Envisioning A Wabi-Sabi World

We’re awash in stuff, very little of which is actually necessary for the enjoyment of life. Simply consider how the size of the average home has increased over the years, without a corresponding increase in our happiness, and yet we still find the need for off-site storage in which to house whatever won’t fit in our basements, attics, and garages. It would be nice if the only downside of this glut of stuff was that it clutters up our lives, but that’s not the case at all. The massive amounts of fossil fuel used to manufacture, ship, maintain, and ultimately dispose of all of this stuff has the earth’s atmosphere so laden with carbon dioxide that global climate change now jeopardizes our very survival and that of all living beings.

Weathered front porch

Where do we go from here? Your response to this question will depend on your worldview, your faith in the advancement of technology, and your assessment of the magnitude of the problem. Some people are still in denial regarding the reality of climate change. Others think the solution merely requires that we use renewable energy to power our existing materialistic lifestyle. Still others contemplate the future utilization of elaborate carbon capture and sequestration processes that will allow us to maintain our current levels of consumption (or higher) even as the world’s population grows higher and higher. Others, like me, think that our response to the reality of climate change will require all of our technological savvy as well as our willingness to live lives that are much less materialistic. And that is where wabi-sabi comes in.

Wabi-sabi is the traditionally Japanese aesthetic encompassing the appreciation of things that are simple, rustic, weathered, flawed, and natural such that their utilitarian ordinariness is elevated to the realm of artistic beauty. The truest appreciation of wabi-sabi requires the relinquishment of preconceived notions of individual self and need. This “emptying out” on the part of the perceiver allows him or her to fully recognize the sufficiency and beauty of even that which is most humble or austere.

At the core of the wabi-sabi aesthetic resides a spiritual relationship between us and our belongings. Consider the Japanese tea ceremony, for instance, in which the mental state of the participants – their spiritual development, if you will – is of utmost importance with respect to the ritualistic drinking of tea. The kettle, tea bowl, whisk, and cups are not merely objects to be utilized in order to complete the task of getting tea to our lips. Rather, these objects are to be appreciated in their own right as well as for the role they each play in the totality of all that the tea ceremony encompasses, i.e. life itself. In other words, the appreciation of wabi-sabi requires that the subject/object relationship become more intimate. Such intimacy is predicated on the perceiver “emptying out” themselves as they take part in the ceremony.

You may wonder how this subject/object intimacy differs from, for instance, the subject/object intimacy enjoyed by someone who really loves their new luxury automobile – someone whose identity is closely intertwined with the experience of driving (and being seen driving) such a vehicle. In this case, the vehicle is not merely appreciated for the utility of the transportation it provides, or even the quality of such transportation. It is appreciated within the context of a complex subject/object relationship. Of course, a new luxury automobile does not possess those very sabi qualities of being simple, rustic, weathered, flawed, and natural. More to the point, though, is the fact that the appreciation of this luxury automobile is not related to the perceiver “emptying out” themselves. Rather, its appreciation is the result of the subject overlaying the object with ideas related to the affluence, status, and power that ownership of such an object might represent. Overlaying objects with meaning such as this, meaning that is ultimately rooted in the ego of the subject, is contrary to the “emptying out” required for someone to truly experience something as wabi-sabi.

Thankfully, we see some movement in the direction of simplicity and authenticity these days. In greater numbers people are eschewing highly processed foods in lieu of more basic and nutritious ones. Many have begun to grow their own food, perhaps the most authentic act that one can engage in. More frequently, as well, people speak of shopping at second-hand stores or garage sales, of saying no to the latest fashion trends for the sake of purchasing more “timeless” things that never go out of style. People are taking control of their work lives as well by starting businesses involving the creation of their own products or services. So, in light of these trends, and the aforementioned discussion, what might a wabi-sabi world look like? Let me try my hand at conjuring up such a vision. Here goes:

I awaken to the sound of the rooster crowing down the lane. My eyes blink and focus on the old chest of drawers that’s been handed down from family member to family member over the years. It’s a bit battered, but it’s solid cherry – a wood that’s difficult to find these days now that most furniture is crafted from managed-forest pine. Not too long ago such a chest would have held little more than socks and underwear; now it holds nearly all of the clothing I own. Thankfully, things aren’t like they were in the old days when everyone was expected to cater to contrived standards of attire. Everything is less formal now, less structured around the keeping up of appearances. At times it’s difficult to tell the office workers from the farmers!

I roll over to face the window. The morning light filtering in illuminates my sparsely furnished studio apartment. Bookshelves made from repurposed lumber line the wall beside the rustic dining table that also doubles as a desk. An old couch that I had reupholstered sits in front of the windows, with a coffee table fashioned from a slab of salvaged granite countertop positioned in front of it. I don’t really have that much stuff compared to what I used to own. To tell you the truth, though, I don’t miss any of it. I’ve grown to enjoy these new feelings of spaciousness and simplicity. And what I do have I really use and enjoy – things that seem to have a character all their own.

You might be surprised to learn that I live in a big city, in an old rehabbed warehouse. With the exception of the rooster, though, and the occasional bleating of the goats down the lane, it’s rather quiet here. Motorized traffic has been routed one street over in order to foster pedestrian traffic and create more green space. Sure, people have to walk a little bit further from their parking spots to their apartments, but the exercise does us all good. Besides, few people even own cars anymore. Usually we just rent one for a day or so if we need to go someplace where mass transit doesn’t reach. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the zoning ordinances have been revised in order to allow appropriate amounts of urban farming. It was kind of a no-brainer given the fact that the death of the old fossil-fuel dependent manufacturing centers left so much urban land to be reclaimed. In fact, such land reclamation has become a major part of our economy these days. People seem to like the results, too.  The mix of buildings and green spaces helps to decrease the heat-island effect even as it improves our overall mood. Not to mention the fact that growing food so close to home is healthier in terms of freshness, and it requires less energy to package and ship.

I get some oatmeal simmering in an old copper pot. Between my morning shower and hot breakfast, I’ll use a fair amount of my allotment of stored solar energy for the day, but that’s okay. There’ll be plenty of time to replenish my battery array while I’m away. While breakfast is cooking, I check the internet to see what’s new. Yes, we’re more connected than ever before. The fact of the matter is that people are more meaningfully employed now than in times past due to the more realistic mix of low-tech, regionally-oriented jobs, and higher-tech, globally-oriented ones. This has helped raise the standard of living in what used to be the poorer areas of the country, and the world, thereby allowing more people to be included in the global sharing of ideas and information.

Our economy used to be jerked to and fro by advances of technology. Now things are much more in line with our needs and the realities of the workforce. Not everybody can be a computer engineer, after all, nor does everybody want to be one! Sure, things are relatively more expensive now that we utilize more labor-intensive technology. But we need less stuff than we did in the past, and the greater prevalence of meaningful, productive employment has greatly increased the overall health of society by decreasing crime, mental illness, addiction, and so forth.

With the exception of our solar and information-related technology, most of what we own is decidedly low-tech. It’s mostly crafted locally, and capable of being repaired locally. People generally don’t buy something anymore unless they know it can be repaired. To buy something with the intention of throwing it away is now seen as the height of ignorant behavior. Sure, plastics are still used. Primarily, though, you only see them used in hospitals and for medical devices and such. Yes, and for the electronic stuff that we still have.

After eating breakfast I’ll ride my bike down to the community garden. I’m meeting a bunch of friends there to put in a couple of hours of work before it gets too hot. After that I’ll be off to my job as a cabinetmaker. Hey, if you want to hear more, come join us for a beer this evening down at the Public House. I’ll introduce you to my girlfriend and some of my other friends. They can tell you all about the new tiny house co-op down the road at the old brownfield, the one with the communal workshop and shared office space. Bring an instrument, or a poem to read. It’s open mic night!

If you like this post, you might also like Can Wabi-Sabi Save the World?, Aspirational Contentment, Aspirational Contentment, Part 2, and Space, Stuff, Meaning. Thank you so much for reading!

 

Image Credits

 

Photo courtesy of the author

 

Copyright 2012 & 2022 by Mark Robert Frank