Simplicity Is the Ultimate Sophistication

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 Simplicity Is the Ultimate Sophistication.

  Relevant Quotes

• Simple living ,high thinking-Mahatma Gandhi
• “Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated”- Confucius
• “Truth is ever to be found in simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things”- Isaac Newton
• “Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depends on simpilicity “, said Plato.

Introduction – Points to think

• Simplicity is a great virtue which one can observe in life. We are rightly advised by the wise elders to believe in simple living and high thinking. Simplicity is a quality that makes something easy to grasp or do. Sophistication on the other hand shows civilized nature, elegance, and/or a refined outlook towards life and things.
• Simplicity as a quality can apply to thought, appearance, and lifestyle as well. Great men are always simple men. Most of the leaders lead a simple life and achieved a lot with their simplicity. Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Buddha represent the quintessential personas of simplicity. They dressed simply; spoke simply, ate simply and lived simply. Living selflessly, they devoted their services to help others.

Temporal Elaboration: Points to think

• We can give examples of Simplicity of M.K Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Swami Vivekananda, Mahabuddha etc.

Various Arguments to Establish that Simplicity is Ultimate Sophistication : Points to think

• Simple life always give peace of mind to us. A person who is leading the simple life don’t have worries about money, jewels and other material things, s/he is trying his maximum to help others and get happiness and enjoyment with his/her service. While living a simple life we don’t spend more money and save excess money for our future. Simple life will give peace of mind and we can get satisfaction with our things.
• Simplicity in thoughts helps in getting clear ideas across to people. Complex thoughts may also be perceived as sheer arrogance on the part of the speaker/thinker if there is no attempt to simplify them for the audience. Most celebrated thinkers and writers present their thoughts simply yet elegantly. Gandhi’s philosophy towards life and his writings are very simple, yet most profound.
• Simplicity in appearance exudes sophistication instead of vulgar display of money. Simple appearance is a way to connect to more people on a human level, as simple appearance can translate to approachability. Simple appearance shows a refined attitude towards life rather than obsession over clothes, jewellery, vehicles, etc. For instance, Mark Zuckerberg has similar clothes in his wardrobe to avoid distraction and spend more time on the important things in life. This attitude demonstrates sophistication.
• Simplicity in lifestyle is another way to connect with other people on human, humble grounds rather than have a luxurious life cut off from worldly realities. Simple lifestyle shows civilized attitude, as it addresses environmental concerns and sensitivity towards use of resources. Abdul Kalam lived life simply and left Rashtrapati Bhawan with merely two suitcases at the end of his term as President. His life and lessons are a height of sophistication.
• In an age ruled by hype and glitter, a simply dressed man or woman with a touch of taste determine sartorial elegance rather than those overdressed in expensive clothes. An elaborate wedding is a vulgar display of wealth where as a simpler event talks of taste. A single flower in a vase has more grace than a large bouquet, if only we can see it! Simplicity of manner is an example of sophistication where you treat everyone with an even hand. Reserving all niceness for those who matter and treating others dismissively is not sophistication. Politeness that is reduced to obsequiousness embarrases one.
• The most effective speech is also the shortest. Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg speech, known for it’s eloquence and precision, is all of 300 words. Paring down sentences and sentiments yields better results. Brevity, after all, is the soul of wit.
• Even in the matter of food, elaborate meals tire the tongue and the taste buds while fewer dishes deliciously turned out and beautifully dressed are something  to savour even in memory.
• When we see architecture with clean straight lines, without the trappings of complicated design, the simplicity of the effect is uplifting. The architecture should be seen as neat and functional. Elegance is achieved when the superfluous is discarded and construction takes place with free flowing spaces and interiors in harmony with environment.
• Homes untroubled by excess furniture and uncluttered by artifacts with clear spaces and surfaces suggest a minimalism and a freedom and openness that can be refreshing. It is not in the multiplicity and confusion of things that beauty is achieved. Perhaps, a plant in a corner can bring in the sense of outdoors.
• In fact, simple can be more difficult than complex, as only an uncluttered mind can think clearly. Therefore, reducing the complex to simple is a measure of creativity. Making things simple and less complicated is the creativity. Simple living is easy living; we consume less and have no tension of money and material things. We have noticed that the life of a child is full of happiness he has no tension no worries because his desires are limited and he finds his happiness in simplicity.
• If we take examples from our everyday life, we realize that even when it comes to emotions, simple words work like magic over exaggerated and elaborated essays.

Present World Scenario: Points to think

• The irony of our current time is that we live in a complex world, replete with computers, phones and machines, which are all supposed to simplify our lives. But our lives are not simpler because of them. For example, 20 years ago a person while travelling carried a book, headphones and a small music player. But now, carries iPhone, a small iPad with an assortment of e-books, a MacBook, and two sets of headphones – both cord and Bluetooth. Do we really need all these items to travel ?Of course, Not. This tendency just reflects an inability to simplify my life, despite technology’s attempt to do so.
• As humans, we gravitate towards complexity. The sunset sky with multiple colors appears more stunning than a simpler, monochromatic blue sky. A laptop with multiple features seems more attractive than a mere typewriter. We hear that beauty is found in simplicity, but what does it mean to be simple? Simplicity is not the opposite of complexity. Many things in nature are complex. The human machinery is complex in design, yet all the parts are necessary for its function. So when we describe the opposite of simplicity, we mean anything that is unnecessary or additional, created by human desire.
• In these modern days, Simplicity is actually not easy to achieve because the natural instinct for most people is to want to do more. It is hard to see a person who is living a simple life; most of us are interested in living a luxuries and extravagant life. In fact some people will do anything and everything to make money, but they will face a lot of issues and lost their peace due to this kind of activities.

Conclusive Remarks

• Purity of heart, mental simplicity and inner sensitivity can become the ultimate tools on our journey. Fundamentally, simplicity indicates a mental state, which is then projected onto the material aspects of life. When Gandhi passed away, he possessed fewer than ten objects, and he did not own a house. Gandhi grew up in a prosperous family but did not miss the material trappings, as he was a man of non-possession. Siddhartha Gautama, who later became the Buddha, also shunned the material trappings of a king to pursue a simple and spiritual life. But we do not need to live such a minimalist life to be simple. We also do not need to be unambitious in a worldly sense to be simple. For example, Gandhi himself studied law in England and was an educated man, and Siddharta Gautama was a prince and quite protected within the confines of the palace and its comforts.
• A simple person knows what really matters and what doesn’t because they are usually of a higher intelligence than most people. A simple person does not need the validation that comes from buying friends and accolades with gifts. A simple man does not feel the need to flaunt his wealth in order to gain respect or attract attention from the ladies. His charisma, class and manners speak for him instead. The simple life is a peaceful one. To the world simplicity may be boring, but to the “initiated”, the simple life is the good life.