What Is The Definition Of “Simple”?

September 1st, 2008 by Jack Rugile - One Comment - Posted in Miscellaneous, Simple Living

Let’s find out…

The word “simple” is thrown around all the time, but what does it really mean? It is part of the name of this website, so I better be sure that my definition is the same as yours! I looked up the word on Dictionary.com and was blown away by how many different entries there were.

29 definitions listed for “simple”!

Well… that doesn’t sound simple at all. Here are a few of the appropriate ones that really apply to my definition of simple when it comes to this site.

Not complicated.
Not ornate or luxurious.
Easy to understand, deal with, use, etc.
Not complex or compound; single.
Free of deceit or guile; sincere; unconditional.

It is funny how some of the best definitions describe what a word is NOT, not what is IS. With this new knowledge I have come up with my own definition for the word “simple”:

Uncomplicated, undecorated, pure, innocent, and basic.

What does “simple” mean when we apply it to our lives?

I’ve broken my definition of simple living into a few different parts. And yes, they correspond with the categories and things I write about on this site. Go figure!

Uncomplicated – This means that our lives are free of stress, complexities, or things that make living a difficult process. Of course, no one has a perfect life that is entirely free of these things, so our goal is to develop the skills to deal with these complications, not necessarily avoid them entirely.
Undecorated – To me this is all about living frugal. Spending money on what is necessary and not blowing it on false needs. This means buying clothes from a thrift store instead of buying the hottest and trendiest clothes at the mall.
Pure – This applies to living healthy and living in a way that is in balance with nature and the environment. Staying healthy is crucial to living a happy and fulfilling life. I know that other factors can affect our health that we no control over, but we need to take control of the things that we can! And when it comes to the environment, man has had an incredibly negative affect on it. We need to change our ways so that our resources will be sustainable for the future and so that we can keep things diversified.
Innocent – This word pertains to living in a way that is respectful to man. I know that it is stretch when it comes to talking about simple things, but it is important nonetheless. Getting along with our families, friends, and even strangers can be difficult. To create harmony, we really need to put some effort into our relationships.
Basic – This word is similar to uncomplicated, but I am going to take it even farther. Stay organized! Be the master of your domain and don’t be taken by surprise!

To measure whether somone is living simple or not is a difficult thing to determine. There is no measure and no consistency when trying to define somone’s “simplicity” level. It all depends on your circumstances, your location, your culture, how people around you are living, and many other things. My goal is to live as simple as possible and enjoy the journey, not necessarily reach a definite destination.

Your definition was not so simple…

I know, I know. That definition was as far from simple as it could be, I hope I did not lose you! Anyway, I am just trying to clarify what I am talking about when I use the word “simple”. It goes much farther than the literal definition of the word for me. In the end, it is about becoming a better person in general, in all areas of life.

What does the word “simple” mean to you? How do you apply simplicity to your life? Post a comment below and let us know.