Downshifting: Why People Give Up Business and Careers for a Free and Happy Life

A modern response to capitalism.

Capitalism is actively developing around the world, and millions of people unknowingly support it. But, as is well known, every force has a counterforce, so the downshifting movement emerged as a protest against the constant race for money.

TK Media looked into the main idea of downshifting and why people around the world are giving up business, high salaries and various benefits of civilization for what they consider a happy and free life.

People who count themselves among this trendy movement (downshifters) reject capital, career advancement and other generally accepted criteria of modern success. All of the downshifters' actions and important life decisions are based on their own ideas of happiness and freedom.

The movement emerged at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries in the West, but in recent years it has also reached post-Soviet countries. The essence of downshifting lies in protesting the ideals of consumer society imposed on people. In different countries, the movement may be based on ecology, place of residence, family or simply on enjoying life.

How People Become Downshifters

In the generally accepted understanding, one needs to renounce the goals of consumer society: new and expensive gadgets, clothing and cars, if necessary change one's social circle, place of residence or job, or give up all of this altogether.

As a rule, downshifters start working less or switch to freelancing, earning the minimum necessary to survive. Some of them sell or rent out their own housing and move to places where living is more affordable (there are known cases of downshifters moving from Russia to Thailand, and from capitals and big cities to villages).

In exceptional cases, when successful businessmen decide to become downshifters, they even sell their stake in a company or the entire business in order to be able to stop working for the rest of their lives.

Among the movement's followers there are also claims that work and money have no meaning, since we all will die sooner or later, but some will devote their whole lives to work and the "race," while others devote theirs to pleasure and happiness.

What Downshifting Is Criticized For

Because of its controversial principles, which radically contradict the foundations of modern society, downshifting is actively criticized. Followers are convinced that marketers are the active critics of their movement.

There are also remarks that downshifting is a path to the degradation of society. Indeed, if all people decided to live for their own pleasure, this would affect the development of technology (space exploration), medicine (the search for a cure for cancer and other deadly diseases) and demographics (humanity would begin to have far fewer children).

In response to such criticism, downshifters argue that a person is given only one opportunity (life), and that it is up to them alone to decide how to spend it: on themselves, on loved ones, on space exploration, on searching for a cure for cancer, or on anything else.

Thus, downshifting has no clear boundaries and does not forbid its followers from doing anything. The movement merely emphasizes that modern society should not follow propaganda, and that a person should above all be happy.