Well, hello there, my friends, and welcome back. My name is Stephanie Safarian, and you're listening to Episode 581 of Sustainable Minimalists. This is a listener-supported show about intentional and eco-friendly minimalist living. And on today's show, we're discussing the commercialization of minimalism. Yes, I know. Minimalism means different things to different people,

but I have been in the minimalism sphere for almost a decade now. I can't believe it. And I've

seen some things. Specifically, it seems to me as though there are two forms of minimalism

in practice these days. The first is what I call aesthetic minimalism. It's focused on

the look, the white walls, the neutral linens, hidden storage, you know, nothing on the countertops.

Aesthetic minimalism often requires buying better versions of things you already own in neutral colors. The danger,

of course, with aesthetic minimalism is that it treats living with less as just more options, more

things to buy. And then there's the second form of minimalism. And that's what I call authentic minimalism.

It's not flashy. It's not even necessarily all that cute. It's about wearing and using things

until they're threadbare, until they fall apart. It's not just about buying better or buying less even. It's about getting to a place of

desiring less. That's authentic minimalism. I'll even say it a better way. It's about acquiring

freedom from the desire to acquire. Ooh, that is good, Stephanie. I wish I came up with that

10 years ago. That is good.

Acquiring freedom from the desire to acquire. That's authentic minimalism. It even rhymes.

Amazing. So today we are getting to the bottom of two very specific questions I have had on my

mind for a long time. The first, of course, is,

is the minimalist aesthetic actually driving more shopping? That's question number one.

And question number two is the big one. Has capitalism corrupted minimalism, which of course

is the movement, ironically enough, that's meant to reject commercialism.

My guest today is Malora Johnson. She is the brains behind sustainably styled by Malora,

where she writes and speaks on all things sustainable minimalism. Oh my goodness,

Malora, I am so thrilled to have you on the show.

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