Meaningmalism: de uma revisão crítica a uma proposta concetual do minimalismo no consumo

Abstract

Minimalism is an insurgent movement that has conquered the public eye nowadays. It can be taken as a lifestyle and a philosophy that guides human beings towards intrinsic goals. Minimalism instigates the active search for a simple life, through the elimination of non-essential goods that do not contribute to one's well-being and quality of life, while promoting an intentional and conscious lifestyle, free from restrictions arising from a strong materialistic attachment. Facing the current consumer society, this movement may be characterized by its insertion in a panorama of counterculture movements, which challenge the current paradigm and the narratives of consumerism, promoting social change and innovation. This is still a recent theme in academic literature, lacking a uniform conceptualization and in-depth analysis. As such, this dissertation aims to characterize minimalism as a countercultural movement and its expression in consumption, through: (a) framing minimalism in the social and economic context (consumerism) and within a nomological network (materialism, anti-consumerism, anti-consumption and voluntary simplicity); (b) critical review, characterization and definition of minimalism; (c) assessment according to Doise's (1996) levels of analysis; and, finally, (d) proposal of an integrative conceptual model that guides and articulates a better understanding of minimalism in consumption. From a perspective of analysis of the phenomenon, through Doise's (1996) levels of analysis, theories and concepts that are related to this lifestyle and play a preponderant role in its consideration, adoption and/or practice are gathered and explored. Thus, it is demonstrated how different levels of action can frame this phenomenon and contribute to its understanding, from an intra-individual, inter-individual, positional, and ideological perspective. The conclusions resulting from the literature review are materialized in a proposal of a new conceptual model, the Mindful Minimalist Consumption, which emerges as a response to the need for greater clarity and systematization of minimalism in consumption. This model simultaneously frames the role of anti-consumption and mindful consumption, pointed out in the critical review as determinants of minimalism, and its effect on individual well-being. The proposal contributes to the body of knowledge on the subject, offering a new perspective on the beliefs, attitudes and behaviors underlying minimalist consumption in the context of a hyper-consumption society.