Not everyone knows what downshifting is. In the article we will understand what kind of phenomenon this is, get acquainted with the followers of this ideology, analyze why they refuse to successful career in favor of absolute freedom.
Let's imagine that you can choose a certain way of life. The first option is represented by a good job, a decent income, but a rigid rhythm, clear rules, submission and regular stress. The second option is characterized by a lower rung in society, modest income, lack of career prospects, but complete freedom and independence from generally accepted rules.
Downshifters are people who prefer the second option. They deliberately lower themselves in career and status for the sake of family, hobbies and free choice places of residence.
In general, downshifting is an automotive term, translated from in English means downshifting. In our case, people who are tired of the fast life stop moving towards the goals imposed by society and follow their own values and desires.
Society imposes different values. Everyone must become a successful, goal-achieving person, look impeccable, have decent capital and the attributes of a prosperous life - stylish accessories, prestigious cars, yachts, first-class apartments. If you adhere to such a worldview, ambition, inflated self-esteem, and the desire to stride ahead towards your goal will manifest.
Downshifter - a person who can change the chair of the head to the position of an ordinary manager or completely abandon city life, move to countryside or abroad.A good example of downshifting is the act of the Russian multimillionaire German Sterligov. As a public figure, politician and businessman who founded the Russian commodity exchange, he left business and moved with his family to the Moscow region. Now he has country house and complete farming. Of course, he partially returned to business and founded a clearing and commodity center, but he does not intend to return the title of oligarch.
A downshifter is a person who decides to completely change his life. He is pushed to such a step by fatigue from the race for material goods and the conflict that has flared up between psychological comfort and beautiful life.
Pros and cons of downshifting
The rapidly increasing popularity of downshifting is caused by general fatigue from the fast pace of life.
In the course of further conversation, I will consider the pros and cons of downshifting. I'll start with the disadvantages.
Minuses
- Pause in work experience . A long break will negatively affect if a person wants to find a job again.
- Reduction in income . After a change in lifestyle, financial flows decrease.
- Loss of ties . Business partners forget people with whom they had to work before. A person who has enjoyed the delights of downshifting and decided to return to civilization will have to start from scratch.
pros
There are much more pluses.
- stress reduction . Downshifter lives in an independent world without schedules, rigid lines and requirements. You don't have to do urgent work in the shortest possible time.
- Time saving . You don't have to commute to work every day.
- Self-planning . Downshifter schedules at his own discretion. For example, he may work at night or get up early in the morning to work in a quiet environment.
- Benefit for health . Many change not only the place of work, but also the place of residence. It becomes possible to breathe clean air, drink high quality water and eat organic food.
- Self-realization . After cardinal changes, free time appears, the lion's share of which can be spent on yourself. It's about about self-improvement and disclosure of creative potential.
- Professional and personal growth . Usually professional growth obligatory and does not bring pleasure. After change, there is a personal desire to learn new things, to learn and develop.
Without a doubt, downshifting has significant advantages. However, I do not advise you to immediately be tempted. The first step is to carefully weigh and consider everything.
Best countries for downshifting
Many downshifters go to warm countries. The main goal of a person who has decided to completely change his life is a carefree, comfortable and convenient pastime, without significant financial costs.
Thailand
Thailand is in first place in terms of popularity among downshifters. Many foreigners live on the territory of the state, including our compatriots. A visa to Thailand is not required if the duration of stay does not exceed one month. After that, it is enough to cross the border with Laos or Malaysia and you can go back again for a month.
Video interview with downshifters
India
In India, the state of Goa is the most popular place for downshifting. To visit the country, a visa is required, which is issued for six months. India is a wintering country. While it is cold in the homeland, here you can have fun, walk and live for a penny. Many downshifters do just that.
Türkiye
The Turkish state is popular among Russian tourists who go on a short vacation. Türkiye is also suitable for short downshifting. Russians can stay here without a visa for two months. The total length of stay cannot exceed one quarter. After two months of residence, you need to leave the country, and then return for a month.
Ecuador
The country through which the Equator passes provides markets with quality bananas. You can stay in Ecuador for 90 days with the right to extend. The prices are reasonable and the people are kind. Wonderful conditions for living, there are mountains and tropical forests everywhere.
Argentina
The South American state is friendly to the inhabitants of our country. Russians can stay here for three months, and then extend the right to stay by crossing the border bilaterally. Argentina is ideal for expats. A child born here receives citizenship, and parents can easily apply for a residence permit.
Is not full list states for downshifting. It can include Nepal, Philippines, Indonesia, Kenya, Brazil, Bolivia, Kenya.
How much do downshifters earn?
I will give a few examples with figures of how income changed before and after downshifting.
- After moving to the countryside, the income of the former city dweller drops significantly. According to one of the downshifters, while living in the city, he earned 100,000 rubles working as a lawyer. After moving to the village, earnings decreased by 4 times.
- Another downshifter, before moving to the countryside, was earning about 50,000 rubles a month working in the field street artists. After fatal decision and the subsequent move, his income was greatly reduced. There were cases when the budget per day did not exceed 100 rubles.
- Some travel to warmer climes in search of adventure. According to a former bank employee who went to Asia, now his monthly income does not exceed $300. Enough for a normal life, but sometimes you want a little luxury.
- One copywriter quit his job and went to live where he likes, staying in one place for a short time. He still works remotely, while income has increased one and a half times. You can’t call it a full-fledged downshifting, since he continues to work in his specialty, but in a place convenient for him.
In most cases, income drops significantly, but this is not a problem, since freedom is much more important for downshifters.
Downshifting in Russia
IN Western countries downshifting means giving up fame, the benefits of civilization and a career in favor of personal freedom.
In Russia, this concept has acquired a different connotation. The vast majority of downshifters are wealthy people who can go to another state for permanent residence without any problems. They do not abandon the business, but leave it in the care of managers and keep it under control. Therefore, downshifting in Russia is characterized negative reviews. Among the people, the phenomenon is explained by laziness, betrayal of the Motherland, unwillingness to work.
Video plot
Motives and reasons for downshifting
- Unrealized aspirations and talents.
- Excessive fatigue from society.
- The desire to check own forces.
- Desire to start life clean slate.
- craving for healthy lifestyle life and nature.
This ideology is often followed by people who are disillusioned with life. We are talking about the departure of the second half, the loss of loved ones, betrayal by colleagues or friends. For many downshifting great opportunity start another life, leaving the old mistakes in the past.
Russian people who have decided to dive into the world of downshifting are interested in where to go? Places that are suitable for this cannot be rated using a point or star system. This approach is wrong. Some find solace in the Siberian forests, others choose the Norilsk extreme or Karelian swamps, others leave for the Moscow region, restore their grandmother's mud hut and grow vegetables.
17/01/2016 11:09
The other day, the head of Sberbank, German Gref, struck the audience at the Gaidar Forum with several strong statements
"We have lost the competition, to be honest. And this is technological enslavement, I would say that we are among the countries that are losing, in the list of downshifting countries"
"You can say that this era (of the dominance of hydrocarbons - ed. note) is in the past. The Stone Age did not end because the stones ran out. In the same way, you can say that the oil age has already ended. There will be a remnant of it, perhaps 10 years, until the entire EV infrastructure is deployed."
"We need to change the model of education from kindergartens to universities. The entire model of education must be radically changed," Gref said. In his opinion, it should have been done yesterday. "We are trying to reproduce the old Soviet absolutely worthless education system, we are stuffing a huge amount of knowledge into children," Gref said.
No one could really object to Gref at the meetings, and what could he object to. In the mouth of the minister economic development RF 2000-2007, and now the head of Sberbank, the largest bank in Russia, it sounds especially impressive. The fact that Russia is losing the competition was clear even 10 years ago, when Mr. Gref was Minister of Economic Development. Now he was simply stating a medical fact that had become absolutely obvious with the collapse in energy prices. The epic of getting up from one's knees, dramatically presented by Russian propaganda, turned out to be connected with oil prices, and not with any managerial achievements.
Gref’s word “downshifter” was a little embarrassing, because it’s not Russian, you won’t understand right away. Clearly, something bad, but what? What did the comrade want to emphasize with this term?
Wikipedia has an entire article on this:
Downshifting (English downshifting, switching the car to a lower gear, as well as slowing down or weakening any process) is a term for life philosophy“living for yourself”, “refusal of other people's goals”. Related to the concept of simple living (eng. simple life), as well as simplification. Those who consider themselves to be downshifters tend to give up the pursuit of promoted common goods, such as a constant increase in material capital, career development etc., focusing on "life for yourself."
In general, after reading Wikipedia, a Russian person will not understand well what Mr. Gref wanted to emphasize with this word. Is “giving up other people’s goals” really a bad thing? Some particularly advanced journalists tried to explain that a “downshifter” is when they rent an apartment and go somewhere to live on this money, such as in Thailand. All the same, some kind of abracadabra turns out. Well, the public did not understand this word. Didn't understand.
Indeed, everything is not so simple, to understand the meaning that the former Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation invested, you need to know the Anglo-Saxon slang, in which a downshifter means a loser, sucker. Yeah, well, everything fell into place. Gref said that Russia is a sucker country, more precisely, among the sucker countries. In this way, in a difficult way, with the help of immersion in spoken English, I managed to understand Gref exactly.
At the same time, this terminological investigation allows us to understand the reason for the country's downshifting. Uncle, and other comrades at the Gaidar Forum, to whom the speech was addressed, understand this term, because their thoughts and images are in the Anglo-Saxon world, and the country lives by the images and concepts of the Russian world. Hence the gap in the conceptual base. What did the boss want to say? The people are not clear. It is clear that it is necessary to borrow Western experience and technology in order to overcome the legacy of the Soviet Union (Marxism and communism, by the way, are also a Western product). However, this work was and is in the hands of people who deeply despise Russia and its people. Why do we need a modern manager? To translate the experience into a language understandable to people, and not the one that through the lip uses gibberish that is not clear to the mainstream public, emphasizing its cultural difference. Moreover, the funny thing is that there is no difference, it is imaginary. Gref came out of exactly the same world as everyone else, but uses words to show only what he thinks about himself. And he thinks of himself as a man of the Anglo-Saxon culture among the Russian Papuans.
This is the reason for the country's downshifting - the fate of its economy was handed over to people for whom Russia and its people are at best indifferent. It can be smart people with intellectual potential, but these are strangers who do not feel the country, do not have national identity- non-nationals. They do not care what will happen to the country and its people. It wasn't we who "lost the competition" it was they who lost it.
Just such shots, basically, hung out at the Gaidar Forum, because a normal Russian person will not go to a party named after this ghoul. Reforms say Gaidar? Reforms, as well as treatment of a person, can be carried out in different ways - as in a concentration camp with a prisoner of war - he will survive as he will survive, as he will grow together, and grow together, or you can do it at home, so that he will definitely recover and grow together correctly. Yes, and the tasks are different - at home a person is treated and put on his feet so that he becomes healthy and enjoys life, and in a concentration camp they are treated based on other considerations.
The Grefs, the Gaidars and the Chubais were treated like in a concentration camp, hence the downshifting, the patient most likely did not recover, and did not grow together. Moreover, they did not really want to cure it. But the "doctors" did not forget about their relatives. This, and this is precisely the reason for Russia to fall into the camp of suckers. Difficult times lie ahead, very difficult. However, we will get out of the state of suckers only when we say goodbye to the non-nationals, people for whom Russia and its people are of no value. For which we are downshifters.
Reference: Who does not know the origin of the word goof - a sluggish, weak fish - from the dialect of Pomors, who called so salmon that spawned and remained in the rivers for the winter in the whirlpools. In modern jargon, a person who does not understand that he is being deceived.
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Day after day, many people pull the strap of everyday worries and dream of at least some time to live in their own pleasure.
And if for most of us these desires remain only a dream, then some are already ready for cardinal changes and the rejection of duties or material wealth in favor of living for themselves. These people are called downshifters. What are they? And what are they doing?
What does the word "downshifter" mean?
Term "downshifting" comes from English downshifting and means "downshifting in the car" . In relation to people, he points to a certain philosophy of life that welcomes the rejection of other people's goals and life for one's own pleasure.
The term was first used in the Washington Post in 1991, but the movement itself appeared somewhat later - in early XXI century in Western states, and then in Russia. It is believed that in our country downshifting has become widespread only in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Who are downshifters?
Downshifters are supporters of a free, unhurried lifestyle, in which there is no place for fuss and stress. They believe that society imposes certain values on humanity, such as career and financial independence, as a result of which people do not have time for a family, themselves. 
Downshifters are in complete denial wealth and believe that completely different priorities should be at the forefront - their own spiritual and physical health, children, hobby. To some extent, downshifting is reminiscent of the hippie philosophy.
What do downshifters do?
If most people in case of exorbitant workloads simply change jobs with less employment, then the aspirations of downshifters are associated not so much with a change in occupation as with a radical change in lifestyle.
Often they sell and go to Asian countries where low rent and food prices allow them to enjoy their lives. There are settlements of downshifters in Goa, Cambodia, Thailand.
To become a downshifting representative, it is not at all necessary to go abroad. Some Russian citizens simply move to the countryside or give up a position in the company, choosing to work remotely.
Someone solves problems by renting out his own housing, which allows him to live for himself on the funds received, and someone invests in securities or deposits, becoming a rentier. 
Downshifting gives people freedom and independence, but along with advantages, it has a number of disadvantages. Most often, these people are faced with a shortage Money. However, this problem more than pays off with the opportunity to live in harmony with your own “I” and spend more time with your family.
Downshifters hitchhike, wear old clothes, eat food grown in their garden, but do not regret anything, because such a price for freedom seems quite acceptable to them.
Who is most likely to be a downshifter?
According to statistics, most of the downshifters are former office workers who gave up on constant insomnia, stress, high workloads and decided to take care of their own health.
At some stage, they realized that you can’t buy happiness for any money, so you shouldn’t strive for life all your life. material well-being by refusing to communicate with the family and their own comfort.
Thanks to downshifting, they get the opportunity to reveal their creative potential, self-realization and devote more time to reflection, reasoning about life.
How are downshifters different from other people?
Some people for a long time do not realize that they are downshifters. They continue to sit in offices, but at the same time they may refuse that part of the work that seems meaningless to them, or they are looking for a place in life. 
Downshifters are distinguished by the desire for self-realization, constant thoughts about why they need a career, big earnings, good car and other benefits that make you work hard. They try to join spiritual values and consciously leave work for the sake of striving to live their lives and be happy.
I will not write here formulaic phrases from Wikipedia that downshifting is so-and-so. For what?! You're not interested at all, because it's all banal. I want to present a slightly different perspective on the question.
Downshifting- is the implementation of plans for any relocation from big city to a smaller settlement for the purpose of long-term residence in it. This is when a person or a group of people (for example, a family) moves from their overused, dusty, dirty and smelly city to a village, village, just to a forest or field (by buying a plot or taking it by self-capture). Or moving to a resort place in order to constantly relax and laze around.
Now many migrants can be called downshifters, but everyone has different goals. But some are offended when they are called by this term. For example, downshifters of the first option (see below) may be offended because they do not want to associate themselves with the second option. "We are not like that!" - these settlers mean, and they are completely right. I have identified two main types of downshifting: this is a move for the purpose of a long settled life on one's own land (bought, rented or self-acquisition) and downshifting as a protracted party at some resort. I will write more about this below.
Now let's take a closer look at both of these options:
Creator Downshifting (Peasant Downshifting)
Downshifting is like moving from a city to a village, a village, "to an open field", in order to create your own farm there for yourself and your family, get cattle, grow vegetables, engage in crafts, etc. Raising children in environmentally friendly conditions, eating healthy food that is not poisoned by pesticides, breathing clean air, well, you understand me ... This kind of downshifting is a creative option when a person is not afraid of work and reaches for the earth.
This option also has a beneficial effect on other people, ordinary residents of cities or neighbors in the village, since in the conditions of a peasant farm, as a rule, the peasant tries to sell the surplus of his products, i.e. supply to the markets. This creates a favorable environment for the development of the country's economy, because the country, as a result, will not need to purchase products from abroad, but will have the opportunity to take its own. Yes, the pricing policy causes various disputes, but, with a reasonable approach, compromises can be accepted for both parties. However, those oligarchs who make their profits by importing foreign products (primarily speculative capital), of course, will be against this and will dissuade it in every possible way, arguing that this will only harm the economy, since the product is purchased from abroad for more low price.
Therefore, by moving to the countryside, a person improves his living conditions and creates prerequisites for the development of various industries. It may even create new jobs. I can't find any cons in this.
The family of German Sterligov is the most famous example"creative downshifting"
Russian family of downshifters in Belize
the famous Ukrainian downshifter V. Sergienko "Koshasty"
residents of the ancestral settlement "Creation" under the auspices of the "Ringing Cedars" movement
Downshifting the Idler
It has swallowed up a lot of people. What is this option based on and what does it represent? It is what I already wrote about above, that is, a simple move, most often to resort places in hot countries, in order to hang out there for a long time (ideally, unlimited). However, its ideology is built on the theses of human self-development. The essence of such downshifting is individualism , that is (as almost all adherents of this type of downshifting say) life for oneself, life for oneself, the destruction of the old system of values for the sake of an individualistic new one, in which only my "I" will exist and I will live only for myself.
What value system are both types of downshifters opposed to? Against the imposed system of endless consumption, career and material well-being as the goal in life, against the constant race and fuss for material values and life according to the "law of the jungle". In this, both options are the same. What are the differences? And the differences, in fact, are in the ideological base that the downshifters share. In general, there are only three ideologies that humanity has invented in its entire history: Socialism, Conservatism and Liberalism. If a socialist strives for downshifting, then he tries to create large settlements, revive the village, create big family where everything will be equal and there will be justice.
The conservative also strives for a large settlement or for the creation patriarchal family with traditional values, many children, a large household. But a liberal, when striving for downshifting, does not at all strive to create a large settlement where everyone will be busy working in the field, or any settlement in general, most often does not even want to start a family and have children, since his ideology of individualism, in which his "I" comes first, does not provide for the presence of children, since children will take away from him a lot of time that he could spend on himself, traveling the world, surfing, relaxing in Thailand, Goa, Bali or elsewhere. Life in self-improvement and self-development. You hear? Self-improvement and self-development. That is, focusing only on yourself.
an example of "downshifting a slacker" as a way of burning life
dreams of an office worker about permanent rest and life only "for one's own sake"
And now many representatives of this species, that is, professional loafers, may disagree with me and give an example of some monks, to which I will answer that monks improve themselves, passing through colossal trials in strict asceticism and with great difficulty, effort, while liberal downshifter spends time in Southeast Asia, hanging out and taking pictures of various sights. Is there a difference or not? Or do you want to say that these your attempts to "meditate" for 15 minutes in the morning - this is the asceticism and hard work of a monk (of any denomination)? I am begging you. It's one thing when you do it reluctantly, through force you go to spiritual feat, and another thing is 15 minutes a day, before the resort movement that is expected of you further?
This is nothing but hippie downshifting. Like the whole trend of hippies, this version of downshifting is only purely consumer in nature. What?! - you ask me. Yes, we are just running away from this imposed system of consumption! But consumption is different, it's not necessarily just food or household items. Travel and tourism, for example, as a form of consumption.
Being in exile, such a downshifter, as a rule, receives money by renting out his property, or by working remotely via the Internet. However, a rural resident cannot afford this in all cases due to poor communications and simply a lack of communication on his site, but he can also rent out his property. But here the point is not in this, but in the fact that both of them still need money. Another thing is how they manage them. No, I don't count other people's money, but the attitude itself - after all, we are talking about supposedly refusing to consume.
Since, while living in a resort in a hotel, you do not have the opportunity to start your own household, you are not tied to this land, and, therefore, you are mobile and can leave whenever you want. And if you are not tied to your land and you do not have a farm that can feed you and your family at the very least (and often quite well), then you are forced to constantly spend money to ensure your livelihoods. It’s somehow not economical to start a family and children here, since there won’t be enough money from renting one apartment for everyone, here even without individualism this is understandable. As a result, such a person simply falls out of society and ceases to bring any benefit to him. For the society that brought him up and gave birth to the world, no matter how bad or good it was. Or for some other society in the country in which it is located.
This is exactly the egocentrism and egoism that dictates to him his new ideology, the ideology of liberalism. Moving away from the old values of consumption and material well-being, a person comes to new ones. By the way, people often think that having left the old values, they are freed from imposition and diktat, i.e. they think they are moving away from ideologies, religions and all that. However, this is a deep delusion, because, leaving one, they come to another. "A holy place is never empty". One energy goes from one state to another - remember from physics?
hippie downshifters in Goa, period 60-70s
Now the most interesting, what is the thing that any downshifter, good and bad, creative and wasteful (bestial) is trying to get away from? What is this endless consumption and craving for material well-being? And this is nothing but the same liberalism, only a view from the other side! Liberalism as an ideology in its economic doctrine implies a free market, capitalism, where this very imposition of endless consumption takes place, so that the owner of a corporation can get the maximum profit from the sale of his goods or services.
If a person has money, then he can afford to consume goods and services, and if he does not want to consume certain goods and services, then he will consume other goods and services. Or do you think that the tourism industry does not exist? Remember this, dear friend, the next time you are somewhere near the bar of some resort / tour. places when you are Once again you will consider yourself "free".
Remember and understand that it is impossible to get out of the consumption system in this way, you just switched to another type of consumption, and instead of one race (career and material), you got another - a race to satisfy your idleness, desire to endlessly have fun, have fun, hang out, mess around, play the fool, burn life. What's so bad about enjoying life, you say? Nothing! - I will answer, but it's one thing to enjoy life, and another thing is to enjoy burning this life. What do you mean by "life"? Namely: the same fun, idleness, to which such downshifters devote their lives.
Do not confuse life and burning through this life. After all, what is life? Not just life as a simple biological existence of a mammal, like survival on this planet, but life in a humanitarian sense. Life is an activity, these are actions that a person performs to improve the world around him. This is the activity that is aimed at creating something, and not just burning your energy, your calories, for the sake of acquiring only ordinary emotions. After all, emotions are just the reward of the body for the action taken, but what is the use of the stupid action that this kind of downshifter performs at his resort? Does he improve the world, himself, his children, create something new, invent some kind of mechanism, write a book, examine a leaf of a plant through a microscope, come up with a theory, grow vegetables, build a house, help someone?
No, he's just having fun. It also imitates vigorous activity: surfing on the waves, bungee jumping, lying in a hammock, drinking a cocktail, wandering around the city, pointlessly photographing everything and posting it on social networks, considering himself a "man of art" and a highly spiritual person, gets drunk in the evening in the club, dancing to acid music. Those. the purpose and meaning of life of such a downshifter become positive emotions. After all, what is "the joy of life"? This is emotion. Therefore, if a person puts his main task constant receipt of emotions, and not labor and creation, then he turns from a person into an animal. That's why I called this option "Animal Downshifting", or "Animal Downshifting" (Slacker Downshifting). Well, am I not right? So it turns out that the first type of downshifting is a creative type, Downshifting the Creator and the second is destructive, Downshifting Animal. When a person, instead of striving to discover, conquer and improve the world, reaches for idleness, then he turns from a person into an animal, because this is what distinguishes us from animals - the desire for creative activity. After all, it was not monkeys or cheetahs who invented the same computer with which you are now reading this article, but a person. This means that the desire for creative activity makes us human beings from animals, and a downshifter of such a plan strives to become a beast, strives to turn back from a person into an animal, without noticing it or simply not wanting to notice it.
Only when a person is drawn to work, his activity has a creative character. When he is not afraid of work, be it physical, mental or spiritual work. When he creates something new, gives birth and raises children, helps people, is not afraid of difficulties and difficulties, then he becomes a passionate and positive hero, to whom I am ready to devote articles, and empty pastime under a palm tree, or vice versa, some stupid and stupid "rides "on something that people usually represent as an active activity - all this is an indicator of the meaninglessness and worthlessness of being such a person.
When such a person claims that he "really lives", that he truly enjoys life, then he is mistaken. Yes, one should enjoy life, but only from life, and not from imitation of life. From present activity and not from imitation of this activity. And when your activity bears fruit in direct and figuratively, then only then your existence here is valuable, endowed with meaning and idea.
Values modern generation have long ceased to consist of the usual criteria: work, family, mortgage, apartment. Traveling, new acquaintances and interesting events are becoming more and more popular. The motto of many young people is the call not to put off life for later, but to live for today. Thanks to this attitude, a new movement has recently appeared in Russia - downshifting. You can read about what it is, and what are the pros and cons in the life of downshifters, in this article.
IN Lately we hear more and more about people who deliberately lower their standard of living. What does downshifter mean? The word "downshifting" comes from English, in which this term is literally translated as downshifting or slowing down. In life, this concept is most often used when they want to talk about “life for yourself”, following your own path, even if with a decrease social status. An analogue of downshifting is the movement of simple living or "simplification of life", whose supporters deliberately refuse generally accepted benefits in favor of truly valuable things - family, health, wisdom and lack of fuss.
Downshifting is most common in Europe and the USA. In these countries, there are entire communities that promote their values and help their members achieve their goals. The most powerful Union is located in Australia - there the number of downshifters is 26% of the total population. It is impossible not to notice that the number of people who decide to reconsider their views on money and career directly depends on the level of welfare of the state. The higher the income of the population, the more downshifters appear who oppose the established order.
The history of the phenomenon
How did downshifting come about? This interest Ask, since the term first appeared at the end of the 20th century. The “founders” of downshifting can be considered the generation of the 80s and 90s. The early followers of the movement had a good education, many of them were rich and respected by society. However, over the years of hard work and concentration on material goods, they lost the meaning of life. In an attempt to re-feel the taste of life, they left their luxury apartments, quit a prestigious job and deliberately went to the "lowering" of the standard of living. Inexpensive hostels became their new homes, and the work required much less effort, although it brought in less money. People around you often look at downshifters as mentally ill - how can you give up wealth and everything that you have? But downshifters themselves have an answer to this question - they simply do not want to spend their lives in a meaningless "rat race".
Down-shifting is a very natural reaction to the earlier "yuppie" style. Office work, clear subordination, the main goals in life are career and money. With such an unbalanced approach to life, it is not surprising that many people turned away from this path. The denial of the consumer style of society was manifested not only in individual cases of refusal from the usual way of life. The book "No fuss. How to stop rushing and start living ”Carla Honore conquered the whole world and gained many supporters after her publication. Modern scientists view downshifting as a form of self-destruction and behavioral deviation, but this phenomenon continues to inspire people around the world. What are the fundamental features of downshifting?
Basic principles of downshifters
Downshifting varies from country to country. For example, in Australia it is rather associated with a change of residence. Australians, who have decided to abandon the usual benefits, are changing city apartments to farm ranches. In Britain, downshifting has a clear ecological connotation - its followers move to the countryside and try to use only organic products, abandoning plastic and polyethylene. Russian downshifters leave prestigious jobs and move to developing southern countries. But the “slowdown” of life in all countries is based on general principles and values that each culture interprets in its own way:
- Slowing down the pace of life is achieved through full shift its activities. For example, a top manager can become a salesperson or a freelancer, due to which he will have more free time.
- Rational use of your time. Downshifters refuse to spend their lives pursuing someone else's goals, they prefer to communicate with family and friends.
- Downshifters pay special attention to their leisure. They believe that it must be enjoyable, and they think it over as carefully as possible. They spend their free time on their favorite hobbies, self-development and study, which undoubtedly makes their life much more eventful.
- Rejection of the principles of the consumer society. Abandoning the “work to spend” mindset often removes downshifters from the social pyramid, but at the same time makes them happier and reduces stress from the perpetual mismatch between income and expenses.
The most famous downshifters
Downshifters behave differently in different countries. Russia is a country where the idea that a person is happy if he has a well-paid job and material wealth is still strong. But research shows that income levels do not equal happiness levels. prove it individuals who chose the path of lowering their standard of living. For example, the founder of a commodity exchange in Russia, German Sterligov, who had a huge fortune, left everything in the late 90s and moved to a remote village in the Moscow region with his family. His children do not go to school, but are educated at home. The former businessman runs a household: he breeds poultry, grows vegetables and seems to be quite satisfied with his life.
Another famous Russian downshifter is Ivan Okhlobystin, who, after a successful career and filming in many famous films decided to devote himself to the service of God. In 2001, he took the priesthood and left for Tashkent. However, after 7 years, the actor began acting again, explaining this by the need to support his six children. Whether he will return to his spiritual dignity, time will tell, but Ivan himself does not exclude such a possibility.
Benefits of downshifting
The life of a downshifter may seem beautiful to some, and inspire fear in others. The followers of this movement note many advantages that appeared in their lives after giving up the usual things:
- Reduced stress levels.
- An opportunity to get to know yourself better and start doing exactly what your soul has always been for.
- Health improvement. An unloved job and a tyrant boss have a very bad effect on human health, so the normalization of sleep and all processes in the body improves not only mood, but also a number of biochemical parameters.
- Self-development is a consequence of downshifting, because after leaving an unloved job, people want to find what they really like. Meditation, self-education, the study of one's goals and needs - all this accompanies the transition period, after which global changes take place in a person's life.
Minuses
Why, in spite of all positive traits, in other countries and in Russia there are not so many downshifters? The answer to this is the many downsides that come with this lifestyle.
- Loneliness often becomes a companion of downshifters. Lost contact with old friends common interests and values, so people's environment very often changes completely.
- Non-compliance with the requirements of society leads to exclusion from life. Downshifters do not fit into traditional dogmas, therefore, they often cause indignation and even rejection on the part of conservative people. This, in turn, creates quite a lot of pressure on the person.
- Decreased standard of living. Although many take this step consciously, not everyone likes it. According to statistics, they are satisfied with their financial position only 40% of downshifters remain, the rest suffer from the inability to buy what they want, and financial restrictions.
How to become a downshifter and change your life?
There are several ways to lower the standard of living, and they will depend mainly on the person's past.
- The first group of downshifters are people over 40 who have achieved a lot in their lives and rethought the meaning of the material in it. All their conscious lives they worked hard, thinking that when they start earning well, then they will rest. But over time, there are more obligations, and the rest is pushed back.
- People under 30 who have chosen a job they hate because of circumstances or pressure from their parents, but want to do what they really enjoy.
In all these cases, the scheme is quite simple - a person, knowing that he will soon need to leave workplace with stable salary, usually makes savings, due to which he manages to live the first year. At this time, downshifters are looking for themselves and try in new guises. At the end of this period, a person can open his own business, take up a completely different job, or even stay on temporary part-time jobs.
Where do downshifters live?
A downshifter is a person who has changed his lifestyle, so the place of residence often also changes. For example, Russian downshifters usually leave for GOA or Bali and live there for 7-9 months, renting out their property in Russia during this time. And in Europe, downshifters most often stay in the city, but at the same time they refuse responsible and high-ranking positions. Many people leave countries with a cold climate in search of warmth and eternal summer. But in America and Australia, there are entire villages of downshifters in which they can be alone with nature.
What do psychologists think about this?
The view of psychologists on the concept of downshifting is ambiguous. The fact is that this concept is often invested completely different meanings. Some downshifters run from excessive stress at work, others are prone to burnout syndrome and want to spend more time with their families. Experts note that before you give up everything, you need to weigh the pros and cons. There are light and dark streaks in every career, and it may turn out that your desire is transient. If you are determined to leave your former life, then it’s better to properly prepare for the new stage, and not rush headlong “breaking bad”.
Alternative ways to improve your life
Downshifting is not the only way to improve your life. The most reliable prevention from becoming a downshifter is self-realization and a full, all-round life. You should not dwell on only one area, because money and a career will not bring harmony to life. Creativity, respect for society, a sufficient amount of rest and interesting leisure - this is what can replace downshifting and leave a person "included" in society.
Results
Downshifting can be a way out of protracted dissatisfaction with your life. It's much better than alcohol and drugs. Downshifters are creative people who throw all their strength into rest and recovery, as well as self-realization. But before you run away from reality, think about whether you really want to quit everything?
Downshifter is ... Definition, basic principles and interesting facts on the site.
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