I don't think it is much of a stretch—Baubata praised that particular mansion as an example of a minimalist home. He has since recanted his views (in these comments, but not on that blog post).

I don't know about "most cases," but I do think there is a common confusion between minimalist aesthetics and minimalist ethics, or even just aesthetics and ethics in general.

Baubata said in these comments that he changed his mind about minimalism and big fancy homes are now out in his value system. I have to assume that is true. Yet I haven't seen him taking any strong ethical stands in his writing. Why not? If minimalism is about our collective environmental destruction and not simply a lifestyle choice, why not speak up more strongly? Ethics themselves are being reduced to aesthetics when "my ethics" cannot intrude on yours.

this may be a little off-topic, but i believe consumerism is driven by neurotic, compulsive behaviour, and it's that that is the real issue, and not its outer manifestation. in most cases becoming a 'minimalist' is just some neat outer 'rebranding' or 'lifestyle choice', and that unless you really make an internal change, you'll just continue to behave in a compulsive and neurotic manner. possibly by becoming a blogger or otherwise trying to enforce your ideas on others, but the options are endless i suppose.

on balance though i think your interpretation of a picture in an old blog post was a HUGE stretch, as Leo never mentioned buying a large mansion. inasmuch as minimalism involves a search for deeper meaning in one's life, i really think it's a positive development. just try to look past the stuff (or absence of stuff) because this should not be the sole focus.
My recent post darchand- trying to limit checking twitter and email to twice a day i think any more is bordering on OCD

If everyone took to heard what he wrote, we would have a nation of people vying to live in "minimalist" 5000 sq ft homes. I don't think the overwhelming majority of the middle class can afford this. Read: http://www.good.is/post/americans-are-horribly-mi…

The structure of the economy and the relative price of computers and communications technology means that people who ARE struggling to finance modest lives are also reading this stuff on their laptops.

And the message they get is "look now, you could be so much happier if you did this, and not this this and that. PS, 5000 sq feet is about the comfortable yet modest sized home you should look for"

I will put forward that I suspect more than a few New Minimalists or Technomads of being quite sincere, but unaware of the cultural history. For instance, here in Vancouver, attempts are ongoing to gentrify the DTES (Downtown Eastside, also known as the 'demilitarized zone' and legendary for being the poorest neighborhood in Canada, and some parts of the USA). This consists of not addressing the actual problems, and throwing in a few expensive loft spaces, which the relatively rich move in to. They then complain about the smell, and the noise, and mix with the local area not very well, which, of course, causes a lot of friction and resentment.

As well, in the past, both recent and fairly deep, the bourgeois have, on the rare occasions they felt guilty about their affluence, have attempted various 'movements' to find meaning, to connect with the 'noble' lower classes. Traditionally, this has not gone well with the so-called noble lower classes. Whether well meaning, pure of heart, or otherwise, said upper class types reveal their breeding, their cultural bias, their ignorance, the moment they issue a collective statement. And are usually unaware of why they seem to be offending many.

Communication, a certain amount of experience, are about the only things that might help a divide like this. I'd recommend that New Minimalists try and talk to people not of their station. I've had to learn simple lessons of communication, through long experience, and they work. It's totally cool to brag, but not when one has done little to deserve the bragging. And, as many people have pointed out, the presence, or lack of, material things will in no way whatsoever, lead to inner peace. Or even a nice philosophical frame of mind. Last little thing: it might behoove those of different castes, like me, to also find a frame of mind, an approach that connects, and blogs will never replace face to face.

That said, glad you enjoyed the article. I have no solution to all of the world's problems either, but hope that by participating in the discussion I can contribute in some small way.

The problem for me, is any vegan who chooses to get in my face with what I should do – keeping in mind that I'm free to ignore anyone whom I don't agree with. Same as you are, Leo – I tend to abide by 'practice what you preach, and if you must preach, try to do so softly." I admit the last bit is a bit hard to specify…Hey, I'd even be happy with "I was in debt, I got myself out of debt, and hey, I turned it into a business." I dunno, maybe selling the philosophy is a way of selling the biz.

On a practical level, I am aghast at some basic issues i see, with how people are going about it. One fella eats out every night, and doesn't see how that's rampant consumerism, and also, has nothing in the way of survival gear for when things get rough. Another couple travelling with a six month old, their first, I believe, apparently unaware of what that child is going to be like, as soon as he's able to articulate decently, and move around. I see a lot of people making this lifestyle choice much in the same way one sees some greenhorn out in the wilderness, going all Walden back to nature, and clueless. One couple, living on a farm (of their rich mom) who claim they never bathe, and committing an act of utter stupidity-their well was upslope from their home. You never put a well upslope from where you live. That can contaminate the water supply.

So I am somewhat angered, mostly amused, and kind of concerned. Just my couple bucks. Inflation, you know.