Community and Connectivity: Examining the Motives Underlying the Adoption of a Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity

Miller, Suzanne; Gregan-Paxton, Jennifer

Community and Connectivity: Examining the Motives Underlying the Adoption of a Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity

Community and Connectivity: Examining the Motives Underlying the

Adoption of a Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity

Suzanne Miller

University of Delaware

Jennifer Gregan-Paxton

Univerisity of Delaware

Interest has been growing in alternative consumption lifestyles, as researchers attempt to understand those who choose to lessen their participation in America’s “commodity culture.” Of particular interest is a group of “anti-consumers” known as voluntary simplifiers. This paper, using in-depth interviews, sheds light on the motives and unifying values underlying the choice of this lifestyle. Although exhibiting tremendous variance in their implementation of simplicity, respondents’ motives revealed a common theme of community, both local and global. In addition, a more general factor, the desire for connectivity with people and the planet, emerged as a unifying criterion for decisions regarding whether and to what extent to participate in the consumer marketplace.

Citation:

Suzanne Miller and Jennifer Gregan-Paxton (2006) ,"Community and Connectivity: Examining the Motives Underlying the Adoption of a Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity ", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 33, eds. Connie Pechmann and Linda Price, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 289-290.

Authors

Suzanne Miller, University of Delaware
Jennifer Gregan-Paxton, University of Delaware

Volume

NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 33 | 2006

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