“I first decided to live a life of material simplicity when I was eleven for reasons such as this; the material was immaterial, the pursuit of the material was endless due to planned obsolescence. So, ‘To what end?’ I did nothing to deserve being born into a privileged percentile, and therefore couldn’t live by western standards of exorbitance, while billions wanted clean water. The fundamental material necessities for our survival, i.e. shelter and clothing, only needed to be attained simply before one was free to pursue life unburdened by them. Time was priceless, so it couldn’t be exchanged for money. Endless consumerism was a money-tunnel full of hollow promises, and fleeting pleasure. Wars would not spell the end of man, but rather the exhaustion of our finite, diminishing, and non-renewable resources. Our system favours economic growth over the growth of all else.

Thirteen years on, I now travel between sustainable communities Australia-wide that contain no internal monetary exchange, shooting short films to promote them, while critiquing the success of their environmental, economical, and social sustainability.

Using what I learn from each community in regards to the dynamics of ‘what works’ and ‘what doesn’t’, I have subsequently designed an egalitarian poly-centric network that could transform our capitalist system into a conserver system with no use for currency. This will be released soon. Currently, with the oil-portraiture painting business paying the bills, an album being recorded in October, and films still to come out, it’s an exciting chapter and future I’m prepared for. If I’m to say anything to those who aspire to live minimally, however, rather than jargon on about the incredible benefits of choosing simplicity for the right reasons, I’d rather advise and share that.

Over time I found the simplification of my surroundings so addictive, that it eventuated with me simplifying or removing absolutely anything that distracted me from the time I dedicated myself to passions and path. As a result (to name a few), it’s been months since I’ve worn or thought about jewellery, the majority of my money only going to food or petrol, I own three pairs of shoes (this includes gum boots), and I only exchange or buy second hand-clothes once a month if I need them. Let’s just say, if it doesn’t need to be part of my life, it won’t be. And as a result, liberated from cares of the non-essential, I’m free to read, write, compose, paint, study, and live at my leisure.”