Urban Monk, aka Secular Ascetic Options

Just got my copy of Adbusters end of year edition, and they 3 top identities of 2006. This one caught my eye...

Urban Monk, aka Secular Ascetic.

Not to be confused with the hedonistic urban hippy, urban monsk thrive on the underrated pleasures of self-denial. Taking a cue from the Stoics, Puritans, Sadhus, Spartans and Jains, this eminently sustainable though largely secular creature excels at saying no: no to the accumulation of wealth, no to conveniences, no to cars, no to television, no to meat. Possibly owns a laptop, but harbors deep-seated guilt about that fact. Thrills at issuing personal challenges like 100-mil, raw, vegan, calerie-restricted diets. Some adherents even dabble in the mortification of the flesh, renouncing hot water and room temperature above 15C. They do, however, tend to draw the line at sewing thorns into their underwear.

This seems to describe me quite well (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

I'm not interested in making lots of money.
I stopped watching TV a year ago.
I drive a Smart car.
I own an iBook (but have no guilt about it).
I am giving up meat for 2006.
My room is heated to 17C.

Any other Urban Monks out there?

-all of this is a natural process (imho) -or there is some strange bug going around (IMG:style_emoticons/default/7.gif)

It could be that we have reached a stage where more and more people are beginning to realise that the acquisition of material possessions does not bring the happiness promised in the TV adverts.

The things you own end up owning you. What pleasure in that fast sports car when you are stuck in traffic jams all day and then worry about someone stealing it as soon as you park it somewhere. The realisation that women do not throw themselves at you just because you started using Brand X aftershave.

It may also be a shift in the economic balance of the globe. In the west the average person on an average wage cannot hope to keep up with the latest computer, home gadgets, clothing etc. Once you realise the futility of it you open your mind to the alternative, the path of the Urban Monk. In the east the economic growth means people are able to acquire lots of new toys and they are abandoning the older spiritual ways.