Greetings, Tribe. I hope the C&C Challenge is going well. The comments have been absolutely hysterically funny, making me think that abstaining from Complaining and Criticizing has been just as daunting a task for others as it has been for me.
Good. Misery loves company.
Seriously, it’s been a huge benefit to me to adopt silence over negative comments. I’m sure I’ve fallen short a couple of times, but overall, I’m meeting the challenge head on, with moderate success.
I recently had a few conversations–two in person, one on Skype–in which the correlation between attending boarding school and being more or less a ‘minimalist’ was discussed. All three people with whom I spoke thought that their experience in boarding school made them less attached to material possessions, more sensitive to clutter, and more oblivious to creature comforts (or any comfort at all, in one case.)
Of course, wearing a uniform for 4 years or more could lead to a certain detachment with regards to clothing: a certain ‘functionality quotient’ sets in, programming the student to simply dress in clothes that are functional or appropriate for the occasion, and nothing more.
The limited space of a shared dorm room could also strip the mind of any attraction to surplus material things that are not necessary to daily work or living. Also, the communal setting could limit the practicality of possessing things of any value, as those things could disappear through theft or be damaged by classmates.
Finally, living for an extended period of time in a structured environment that relentlessly pushes education and accomplishment over decoration and display would iron out almost any inclination toward conspicuous consumption…or even personal preference.
Peer pressure would also be a factor: if no one else has anything of value in their living space, why attract unwanted attention by standing out as a freshman and invite trouble? What’s the point in having material things that aren’t necessary in daily living?
Two of the three boarding school alums that I spoke with were adamant that their experience at boarding school fully contributed to their apathy regarding material things they exhibited now as adults. Not that they didn’t appreciate nice things; they just didn’t get the sense of fulfillment that many people get from nice furniture, clothes, or cars.
One of them thought that their might be a correlation, but wasn’t willing to commit to the boarding school connection as it related to his disinterest in material things. (He thinks that his aversion to creature comforts was a reaction to a gilded childhood raised in a luxurious NYC apartment full of Sotheby’s auction-quality sofas, armchairs, rugs, and art.)
All of them dress Old Money Style/preppy basics without fanfare and barely with any interest at all. Their living environments are spartan. Furnishings run from a notch above Ikea to frumpy hand-me-downs from ancestors. Closets are half full. Kitchens border on empty. The only items taking up an inordinate amount of space are books.
The institutional imprint appears obvious, as does the benefit: the preoccupation with superfluous material possessions is absent. One less distraction in life. The expense often associated ownership was absent. More economical. (Only one of the three people I spoke with owned a car. One lived in a pedestrian city. The third borrowed his parents car or used Uber when required. “I can’t be bothered,” was his comment.)
Finally, the idea of peer pressure relating to the possession of things is nonexistent. The concept of status abstract. The idea of keeping up with the Joneses comical.
All in all, not a bad by-product of a boarding school education.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, especially if you’ve attended boarding school, or know someone who has.
Is my mini-survey representative of the experience? Or just a one-off?
- BGT