Less is More. Maybe.

Love etc. is the opening track from the Pet Shop Boys 2009 album Yes! It is an interesting song. The lyrics list many top-end aspirational items: gulfstream jets, Beverley Hills property and on and on. Relentless and reeled off like a shopping list. The hypnotic refrain: you need more, you need more, you need more, you need …. love.

The title Love etc. makes love feel like an item on a shopping list: toothpaste, anchovies, love, etc. The song aims to flip this and make love the priority. Neil Tennant’s vocals are so smooth they risk an ironic backflip. One starts to think about popping that Gerhard Richter on the wall … and taking a limo to that white tie ball:

The lyrics describe a world obsessed with wealth, luxury, and success. People chasing status - houses, cars, clothes, fame and of course love etc. This is really calling out the well known fallacy of expecting one’s credit card to make one happy:

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Too much of anything is never enough
Too much of everything is never enough
Love etc. The Pet Shop Boys

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Ocean Penthouse Minimalism
One has noticed that some people have flipped. They have decided to become a minimalist. Minimalism is now quite well known as a lifestyle choice. A belief in simplicity, that less really is more. Let go of your excess possessions. Focus on what matters. Free your mind. Maybe.

My good friend went through a minimalism phase. He had no kettle, because his saucepan could boil water for his tea. His penthouse flat was uncluttered and calming, overlooking the ocean. I spent many happy evenings discussing the minimalist life listening to the sea before returning to my haystack flat.

Minimalism in art is all about extreme simplicity. Why not enjoy the painted wall in your warehouse? Do you really need to spend that $40m on your Richter? Will it help you achieve love etc.?

JOMO
Minimalism focuses on removing the unnecessary. In Japan they appreciate the beauty of empty space and stillness. The idea is that these simple calm spaces help induce calm minds. My minimalist friend says he even has JOMO: the joy of missing out. The joy of not doing or buying what is being promoted.

Joshua Becker and Andrew Hyde are minimalist heavyweights. Joshua chants own less, live more. Andrew made a splash by flexing that he was living with only 15 items. Bit of a Who’s the Daddy move? But also showing the way for his disciples.

In the film My Dinner with Andre there is a scene where Wally, the protagonist, describes his new electric blanket. New York winters are cold and life is tough. Wally is grateful for the comfort. In response Andre unleashes a rant against comfort which is provocative and thought provoking. Wally defends himself. Who’s side are you on?

Spark Love etc.
As ever, there is a balance point. This will vary by personality. It all comes back to our modern prophet, Marie Kondo. Live with people and things that spark Joy. Joy as a proxy for love etc.

I saw the Pet Shop Boys at Sandringham Palace on 14 August. They often play opera houses, castles and palaces. They have been creating hypnotic mood music for us for over 40 years. West End Girls was released in 1984. Here is Love etc. Performed at The Royal Opera House in July 2018.

Follow The Rabbit. Choose Life.

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