What would happen if we created a culture in which we gave away whatever was more than enough for us?
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In More or Less, Jeff Shinabarger calls readers to create their own social experiments to answer the question, “What is enough?”
It all started with one idea: What would happen if we created a culture in which we gave away whatever was more than enough for us? How would our habits change if we shed the excess of money, clutter, and food in our lives?
In More or Less, readers will learn how to draw a line of “enough” in their consumer choices, how to see generosity as a chance to experience freedom in a greedy world, and how to make small changes now that will help others forever. As Shinabarger reminds them, defining “enough” is more than a responsibility—it is an opportunity to give hope.
Jeff Shinabarger is a social entrepreneur, experience designer, cofounder of the Q event, and creative director at Catalyst. He is also the founder of GiftCardGiver.com and Plywood People, an innovative community addressing social needs through creative services. He and his family live in East Atlanta Village.
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I wanted to launch a full-fledged assault on greed, throw off my old self and find a new way to live. I wanted to be free from always wanting, I wanted to be changed. And so, for 365 days I resolved to buy nothing new. Instead, I gave. I gave away excess income and I gave my heart to God.
For 365 days, I shopped at second hand stores only. I borrowed and shared. I fixed things that broke and focused more on people than products.
It wasn’t long before I adopted this new lifestyle. About 6 months in, my perspective began to change. Something in me changed. And, at the end of 365 days, I didn’t buy anything new.
After reading More or Less I worked with my younger brother and sister and hosted a garage sale in our community.
We were able to clean out so much unnecessary stuff that we owned and raised over $2,000 for orphanage work in Kenya. Ben and Rebecca are going to Kenya this summer to see what other creative projects they can do to meet this orphanages' social needs
I have been an avid book lover for many years, but during my last move I realized that I had turned my love into a hoarding problem that required no less than 15 boxes to hold. That is when I decided it was time to break my book over-collecting habit. The easier to part with books I either donated, took to a local resale shop, or put up for trade at PaperBackSwap.com. But then there were the books that I had enjoyed, maybe even had a life story or memory attached to, that I couldn’t just give to anybody. So instead I gave them to my friends. I went through each book and specifically chose a friend I thought would most enjoy that book, wrote them a note about what the book meant to me, and then asked them to pass it along to another friend when they were done. And suddenly I was so happy to see my library shrink since it meant that the books I cared about were now being read by the people I cared about.
A friend and I ran a bookstore where we sold all books and products at wholesale or below - solely for the purpose of blessing people with great resources. We were curious to see how the community would respond and whether anyone would donate (we did not push donations).
Interestingly, those we were trying to help the most, the poor, were the most grateful and generous. Wealthy shoppers generally hoarded deals meant to put resources in everyone's hands without giving to the mission. Whereas, we often noticed broke college students buying a music album for $7 and freely donating $5.
I learned much about the dangers of excess in the human heart, including my own.
Recently my work has been hosting craft fairs. Since I like to crochet I decided to make a bunch of hats with all the leftover yarn that I had accumulated over the years. You would be surprised at how many cute hats you can make with scraps. However, I was unable to sell the bulk of my harvest.
At first, I thought I could just save the hats until next year's sale, but then my church announced that they would be hosting a drive for winter garments to supply to local families in need. Every once in a while I can spot one of my hats in a crowd. I am very thankful that they all found good homes to go to.
