First Draft

This is only the first half of my paper. I have also decided to not include a section on yoga, as my paper would end up feeling unwieldy as a result.

Trends and Movements Through The Lens Of Social And New Media

Intro

A social trend or movement is any type of activity that society as a whole participates in. Modern examples of “trends” include planking, memes, or even fashion like wearing leggings or Adidas shoes. “Trends” have existed for as long as human civilization has existed. Some examples of early trends are beauty rituals- like wearing wigs, powdering one’s face to look as pale as possible, which were popular in Europe, or wearing heavy eyeliner, which was popular in Egypt. In the modern day, these trends have spread beyond geographical boundaries. Through the internet and social media, one is no longer confined to the town or country they live in. Today, fashion trends among teens are similar across all European and North American countries, exemplified by similar shoe and outfit trends. Memes, or popular images making reference to jokes or funny cultural events, can spread quickly from small pockets of the internet to becoming household names within days or weeks. A recent example of a “meme” is the “Catch Me Outside” girl. On a recent episode of Dr Phil, a young girl and her mother appeared in order to rectify their strained relationship. Danielle was insolent and rude, and at one point, called the audience members “hoes”. She invited them to a fight, uttering the now famous words, “cash me outside, howbow dat?” [Catch me outside, how about that, meaning, “Meet me outside and we will fight.] “Cash me outside” became a meme quickly, with images of the girl spreading quickly. One way it could be used would be saying “cash me outside” to a supposed threat or person you dislike. One might hear “cash me outside” in reference to a teacher giving a student a bad grade, or even more popularly, in reference to anything Donald Trump says or does that someone might disagree with.

In my own research, I am researching a social movements, social trends, and a combonation of both, and the way they are spread through social media. Social movements manifest similarly to social trends, however a social “movement” aims to help humanity in some way. According to [citation], a social movement is defined as a “specific type of group action in which large informal groups of individuals or organizations work for or against change in specific political or social issues.” The four types of social movements are alternative, redemptive, reformative, and revolutionary. An alternative movement advocates for minor change on an individual level, and redemptive advocates for radical change on an individual level. Reformative advocates for minor change on a societal level, and revolutionary advocates for radical change on a global level. I classify my social movements by this scale.

Minimalism would be considered a redemptive movement. This is an individual action, and unlike a political revolution, is deeply personal to each person who undertakes it. It cannot be done from above- it must be done by the individual. It also advocates radical change in one’s life- in the West, consumer driven culture makes living with less a radical act.

Yoga would be an alternative movement, or a redemptive movement. Participating in a yoga class once a week is a minor change that one individual undertakes. However, if one decides to adopt the lifestyle and ethos of yoga, this would be a radical change to themselves. But yoga does not proselytize- you come to yoga. However, through the lense of social media, this could also be considered a trend- something people do to fit in, rather than to aid humanity in someway,

Hygge would be considered a social trend. While the underlying reasons hygge is successful, such as a strong welfare state and a homogeneous society, could be considered movements, the concept of living a more meaningful life isn’t necessarily a movement. If it were to be classified as a movement, it would be considered alternative or redemptive. Hygge, like minimalism, does not proselytize and the movement has no defined figurehead.

Minimalism

Minimalism, simply put, is a method of living life with less. Defined by “The Minimalists”, a popular blogging and podcast duo, minimalism means owning what adds value to your life. Minimalism has been sweeping the internet in the last 5 years as a lifestyle trend, fashion statement, and to a lesser degree, a philosophical way of life. The “Ethos” of minimalism involves getting rid of the possessions, people, and habits that are not adding value to your life, or are holding you back.

Minimalism began as an art form which emphasised clean lines and little clutter. It was also a music form, a stark contrast from the “busy” music of the early 20th century. “Terry Riley’s 1964 composition In C is often cited as the first minimalist work in music, and as a student in California, Reich was involved in its premiere. In C was a marked rejoinder to the academic complexities of Schoenberg and serialism, a sequence of simple music patterns offset in time to create a kind of undulating ambient sound.” (Brief History Of Minimalism).

However, the minimalism I am concerned with is the design and lifestyle concept, which emphasizes owning only what you need and “what adds value to your life” (The Minimalists Podcast). This could mean getting rid of unnecessary clothing, books, papers, and junk, or could also be eliminating your debt, or finding better friends. Minimalism has become incredibly popular in the last five years through Pinterest, youtube, and podcasts like The Minimalists. It is especially interesting that it was through free mediums, which don’t require purchasing anything aside from books or tour experiences, that minimalism really took off.

Minimalism can be used for environmental, aesthetic, or philosophical reasons. In terms of the environment, people like ZeroWasteHome aspire to cut down on the amount of owned items in order to reduce their home’s environmental impact. Bea Johnson, author of the blog Zero Waste Home, claims that “since adopting the Zero Waste lifestyle in 2008, my life and that of my family have changed for the better. We not only feel happier, but we also lead more meaningful lives based on experiences instead of stuff.” Their family lives on the extreme end: in an entire year, they produce about enough trash to fit inside a 20 ounce mason jar. Compared to my own experience, my family of 5 produces about two trash bags worth of waste each week. In their 2016 “Jar Of Waste”, Johnson lamented the produce stickers and broken hair bands.

Zero Waste Home advocates less for decluttering, and more for reducing typical waste. They shop using glass jars and cheese cloths, and buy only in bulk. They make their own soaps, shampoos, lotions, and deodorant. They don’t accept gifts, or even frame artwork from their sons. Even in the bathroom, they’ve cut down- using only toilet paper individually wrapped in recyclable paper and baking soda and vinegar surface cleaners.

For the average American, becoming this rigorous and strict about reducing waste is nearly impossible, especially for those who work long hours and cannot afford to spend time writing to companies, and shopping at local farmers markets. Another blogger, Going Zero Waste, advocates reducing waste but in a lighter way. While Johnson seems to be fixated on reaching an impossible goal, Kathryn of Going Zero Waste claims “It's not about perfection; it's about making better choices”. A recent blog post, “3 Reasons Why The Trash Jar is Bullsh*t”, laments the attempts at perfection that many bloggers are aspiring too. The yearly “Trash Jar” is becoming just another way to express a Holier-Than-Thou attitude.

Some take the most extreme route- completely removing themselves from society as a whole. A popular Atlantic article from 2012, “Homeless By Choice”, tells the tale of one such person, who found a cave to live in and has been removed from society for years. “Suelo's grotto was a two-hour walk from pavement, and he settled in for the long haul. He chipped at the rocky ground to create a wide, flat bed, and lined it with tarps and pads and sleeping bags that had been left out with someone else's trash. He built wood-burning cook-stoves from old tin cans. He learned to forage for cactus pods, yucca seeds, wildflowers, and the watercress that grew in the creek. He drank from springs, bathed in the creek. From a chunk of talus he carved a statue, a ponderous head like some monolith from Easter Island.” According to the article, “Suelo brings into existence no bottles, cans, wrappers, bags, packaging, nor those plastic six- pack rings that you're supposed to snip up with scissors to save the seabirds. As for the benefits of pitching Coke bottles into the recycling bin-- Suelo is the guy pulling those bottles out of the bin, using them until they crack, then pitching them back. The carbon footprint of the average American is about twenty tons per year. Suelo's output is probably closer to that of an Ethiopian-- about two hundred pounds, or about one half of 1 percent of an American's.”

The aesthetics of minimalism take a slightly different route. In common terms, the “aesthetic” of something is the way something looks, or the style that a room or outfit is attempting to convey. For those who adopt a minimalist lifestyle “for the aesthetic”, this can mean a number of things. Many will reduce their wardrobe to 10-20 select pieces, featuring solid colors and clean lines. For others, this could mean designing their house to be open, airy, light, and feature sparse furniture and mostly solid color items. One popular voice of the minimalism “aesthetic” camp would be Youtuber and blogger Jenny Mustard. Mustard is a Swedish minimalist who makes popular videos, titled things like “5 Things You Don’t Need” “Minimalism Hacks: Make Your Space Bright and Clean” and “How To Stop Shopping”. She makes popular apartment tour videos as well, showing off her incredibly neat and starkly white apartment.

Mustard also lives the minimalist aesthetic as well, wearing mostly solid color clothing and having an impossibly small wardrobe. On the more extreme end, she had bleached blonde hair, and shaves her eyebrows to reduce the “clutter” on her face. She is a podcaster as well, making episodes on a variety of topics but mostly related to minimalism.

The aesthetic version of minimalism is based mostly on Swedish interior design elements, which is no surprise considering many of the biggest voices in minimalism are Swedish or Scandinavian. Think Ikea furniture as square one for a minimalist journey.

Finally, minimalism can take on a philosophical branch as well. This is mostly about living with items that add value to your life, as well as people and life experiences. Those that espouse this sort of lifestyle are often some of the most extremes in the subculture- living with only 50 items in their entire life, experimenting with homelessness, or removing themselves from society as a whole, like Suelo in the environmental section. However, most philosophical minimalists don’t go to these extremes. Some, like The Minimalists, blend a version of minimalism uniquely suited for themselves. The Minimalists are a podcasting and blogging duo who rose to fame after writing a book and filming a documentary. They say “keep only what adds value to your life”. This could mean getting rid of physical things, but can also mean leaving your job in the corporate world, leaving a failing marriage, or attending a low cost college to free yourself of debt.

Those that espouse philosophical minimalism claim that by eliminating what doesn’t add value to your life, you can finally see what matters. Some claim that increased happiness, ease of living, and even weight loss can result from this purge of things. While the science is still out on many of these claims, anecdotal evidence seems to prove them right: at least on social media.

According to Google Trends, a program that tracks search results and allows the user to view the usage of the term over time, the term “minimalism” has been gaining traction slowly over the last 3 years in the United States, experiencing small rises and falls in popularity around Christmas, February, and April-May. However, it saw the largest spike in searches between January 1st and 7th, 2017, suggesting the trend is gaining in popularity.

Worldwide, the trend has experienced similar gains in popularity. The countries searching “minimalism” the most are, surprisingly, Australia, The Philippines, Sweden, Canada, and the United Kingdom. While I expected it to be most popular in “westernized” cultures, or cultures with traditions of minimalism, I did expect to see the United States, as it seems to be gaining the most popularity here.

While many people are searching “minimalism” on its own, it is usually accompanied by a search for the recent netflix documentary “Minimalism: A Documentary About The Important Things”. This documentary saw widespread success in the United States and across the world. It follows “The Minimalists”, Joshua Fields-Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, on their US tour promoting their book and interviewing other minimalists across America. The film was released in theatres in May 2016, and while searches did increase at that time and in the weeks after, the searches really took off in December of 2016, the same time the film was released on Netflix. This suggests that while films in theatres are still influential, the real changemaker in the 21st century is the internet, social media, and netflix.

On Youtube, the trend is similar. Tracking from 2008, (when Youtube first launched) to April 2017, minimalism has increased steadily in youtube searches since mid 2014. It experienced small spikes in searches every few months, but increased exponentially to its peak in January 2017.

Some of the rising searches for minimalism are “minimalism documentary”, “declutter”, “minimalist living”, “extreme minimalism”, “japanese minimalism”, and “minimalism with kids.” These search results suggest that at the moment, most people seeking to adopt a minimalist lifestyle are doing it for the aesthetic of a minimalist home, or are seeking to declutter their lives of material things.

But where did this decluttering urge begin? The word originated in the 1970’s according to Google Ngram, but in terms of the modern obsession with cleaning, I seem to have traced its origins to the bestselling book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” written by Japanese author Marie Kondo. Published in 2014, it details the almost stoic method by which Kondo declutters in her organization business. She instructs her clients to go through their possessions one by one (and yes, every single possession, from your marriage certificate to the toilet cleaning fluid) and keep only what sparks joy in your life. What add value? Perhaps your stove or blender doesn’t spark a sort of happiness when you see it, but you are happy that you can eat and cool your own food. A first aid kit doesn’t spark joy, but when you can bandage a cut you will be happy. She applies a spiritual element to this as well- when parting ways with your items, hug them, and thank them for a job well done serving you. When folding your clothes, fold them only in a specific pattern, so they can release the tension they build up over the day. While the elements of Animism don’t ring true for most people, the Spartan like rigor of purging your home of things all in one go is appealing to many.

Through the beginning of 2015, the “konmari” method search terms skyrocketed. This seems to coincide with the publishing of popular articles around the book in the New York Times and other publications. However, the term did not reach its peak until February of 2017. I found articles from Forbes, Huffington Post, and HerCampus, from December 2016 and February 2017. These popular articles may have contributed to the rise in February.

The appeal of minimalism seems to come mostly from the design aesthetic and the “bragging rights” of being one of the lucky few detached from the rat race of 21st century 1st world countries. If you don’t have a cell phone, or your home is always tidy, and your kids aren’t attached to ipads 24/7, it’s like you are living your own life. You aren’t a slave to the corporate world, as The Minimalists so often say.

Through social media, it appears that much of the popularity of minimalism is from the attractiveness of the images. A clean, bright home, a small, pleasing wardrobe- it’s something to aspire to. When I searched “minimalism” on Instagram, there were over 6 million photos tagged with the hashtag. The 9 most popular posts features clean white phones, pure work spaces, minimalist fashion, and line-drawing tattoos. When I searched “minimalism_life”, there were 27,000 photos. The top 9 were exclusively clean photos of landscapes or homes, with the exception of one, which featured two people using public transportation and espousing the virtues of being car-less.

“Minimalistwardrobe” was also popular. It featured lots of white pants, plain black teeshirts, basic swing dresses, simple outfits, and many pictures of nearly empty closets. Many of the items, however, were designer, or above the price point of fast fashion. It seems like for a movement that is so dedicated to being anti-possession, it holds a lot of value in labels.

According to my research, it seemed like the most popular method of minimalism is the aesthetic version. Not surprisingly, this version is the most “shareable” on social media. Images can be viewed quickly and it’s easy to put a saccharine filter on your life through these images. In the 21st century, instagram and youtube have the potential to reach millions of people, but over time, what has become popular has been an aspiration that is simply unattainable.

Minimalism has spread primarily online, and unsurprisingly, through mediums that only exist within a computer that require no cash and little time. Social media doesn’t require the hours or mental labor of reading a book, or going to the library. In less than 30 seconds, I can search “minimalism” on instagram, click on an image, and be taken to a blog where I can “command+f” for “minimalist college dorm tips” and immediately find a youtube video on the subject. Perhaps it’s the increasing laziness of our society, or perhaps, it’s because of the instant availability of the products now, but social media has revolutionized the spread of trends and movements in the 21st century.

You no longer have to find a publisher willing to let you create, or have a fancy studio on television, or kiss up to producers for years on end. Today, anyone with an Iphone, an internet connection, and an eye for interior design can become an internet star of the minimalist movement. Because of the simplicity of it, we no longer have just one or two “figureheads” of movements- since everyone can do it, there’s infinite iterations of the movement or trend. Everyone can find a minimalist that fits their style, and the process continues forever.

Minimalism is both incredibly accessible and incredibly unattainable, at the same time. Because of the creation of a perfect goal, many see minimalism as something only those with privilege or with perfect lives can attain. But because of the proliferation of technology and social media, anyone can get on the bandwagon. But unless minimalism is able to reconcile the need for perfection with the need for accessibility, the movement will remain unattainable for many.