Life Without Convenience

 Author Heidi Grant Halvorson reports in The Huffington Post that humans are prone to make genuine arguments and promises in hypothetical and purely logical situations. However, she also reports that certain people tend to fail to follow through when faced with the opportunity to act on their word. Therefore, while I hope to make a logical and balanced argument today, I concede that I am not a sound judge of my future human behavior and decision making should I face losing my modern conveniences in reality as opposed to hypothesis.

That said, if I had to provide an umbrella of my own logic, I would sacrifice the six conveniences provided in this order:

1. Automobile
2. Washing Machine
3. Refrigerator
4. Radio & Television
5. Telephone
6. Bathroom

My first choice, the automobile, was the simplest. I am not a driver. In addition, I do not travel such great distances on land in my daily life that requires this mode of transportation. While I believe in carpooling, I do not need this particular practice to reach my destinations. I have a healthy set of legs, feet and toes with sufficient tennis shoes for element protection, so I may walk. There is also a multitude of public transportation selections available to the common man in the developed world. On top of that, these selections appear ever changing with the release of Uber and the addition of bullet trains. Cars do seem like the faster operation, but I do not feel my lifestyle necessitates this particular convenience for the time being.

Second, I choose life without a washing machine. I cannot deny that this household appliance, including its dryer counterpart, save me much time and worry. I am the type that will realize that I have not done sufficient laundry and do small loads to get through a week. I would lose an appliance I am greatly dependent on. That doesn't mean I'd suffer in any significant way. In fact, this made second on the list because I believe this loss could eventually become a benefit. I already acknowledge that I have too many clothes. Losing a washing machine would certainly mean I'd at first become overwhelmed by dirty laundry, potentially prompting me to consolidate my wardrobe. Once I'd performed that task, I could then become more responsible in managing my clothes maintenance than I am now, whether I hand washed the garments or walked to the nearby Laundromat. Though challenging, the benefits for me outweigh those initial speed bumps.

Third, my refrigerator would have to go. The storage space is a total mess anyway and contains foods I do not need or do not eat. Losing what I store there would not hinder me either. After thinking it through, I realize that fresh fruits and vegetables do have shelf life out of the refrigerator. Regarding meat, I am a vegetarian, so that item is not a concern. Most of what I buy tends to come in boxes and cans as well, so I would still be able to eat those things with ease. When considering a solution to milk and eggs, I found quick solutions as well. Farm-fresh eggs from a henhouse, I learned from my cousin who raises chickens, do not need refrigeration to keep. To have milk, I would have to adjust to powdered milk and find a product that would properly supplement the nutrients of liquid dairy. Flavor and temperature are minor factors in this convenience, of course, so they should be abandoned without much reservation.

Radio and television came as my fourth decision due to my lack of appreciation for modern music and my opinion that my TV hinders my actions more than it does help them. My parents raised me on their type of music. Since I grew up surrounded by music old enough to find on vinyl, the modern music stream never particularly caught me. Television, on the other hand, is something that catches me too much. Sometimes I get home from school so tired that I'll merely click on the TV because that's what's least energy stealing in the moment. Then, I am caught up in it and forget self control until my energy drained, due to lazing around the house too long. If I had no TV, I feel I'd have more energy and motivation driven towards what stimulates the mind without sapping personal resolve.

Next, I'd give up my telephone, which is my cell phone. The immediate arguments that enter my head start with that I need it for communication. Frankly, when considered, I lived with a similar schedule to what I have now with more requirements and unpredictability until I got a cell phone just two years ago, when I turned fifteen. I have email, and my family has always had a house phone just in case. I can communicate without a pocket-sized mobile device if needed. After this, I think about how often I pull it out at school to do assignments, take pictures or do research. This brought about the realization that, with the combination of the Mac laptops and my IPad, I have no use for an additional outlet for work. In fact, my phone alone nearly renders the other devices unnecessary, meaning they likely render this particular convenience the same.

Finally, I would give up the bathroom. Hygiene in my life is not only a comfort to myself but one of the first things people use to judge a person's character. If I go into a job interview, I'd rather be the person who doesn't have a cell phone number or an opinion on the most recent episode of the most popular show than the one who doesn't receive a career because they're odorous. I do realize that I have a backyard with plenty of grass and a hose. Although the lack of privacy combined with the buildup of filth and stink that a bathroom carries down the drain is livable, it is not healthy or representative of the person I'd like to be. Squatting and stinking should be left for camping trips, not everyday life.

As my last choice represents, I am prone to human decisions and influence despite my word, as Halvorson argued. Still, though I am probably more addicted to convenience than I realize, orienting my health as a human first should help increase my follow through if I should have to give one or all of the six up one day.