Is Less More?

I recently came across an article discussing the tiny houses made by the Tumbleweed House Company. The author was suggesting that these built-to-order small structures, ranging from 50 to 500 sq. ft., as a way to create large amounts of housing for the house-less areas of New Orleans. The houses are built in a workshop and then can be shipped just about anywhere. Cool idea, I thought - something that resembles a real house, is relatively inexpensive, and is much more dignified and structurally sound than a trailer.

However, part of my brain seized upon the idea for a different purpose - I've always had this wild dream of living somewhere in a simple fashion. Why not just buy a custom, pre-fab house for $50k and put it on a place where you really wanted to live? True, I'm not going to afford a lot next to Grand Teton National Park like this one (much as I'd like to), but there are lots of places to go.

The concept is so refreshingly different from the consumerism monoculture of the Dallas suburbs it's intoxicating. I lived in 600 sq. ft. apartments for years and didn't use most of the space then. So, why not just do this and figure a way to work remotely and part time, which is what I want to do anyway?

Phil writes about hanging up the mantle of the "wage slave" and going into early retirement. The most appealing part of it for me isn't fact that my health would improve from the reduction in stress (I might reach 40!), but is that it would force me to create an identity that does not revolve around work.

Perhaps this is a good homework assignment.