Henry David Thoreau, one of my favorite authors, once declared, “My greatest skill has been to want little.” I’ve always taken this quote to heart and have endeavored to live a life of simplicity. Now, in recent times, I think that simplicity has become even more important.

When you have a look at our country, devastated with debt, you can see how the concept of simplicity and living within your means has become a completely forgotten idea. On a countrywide level, the idea of simplicity has been substituted by large amounts of bureaucracy and spending miles past our means. On a personal level, it’s difficult to find even one person in a hundred that’s not in debt.

That’s why I’ve been doing my best to actively pursue the concept of simplicity. Be the change you want to see in the world, as Ghandi once said. Our present system can’t sustain itself. Till simplicity is actively pursued and practiced on a national and personal level, we’ll just keep stacking up more debt until ultimately we come to a breaking point.

This just about happened recently. As a country, we very nearly defaulted on our huge national debt. Only a fragile budget deal kept everything afloat. But the problem is only being put off for a later day. Nothing has actually gotten solved. So we’ll continue on as we’ve been until the next big crisis reveals itself.

To rescue ourselves from the load of debt and over-extension, a fundamental change in ideology must occur. People have to begin thinking about simplicity as a personal and countrywide way of life. Most of the things we have we do not really need. And the present systems in place are ineffectual, too big, and wasteful. The general public needs to start considering making some major basic changes to how we think about money and what we believe we deserve. Only then can the base of the issue actually ever be handled.

Article written by Ben Mester, an author who loves talking about the economical and social atmosphere of the modern age, to analyze what things can be done better. If you have enjoyed this article on simplicity and social responsibility, check out his other work on Bible verses about helping the poor and Bible verses about humility.