IN Lately Downshifting has become a very popular phenomenon, around which there is a lot of controversy. Who are downshifters? What does downshifting mean in the lives of different people and society as a whole? How did downshifting originate and in what forms does it exist today?
The history of the origins of downshifting
To understand what downshifting is in its modern meaning, it is necessary to remember the forefathers of downshifting, who are rightly considered to be “Generation X”, which appeared in America about 3 decades ago. These were educated intellectual youth who left profitable job, career growth, life in luxury apartments for the sake of a much simpler and modest life. When asked by friends and relatives about their mental health, they quite reasonably and logically explained that they did not want to waste their best years to the way of life imposed by the system and the pursuit of material wealth, as well as the illusion of so-called success.
Famous downshifters
Perhaps the first downshifter, known to the world, became emperor Ancient Rome Diocletian, although he, of course, did not know what downshifting meant in modern understanding this word. During the heyday of his empire, the ruler unexpectedly left the throne and retired to his estate to grow cabbage. Members of the Senate subsequently came to him more than once to persuade him to return to power, but he was quite happy and, despite all the persuasion, never backed down from his decision.
A certain idea of what downshifting is can also be obtained from the example of the life of Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy. He renounced his privileges and princely title, which his origin gave him, and instead of a comfortable metropolitan life preferred to live in the outback countryside.
Definition of downshifting
What helps to understand what downshifting is is the fact that it arose as a natural response to the yuppie lifestyle, in which career, image and social status are most important. A real yuppie often refuses hobbies and hobbies, since in his eyes they are an unaffordable luxury and a waste of time. With great pleasure, he will stay at work for a few extra hours, if this, of course, contributes to his career growth. The needs of such a person grow along with his capabilities, and he becomes hostage to the constant pursuit of them. The desire to break this vicious circle, which for most has become the norm of life, is what downshifting is.
The definition that can be given to a downshifter, in some reference books, sounds something like this: this is a person who consciously refuses to work hard and prefers to live modestly, but at the same time have more free time. The main thing that a downshifter refuses is other people’s desires and goals.
What motivates you to downshift?
Often people choose this lifestyle because, due to the economic crisis, own experience They are convinced that material values are unreliable and deceptive, and wealth and position in society achieved through hard work can disappear in one moment. Others are simply tired of the stress of work and the ever-increasing hectic pace of life. Some rethink life after experiencing a tragedy, for example, loss loved one. There are, of course, many other reasons why a person decides to go beyond existing system values.
Types of downshifting
The meaning of the word downshifting becomes clearer when this concept is literally translated from English. Shifting is switching, and down is down, so downshifting is a kind of philosophy of simplifying life or, in other words, voluntary simplicity. There are two main types of downshifting, depending on the reasons that prompted it. This is the downshifting of the Creator and the downshifting of the Slacker.
If a person or family moves, for example, from a large industrial city to a village with the goal of starting a farm there, doing crafts, gardening, raising children in an ecologically clean environment, in a word - living closer to nature and working on the land, then this is the downshifting of the Creator. A person who chooses this path of life seems to return to his ancient roots; he leaves the bustle of the city, but does not cease to benefit society by reviving agriculture.
But there is a different lifestyle: moving to resort places for a long vacation, as well as the destruction of the old value system for the sake of one in which only one’s own “I” matters. Slacker Downshifting is a movement that is often followed by people who have accumulated a certain amount of capital. They stop working and devote all their time to travel and all kinds of entertainment, such as surfing, skiing or even just relaxing in a hammock. Sometimes even poor people become this kind of downshifter. Moving from major cities and without working anywhere, they live, for example, by renting out their city housing.
What does the downshifter give up?
What these two types of downshifting have in common is that these people abandon the consumer value system, where material prosperity is at the forefront and according to the laws of which the vast majority lives. Sometimes the downshifting movement is compared to the hippie lifestyle, but in fact there are practically no similarities between them. Downshifters have no codes, no hymns, no general preferences in matters appearance and clothes. The most common consumer values are abandoned by the most different people, dissimilar to each other. Some of them do not even suspect that their choice corresponds to the fashionable philosophy of our time. What downshifting is, the definition of this concept and how popular it is are unlikely to concern them. Often they do not oppose the most social system, however, the slogan “faster, higher, stronger,” according to which society lives, is alien to them.
Substitution of values
It is almost impossible to completely leave the consumption system and do without money, and those who actually understand what downshifting is, and not just follow fashion, do not set such goals for themselves. In addition, by abandoning old values, a person inevitably acquires new ones, so it cannot be said that he becomes absolutely free, just that his life guidelines change radically.
Creator or Slacker - who will win?
As for the Slacker downshift, such a selfish life solely for one's own sake does not bring lasting deep satisfaction. Race for material assets a person trades in the pursuit of pleasure and fun, and instead of filling life with real meaning, he simply wastes it. A person may think that he has begun to “really live,” but many psychologists say that this is rather an imitation, rather than life in the full sense of the word.
Much greater satisfaction is brought to a person by useful activity when he develops himself and helps others develop, creates something new and works for something important. Then rest and fun in his life become comparable to seasoning, the use of which in reasonable quantities makes the taste of food more varied and richer. Largely for this reason, Creator downshifting is a life position that seems reasonable to more and more people.
The concept of downshifting is becoming more and more part of our daily lives. And if earlier downshifters were considered people who were far from the realities of life, now there is a trend emerging when quite successful managers and businessmen decide to leave their jobs and go in this direction. This is a good alternative to the "office" lifestyle.
What is downshifting?
Downshifting(English: downshifting, switching a car to a lower gear, as well as slowing down or weakening any process) is a term denoting the human philosophy of “living for oneself,” “giving up other people’s goals.”
If we talk about the literal meaning of the concept “downshifting” (from the English downshifting), then this word means giving up a highly paid prestigious job in favor of a free lifestyle. But in general, it implies a way of life in which a person chooses exactly those activities that he likes at the moment.
And here there can be a lot of options: independent travel around the world (look about), life in rural areas, working as a freelancer, studying some important individual questions, spending time with family or like-minded people, digging in garden beds, writing memoirs, diving or drawing, etc. - in general, any business that evokes joy and delight in the soul of a downshifter.
Advantages of downshifting.
Freedom is considered the main advantage of this lifestyle, and in every sense of the word - freedom in time, freedom in actions and deeds, freedom in desires. It is precisely because of the lack of this very freedom in Everyday life When you can’t stop for a second because you’re afraid that you won’t succeed at something, many people decide to become downshifters.
At some point, a reassessment of values occurs, and a person no longer wants to “live for others” and “who are not interesting to him” - that’s when some individuals say to themselves: “I’ve had enough! I need to live for myself!” But, at the same time, downshifting cannot be called an extreme degree of freedom from any “earthly” obligations. Rather, it is a certain way of life of a person, when everything is done joyfully and voluntarily, regardless of the type of activity: be it independent travel, or work as a teacher in rural school, or creating a beautiful flower bed.
Disadvantages of this lifestyle
Majority downshifters They find only one drawback in their lifestyle - some financial constraints. But when deciding to become a downshifter, they are well aware of what they are missing out on and do not regret it.
People who live by these principles are ready to experience financial difficulties in exchange for the opportunity to be themselves and live exactly the life they want, and not be guided by stocks, the dollar exchange rate, the new policy of the company’s management, the boss’s mood, etc. In addition, any lesson can be organized in such a way as to achieve a minimum of costs: and in independent travel you can hitchhike, and dig the beds with an old shovel, and ask your neighbor for seeds for flowers, and write your memoirs on cheap gray paper.
But as a reward you can get unlimited freedom not only thoughts, but also actions!
Modern life is characterized by high speeds, and a person spins in it like a squirrel in a wheel. Among the people exhausted by the frantic rhythm, those called downshifters began to appear. And since there are more and more of them every day, it is necessary to figure out who the downshifter is.
Who is a downshifter?
In the context of the formation of a consumer society, the desire of some community members to give up everything and find something strange for the majority looks strange. quiet place on this earth, where you can live without fussing and without wasting your nerves, that is, become a downshifter. This is all the more surprising because such thoughts often visit people who have achieved success in life, who become what is called a downshifter - who this is will help you understand social characteristic modern hermit.
As a rule, a downshifter is a person:
- living in a metropolis;
- having higher education;
- aged from 20 to 45 years;
- occupying a good place on career ladder;
- whether he is financially secure or has even amassed a certain amount of capital, so money is not of significant importance to him;
- often the child of rich parents.
Concerning psychological portrait, then the views of a downshifter are the opinion of a person free from the conventions of a civilized society:
- he is tired and irritated by the useless, from his melancholy view, bustle of big cities;
- What comes first is a quiet life without bosses, loans, or subordination;
- doesn't consider making money main goal life;
- feels like the master of his life, in the broad sense of the word;
- confident in promoting health in an environmentally friendly environment using products produced with my own hands;
- claims that life outside the city gives meaning, since the results of one’s work are immediately visible.
Downshifter country - what does it mean?
Even the smallest state can always be found on the map, but there is a country that cannot be found, although it exists. Downshifter country appears differently to its inhabitants, because it is unique to everyone. And you can get there when you want to give up a high position, get away from the hustle and bustle and live for yourself and your children. There you can enjoy the silence and harmony of nature, peace and voluntarily become a downshifter leading a hermit lifestyle.
Downshifting - what is it?
The concept of downshifting appeared in the lexicon relatively recently. IN English language it means the car switches to a lower speed. But there is another meaning, denoting the slowing down of a process. In the case of downshifters, this means giving up the benefits of civilization, financial success, career growth, which leads to a decrease in the level social status. That is, downshifting is a voluntary departure from society for the sake of one’s own peace of mind and personal ideas about happiness outside of society.
Downshifting - reasons
Reasons arousing desire get away from the hustle and bustle modern world, becoming a downshifter - a lot. Not every person can adapt to the frantic pace of life, increasing physical and moral stress, or come to terms with the environmental problems of large cities. Therefore, to find out who a downshifter is, a list of reasons that contribute to the formation of this desire will help:
- deterioration in physical health;
- moving up the career ladder too quickly, for which a person is not always mentally prepared and instead of joy experiences disappointment;
- the desire for harmony, unity with nature;
- search for one's own “I”.
Downshifting - pros and cons
Renunciation of the benefits of civilization and withdrawal into the world of living nature is typical for mature people who are fully aware of the consequences of the step towards becoming a downshifter. Now downshifting has also become a fashionable trend, uniting representatives of the “golden youth”, fed up with a well-fed, carefree life, who perceive it as funny adventure, so many people have a question whether downshifting is good or bad, and it’s worth looking into this. The positive thing about it is that:
- there is a lot of free time;
- the opportunity to communicate with your family increases;
- conditions are created for acquiring additional labor skills;
- health status improves.
But any medal has another side, so it is not surprising that researchers of this social phenomenon note it negative consequences, for which a novice downshifter may not be ready - he will understand what this means when he finds himself in an unusual environment, if the decision is not thoroughly thought out, weighed and analyzed. It entails:
- decrease in social status;
- deterioration of financial situation;
- disappointment from unjustified hopes for a fun pastime.
What do downshifters live on?
If a person decides to leave civilized society, his good intentions must be supported by the realization that in a village in the forest, in a dacha, it is unlikely that he will be able to study commonplace, generating income, and new knowledge and skills will be needed. In this case, it is important to understand who a downshifter is and what he does, so as not to die of hunger and not turn into a banal tramp.
Most people think it can be mastered new profession, which will not allow you to break ties with the world, but can generate income. It could be. Programmers, designers, accountants, copywriters, journalists, photographers and others can work remotely. Those who have an apartment have the opportunity to rent it out and receive money for rent. This is how downshifters often make their living.
How to become a downshifter?
Many people have a desire to connect with nature, to get away from the bustle of big cities, however, not everyone knows what downshifting is, how to start it and what is needed for this. Before you accept important decision and become a downshifter, you need to seriously weigh the pros and cons and understand what the transition to a new state will lead to, especially if the future hermit has a family and children.
Make a decision to change your place of residence, leave big city to a small town or village - that's not all. It is necessary to take into account that changes in life will be felt not only by the downshifter - his family members will also feel what this means, so it does not hurt to hear their opinion and find out whether they will be happy with such changes, whether they are ready to radically change their lives. In addition, you must:
- visit places where you plan to travel;
- find out options for communication “with the mainland”;
- find out sources of food purchases;
- if there are schoolchildren in the family, determine how and where they will receive education.
The most important thing is to evaluate your psychological condition and understand how serious decision become a downshifter. Perhaps it is temporary or the result of a conflict with superiors or loved ones. It is possible that as soon as the “storm” subsides, the opinion about switching to downshifting will disappear by itself. A hasty decision can ruin the fate of a future downshifter.
Downshifting in business
It has been established that the decision to become a downshifter is often made by successful people, among whom the lion's share are businessmen. Many people think that they are, as is commonly believed, “running crazy,” but this is far from the case. Wealthy businessmen, but tired of the race for success, are ready to accept downshifting as a way of life; management, especially top management, makes such decisions more often than others.
Famous downshifters
The history of downshifters has long roots, although the movement itself took shape recently. Vivid examples of downshifting in history and modern times:
The life of modern downshifters is also no secret. Names heard:
1. Downshifter who is this? What is downshifting?
2. When did downshifting appear? Who introduced the concept of downshifting?
3. Ideas and lifestyle of downshifters in different countries.
4. Video. Interviews with downshifters - former successful PR managers, directors, businessmen.
Words downshifter And downshifting come from the word downshifting(English). Word downshifting in English means to change the gear of a car to a lower speed, and in a broad sense it means to slow down the pace of any process.
It's called downshifting a new style a life in which people give up the constant race for a career, material wealth, stop helping others achieve their goals, and begin to live THEIR full life, free up time for themselves, for their loved ones, begin to embody THEIR, and not other people’s, goals and dreams.
Downshifters are adherents of the downshifting lifestyle. According to surveys, more than 30% of people in America, more than 26% in Australia, and more than 15% in Europe have already taken steps in the direction of downshifting.
In Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, these figures are much lower (1-5%) and downshifters are only available in metropolitan cities. The higher the standard of living in a country, the more people think about reconsidering their attitude to earnings and career.
2. When did downshifting appear? Who introduced the concept of downshifting?
Downshifting appeared at the end of the last - beginning of this century. I think its appearance is due to the fact that people tired of the ideal of consumption imposed on them by society: YOU NEED TO FINISH COLLEGE - THEN GET A HIGHLY PAYING JOB - WORK HARD - TO BUY A HOUSE ON CREDIT - TO PAY FOR COLLEGE FOR A CHILD - WHO WILL AGAIN HAVE TO WORK HARD, etc.
And after the crisis broke out and people lost their homes, loans for which they had been paying off for decades, many realized the failure of this model. You work hard, get paid a lot, but you don't even have time to spend it. to spend time with family, to devote time to your dreams and hobbies.
Therefore, people began to look for work that would took less time, albeit with less income. This is how the idea appeared downshifting.
Term downshifting first used it in my article “Living in Low Gear: Downshifting and A New Look for success in the 90s" journalist Sarah Ben Breathna December 31, 1991 in The Washington Post.
3. Ideas and lifestyle of downshifters in different countries.
A downshifter is usually someone who has become disillusioned with the “career race” and realized that a person does not need such a big house as is commonly believed in his circle. And you don’t need such an expensive car.
home the idea of downshifters is the rejection of “other people’s goals” that are imposed by society, rejection of the values of the “consumer society”, rejection of “monetary slavery”, when your the employer actually buys your time = your life.
Another important one the idea of downshifting is to simplify life. The transition to living in harmony with nature, oneself, and loved ones. Thus, the idea of downshifting can manifest itself in searching for the meaning of life, achieving peace of mind, harmony in life.
In this sense The first downshifter can be called the Roman emperor Diocletian(IV century), who, after a serious illness, unexpectedly left the throne, retired to his estate and began growing cabbage. These are his words:
Ah, if you knew what kind of cabbage I grew, you wouldn’t call me back!
The lifestyle of downshifters varies from country to country and downshifting manifests itself in different ways. In Australia, downshifters most often change their place of residence, move closer to nature. In the UK, downshifters pay special attention to the environment, grow organic products, recycle waste, and use alternative energy sources. In Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, downshifting manifests itself in moving to countries where you can live closer to nature - Thailand, India and other eastern countries.
INTERESTING VIDEO about famous successful businessmen, directors, PR managers - downshifters.
They voluntarily gave up successful businesses And successful careers and became downshifters, moving to India, Thailand and other eastern countries. In the video they explain why they did this.
I wish everyone to find exactly the place to live where they can feel like a truly happy person!
You don’t have to go far to find yourself and a job you like!
I myself also consider myself a downshifter, because my family and I left the metropolis to be closer to nature.
Give up a good job, change your city apartment to a bungalow in exotic country or to a house in a remote village... Each of us sometimes has the desire to give up everything and leave. And every year there are more and more people with similar thoughts. In this regard, a specific direction arose - downshifting. And a follower of this trend is called a downshifter. Who is it? A downshifter is a person who has escaped civilization and become a voluntary hermit. Let's take a closer look at the specifics and main points of this lifestyle.
Downshifting - what is it?
This term defines life position, in which a person renounces civilization and lives quietly for himself. That is, he voluntarily renounces generally accepted benefits (career growth, increased material resources, etc.) and lives quietly with his family (or on his own) away from the metropolis.
Of course, this idea cannot be called innovative. It originated in those ancient times when no one knew who a downshifter was. For example, Gautama Buddha left his wealth and went to wander in search of answers to eternal questions. Emperor Diocletian of Rome did the same. Having recovered from a serious illness, he renounced the throne and went to a country estate on the seashore. As no less a shining example you can call the artist Gauguin. For the sake of painting, he abandoned his career as a bank employee. And the first downshifter in Russia was Lev Tolstoy. The count left his estate for a quiet life. It turns out that a downshifter is still not the antonym of a workaholic. Many classify him as a lazy person and a slacker. It's actually very active person doing what he likes and enjoying it.
In the West they started talking about downshifting in the 70s of the last century. It appeared in our country at the beginning of the 21st century. It was then that the first communities and blogs of downshifters were formed on the Internet. Since then, this phenomenon has only gained momentum: according to psychological research, about 5% of people, job seekers, are more inclined to options with a decrease in employment and a decrease in career growth.
Main reasons
Now you know who a downshifter is. Let's find out the reasons why people start leading this lifestyle. Psychologists identify the three most common:
- Deterioration of health.
During a serious illness (especially if there is a possibility of death), a person undergoes a reassessment of values. It dawns on him that there is only one life, and you have to live it the way you want, because every day could be your last.
- Exhaustion of the body.
A rapid climb up the career ladder can lead to great disappointment. A person realizes that he does not get pleasure from work, but sheer stress. This main reason why top managers become downshifters.
- Striving for Harmony.
Escape from civilization can be called an attempt to return to one’s own “I” and spend more time with family. A person gives up his career because he understands that this path will lead him to a dead end.
How to become a downshifter
You don't need to apply this special effort. It's enough to quit your job and start enjoying life, doing what you like. But it's not that simple. Modern downshifter is a former resident of the metropolis, with a higher (sometimes more than one) education, aged from 21 to 45 years. He has already managed to make a career or earn good capital, or he is. Money is not very important to him, but this is only because he has it, and he does not lack it.
35-45 years old - this is the age of many Russian downshifters. In most cases, these are people who managed to organize a business in the 90s or have an inheritance in the form of money or real estate that can be sold or rented out.
The conclusion is obvious: downshifting is not a pleasure for the poor. Of course, you can escape from the benefits of civilization, but you still want to eat every day. So, if you don’t have a solid bank account, you’ll have to work. After leaving, some downshifters get simple jobs. At the same time, they are terribly afraid of losing it and being left without money, and this forces them to spend much more effort and time on work than before. Not everyone can survive such a test. Therefore, many return to their homeland or city.
Scope of distribution
Conclusion
The examples discussed above prove that a downshifter is not always completely free man. Even wealthy and famous people not ready to eliminate everything from life material goods. What then to say about ordinary people who have a loan or have taken out a mortgage on an apartment? In such a situation, if they really want to, they cannot drop everything and leave.
By the way, the world treats downshifters very differently: some are jealous because they decided to turn their lives around 180 degrees, while others consider them failures due to their inability to resist the rhythm modern life. Despite this, you should understand that you cannot solve your own problems by escaping from civilization. Perhaps for some people, downshifting is the only way to find happiness. But sometimes those who have given up their career, work and other benefits lose their purpose in life. Everything that was previously important fades into the background. Only pleasure remains. This may be good, but a life without a goal can hardly be called life.
