“Life for Rent” That’s the title of a a recent article on co-living, a new form of shared rental housing that includes amenities like changing the sheets and towels, house cleaning and even topping off the toiletries. In addition, these rentals include social mangers to help plan tenants’ social calendars–finding “creative ways to get them engaged in shared activities.” (1)
Young people readily gravitate to these new living arrangements. As one tenant put it, “Life in general can be a bit of a headache . . . . [Here] everything is done for you, which is convenient.”
Certainly there’s something to be said for efforts to create more community, something that’s ever more elusive in our disconnected and anonymous culture.
But in the rush to rid ourselves of the myriad details of life,
are we leaving life itself behind?
Outsourcing Our Lives The rise of “housing-with-all-details-covered” is really no surprise. It’s but an extension of several decades of “outsourcing” our lives.
You could say the “life-outsourcing” trend began with food. Clear back in the 50s and 60s, we were being hounded to give up that old-fashioned, unhygienic and time-wasting thing called cooking. Since then, all manner of outsourcing possibilities have arisen, from frozen to fast foods, restaurants of all types and varieties, personal chefs and, most recently, meal delivery services.
All these “convenience” options are meant to reduce or rid our lives of involvement in feeding ourselves, knowing where our food comes from, its nutritive values (or lack thereof), the seasonal nature of foods–and what flavors, textures and cuisines we do or don’t like.
The time-saving convenience trend has now continued far beyond food to include house cleaners, errand runners, lawn mowers, landscapers, dog walkers, Christmas light installers and decorators, vacation planners, party planners, and personal shoppers for groceries, clothes and even gifts, among many others.
Where Are We Headed? Outsourcing large chunks of our lives is now so common we barely think about it. Everyone’s doing it, right? But that’s exactly why it should be questioned and examined.
I began questioning when I first learned about gift-buying services. Really? Delegate to somebody else one of the most intimate and soulful acts in our lives? “Why don’t you just hire someone to live your life for you?” I joked.
And then along comes an article titled “Life for Rent.” Surely it’s time to consider where we’re going with this outsourcing trend.
- Exactly what is the gift of time meant for if not to care for our basic human needs?
- What is left to do when you no longer participate in the fundamental activities of your own existence?
- As for all the time we (supposedly) free up, does it just give us more time to work, trundle kids to more activities, go out for drinks more often, engage in more social media, watch more TV?
- And whatever we’re doing, is it an adequate replacement for the small pieces of life that engage you in living, i.e., feeding, clothing, loving and sheltering yourself and those in your care?
As the young tenant above said, “Life in general can be a bit of a headache . . . . [Here] everything is done for you, which is convenient.”
I wonder, however, if we have too much convenience and not enough rootedness in the real stuff of life, which can leave our lives feeling empty?
Food As Your Way Home If you’re ready for more of that rootedness, food is a way home. Far from being yet another of life’s inconvenient headaches, making our own food can be mercifully grounding.
- Instead of inanimate keyboards and touch screens, you handle real, living fruits and vegetables (yes, they are still alive, even after they’re picked!)
- You see the real, gorgeous colors of whole foods instead of the fake colors on a computer screen or the blur of passing traffic or the insides of buildings.
- You get to use your hands to create something tangible.
- And when you taste the solid, unadulterated textures and flavors of real foods, you connect with an intelligence way bigger than yours, that knows exactly how to nurture and keep you well.
Autumn is such a good time to reconnect with food, as the harvest peaks and then comes to a close. And talk about rootedness–is there anything like Autumn’s root vegetables to do the trick?! On that note, be sure to check out this month’s recipe for miso soup using the daikon radish root.
What do you think? Should we be wary of too much convenience in life? Or am I crazy and outsourcing is the best thing ever? Leave a comment below and let’s start a discussion!
And please note that this discussion is only meant to offer perspective, not criticize anyone who happens to provide or use personal services. After all, everyone’s doing it, right?! Also, no worries if this post doesn’t lead to immediate changes in your life. Just tuck these ideas in the back of your brain and start noticing if they have relevance as your daily life unfolds–and as you race from here to there with all the time freed up by outsourcing : ) !
(1) “Life for Rent” Christopher Mims, The Wall Street Journal, September 29-30, 2018, p. B4.