Life for most of us is complex and stressful.  Technology is taking over our lives, yet I wouldn’t give it up.  Most of us are neck deep in debt and we worry more about how we can continue to finance our excesses than we do about the quality of our lives.

MSNBC is running a story today about a man in Buffalo, N.Y. who live in a self-made underground bunker.  Don’t let that fool you.  He isn’t homeless or down-on-his-luck.  He is just living a simple life and he enjoys it.

Now like most people when I read this the first thing that came to mind was pity.  I pitied this man for not having all the things in life I take for granted.  Once I watched the video my attitude changed.  I no longer felt pity, but now I was somewhat envious of his simplified life.  His simplicity was a choice he made not a choice made for him because of his socioeconomic status.

After thinking about it for a while I realize that in addition to feeling envious of this man, I was feeling a little angry at him.  It turns out that he is a very brave man following the life that he wants to live in a simply unobtrusive manner.  Meanwhile I realize that his bravery is a spotlight lighting up my, and societies, cowardice.  We complain about complexity and stress but we are to afraid to change our circumstances the way this man has done.