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1、Hereisastoryoftwopeoplewhoserebellionagainstthetrendofthemodernworldwentalltheway.AsLindaWeltnerreports,SaraandMichaeldecidedthattheworldwastoomuchwiththem,andthattheycouldlivemuchhappierliveswithoutthemythsofconsumerismandthethrownawaymentality.Onewondersjusthowmanyofuscouldmake
2、suchadrasticchangeinourlifestyle.StrippingDowntoBareHappinessLindaWeltner1)"Whatwe'retalkingaboutissimplification,notdeprivation,"explainsSara,afriendofmine."Itisn'tthatyoucan'tdoallthethingsyoulike,butyouchange.Youdon'tlikethemanymore.Someoftheoldhabitsseemsowastefulandunsatisfy
3、ingthatyoureallyloseyourtasteforthem.Soyoustillhaveeverythingyouwant–onlyonlessmoney."2)WhenIfirstmetthem,SaraandMichaelwereatwo-careercouplewithahomeoftheirown,andalargeboatboughtwithalargeloan.Theybegantotakeaninterestintheconceptof"voluntarysimplicity"withthebirthoftheirdaught
4、erwhomtheywantedtoraiseallbythemselves.Neitheroneofthem,itturnedout,waswillingtorestrictwhattheyconsideredtheir"reallife"intothebrieftimebeforeworkandthetiredhoursafterward.3)"Alotofpeoplethinkthatastheyhavechildrenandthingsgetmoreexpensive,theonlyansweristoworkharderinordertoear
5、nmoremoney.It'snottheonlyanswer,"insistsMichael.4)Thecouple'sdecisionwastotradetwofull-timecareersfortwohalf-timecareers,andtocurtailconsumption.Theydecidedtospendtheirmoneyonlyonthingsthatcontributedtotheirmajorgoal,theconstructionofaworldwherefamilyandfriendship,workandplay,wer
6、eallofapiece,aworld,moreover,whichdidnotmakewastefuluseoftheearth'sresources.5)Today,theyliveinthesamesuburbancommunityinahandsome,energy-efficienthometheydesignedthemselves.Smallbymoststandards,itiseasytoclean,furnish,maintainandheat.Thefirstfloor,onelargeroom,hasakitchenareaalo
7、ngonewall,abirchtableandchairsfordining,alivingareadefinedbyacomfortablecouchandawoodstove,andacornerworkarea.Upstairsistheirbedroom,anofficethatservesthemboth,andabathroom.Itisbrightandlightandinharmonywithitssurroundings.Soontherewillbeasolargreenhouseoutsidethefrontdoor.1)Howc
8、anacouplewithtwopart-timefreelancejobsaf
