Downshifting is ... Downshifting - what is it? Downshifting in Russia

To refuse good work, to change a city apartment to a bungalow in an exotic country or to a house in a remote village ... Each of us sometimes has a desire to give up everything and leave. And every year people with these thoughts become bigger and bigger. In this connection, a specific direction arose - downshifting. A devotee of this trend is called Downshifter. Who is it? Downshifter is a person who escaped from civilization and became a voluntary hermit. Let's take a closer look at the specifics and main points of this lifestyle.

Downshifting - what is it?

This term defines a vital position in which a person renounces civilization and lives for himself. That is, it voluntarily renounces the generally accepted benefits (career growth, increase of material resources, etc.) and quietly lives with the family (or independently) away from the metropolis.

Of course, this idea can not be called innovative. It originated back in those ancient times, when no one knew who the downshifter was. For example, Gautam Buddha left his wealth and went to wander in search of answers to eternal questions. So did the Emperor Diocletian from Rome. After recovering from a serious illness, he refused the throne and went to the country estate on the beach. As an equally striking example, you can call the artist Gauguin. For the sake of painting, he abandoned the career of a bank employee. And the first downshifter in Russia was Lev Tolstoy. The count left his estate for a quiet life. It turns out that downshifter - it's still not an antonym workaholic. Many classify him as a lazy bum. It is not true. In fact, this is a very active person, doing what he likes, and enjoying it.

In the West, downshifting began to be talked about in the 1970s. In our country, it appeared in the early 21st century. It was then that the first communities and blogs of downshifters were formed on the Internet. Since then, this phenomenon is only gaining momentum: according to psychological research, about 5% of people looking for work, more inclined to options with reduced employment and reduced career growth.

Main reasons

Now you know who the downshifter is. Let's find out the reasons why people start to lead a similar way of life. Psychologists distinguish three most common:

1. Deterioration of health .
   
   During a serious illness (especially if there is a possibility of a lethal outcome) a person has a reassessment of values. It comes to him that life is only one, and it must be lived as you want, because every day can be the last.
   
   
2. Exhaustion of the body.
   
   A rapid rise in the career ladder can lead to great disappointment. A person realizes that he receives from work not pleasure, but continuous stresses. This is the main reason why top managers become downshifters.
   
   
3. The desire for harmony .
   
   Escape from civilization can be called an attempt to return to your own "I" and spend more time with your family. A person refuses a career, because he understands that this way will lead him into a dead end.

How to become a Downshift

For this, no special effort is required. It's enough to quit your job and start enjoying life, doing what you like. But not everything is so simple. The modern downshifter is a former inhabitant of a megalopolis, with a higher education (sometimes not one), at the age of 21 to 45 years. He has already managed to make a career or earn good money, well, or is a child of wealthy parents. Money for him is not very important, but it's only because they have it, and he does not lack them.

35-45 years old - this is the age of many Russian downshifters. In most cases, these are people who managed to organize a business in the 90's or have an inheritance in the form of money or real estate that can be sold or surrendered.

The conclusion is obvious: Downshifting is not a pleasure for the poor. Of course, you can escape from the benefits of civilization, but you want to eat every day. So in the absence of a solid account in the bank will have to work. After leaving, some downshifters get a job. At the same time, they are terribly afraid of losing it and remain without money, which forces them to spend much more time and effort on their work than before. Not everyone will survive such a test. Therefore, many return to their homeland or city.

Scale of distribution

The higher the standard of living in the country (average and higher), the more people rethink their attitude to income level, earnings and career. Therefore, Downshifting gained the greatest popularity in Australia and the USA. According to recent research, 26% of Australians and more than 30% of Americans have already taken the first steps in this direction. In Europe, these figures are half the size. Downshifting in Russia has only 4-5% of adherents. Such a low percentage is due to the fact that the standard of living Russians are not too high.

Danger to society

Of course, for society they do not pose any danger. But, perhaps, everything is not so good for the companies from which they are going to leave. There are two points here. First, the company usually leaves a good one, and maybe even one of the best employees. Even worse, if it's a top manager. Secondly, there is a risk that a lover of freedom will infect his ideas with 2-3 employees, and they will follow his example.

Famous Russian Downshifters

• Amalia Mordvinova . She left the movie and left with three children on Goa, where she enjoys a warm climate and life. Completely devoted herself to raising children.
  
  
• Herman Sterligov . He was considered one of the first Russian oligarchs. In 2004 he sold his business, the house on Rublevka and went with his family to the village. He teaches his children at home and is engaged in agriculture. He often visits Moscow and continues to build financial pyramids.
  
  
• Peter Mamonov . In 1995, this famous musician and actor left Moscow for the village of Efanovo. Nevertheless, he continues to actively give concerts and withdraw.

Conclusion

The examples discussed above prove that the downshifter is not always a completely free person. Even well-to-do and well-known people are not ready to exclude all material wealth from life. What, then, to talk about ordinary people who have a loan or have taken an apartment in a mortgage? In this situation, if they really want, they can not give up everything and leave.

By the way, the world is very differently related to downshifters: someone is jealous because they decided to turn their lives 180 degrees, and some people consider them losers because of the inability to resist the rhythm of modern life. Despite this, one should understand - one can not solve his own problems by escaping from civilization. Perhaps for some people downshifting is the only way to find happiness. But sometimes those who abandoned their careers, jobs and other benefits, lose the goal in life. Everything that used to be important goes back to the background. There are only pleasures. Maybe it's good, but life without purpose can hardly be called life.