loved ones find meaning in their lives and avoid the void, but I find it difficult to communicate it to them effectively so they see and understand the benefits and find it more attractive than the rat race they’re in—any tips? (20:01)

What is the elevator pitch for minimalism? (20:35)

How do you address the shame that sometimes accompanies minimalism? (23:50)

How is power the opposite of freedom? (24:26)

Was Jennette shamed for walking away from her acting career? (25:40)

Does confidence come from consistency? (26:58)

Filling our voids with stuff isn’t good, but what is good—what should we replace that consumption urge with that is meaningful? (28:37)

What is the “suckhole”? (33:33)

Why is Jennette’s podcast titled Empty Inside? (36:28)

Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast

Support The Minimalists: minimalists.com/support