There are at least 2 ways to interpret this question:
Does minimalism ever present itself without being artificially made up?
Does minimalism present itself anywhere in nature?
The quick answer to both of these questions is yes. To justify this answer, I will explain the principle of minimalism. I will also show you how minimalism affects performance and efficiency. I will then show some real-world applications of minimalism, even if by other names. These will show why minimalism is natural.
What is the principle behind minimalism?
Minimalism is often defined as Focusing on what you value by removing what you don’t. There are many other ways to word it, but they all describe the same principle. The principle is to get rid of whatever is useless. Even if you don’t call it minimalism, that will not change what it is.
Minimalism is based on the understanding that all material possessions demand resources. So a useless possession is wasting the resources spent on it. By getting rid of this useless possession, you stop this waste. Also, if you avoid getting this useless possession in the first place, that’s even better. Whatever the case, excluding useless things, should never cause a problem. If it did, then whatever you excluded wasn’t useless.
This is how minimalism affects efficiency.
Efficiency is the ability to save resources while fulfilling a function. Resources can be anything of value including time, space, or money. One of the surest ways to save resources is to not waste them on useless things. Also, excluding useless things should never degrade the function. This makes it the safest way to improve efficiency. Also, if you are trying to get the best efficiency, then you should save resources by all means available. This process must include keeping out useless things. It is clear that minimalism has a place here even if it is by another name.
This is how minimalism affects performance.
Performance is the ability to get things done with the available resources. In this case, you shouldn’t waste your resources on useless stuff. Instead, you should use the resources to add to the performance. As you can see, performance and efficiency are very closely related. So excluding useless things will improve performance very much like it improves efficiency.
Use it or lose it
This old adage describes how our bodies and minds adapt to our environment. Unused limbs atrophy, while unused skills get forgotten. It sounds as if our bodies and minds get rid of whatever is useless. And that is exactly what is happening. This process stops the body from wasting resources on useless stuff. This is how minimalism works, and it applies to plants and other animals as well. Also, the adage “Use it or lose it” sums up the principle of minimalism. It is like saying “Make it useful or get rid of it”. Nature itself functions as a minimalist.
Minimalism in Sports
Imagine an Olympic cyclist competing on a bicycle loaded down with useless stuff. If the thought seems absurd, that’s because it is. The useless stuff will add dead weight that will reduce the athlete’s chances of winning. It’s the same reason why a sprinter wouldn’t wear a 50 lb backpack in a race. In high-performance sports, there is no room for useless stuff. So it gets removed. Although this is a clear example of minimalism, the people may not call it that. Instead, they might call it “common sense”.
Minimalism in Engineering
You will not see many if any useless components on an aircraft design. The same goes for a formula racer or a rocket. That is because useless components will add unnecessary cost and complication. Also, these components will give nothing of value. In fact, any design that demands performance or efficiency will exclude useless components. This is a natural part of any good design process. But engineers might not call it minimalism which it is. Instead, they might call it “good design”.
Minimalism in your life
It is clear that minimalism is useful for improving performance or efficiency. In fact, it can improve performance and efficiency in any process or system. That is if the system or process uses resources. Your life is one such process where minimalism can improve performance and efficiency. Here are some ways that minimalism saves resources in living your life:
Your home will have more available space because minimalism saves space.
Your home will be easier to keep tidy because minimalism saves effort.
You will have more money available because minimalism saves money.
You will have more time because minimalism saves time.
An easier and simpler life is what a more efficient life looks like. In this case, efficiency saved space, effort, money, and time. This easier and simpler life frees up more resources to pursue your life’s purpose. That includes doing the things that you are passionate about. By doing these things, you are improving your life’s performance. So, minimalism can improve the efficiency and performance of any process or system. This includes your life.
In summary, the principle behind minimalism is to exclude whatever is useless. It is based on the understanding that useless things waste resources. Also, getting rid of useless things is the surest and safest way to improve efficiency. This improved efficiency frees up resources that are useful to improve performance.
Removing useless parts is a natural part of biological adaptation. It is also useful in engineering and sports. In fact, minimalism can save resources in any process or system that uses resources. This makes it a natural way to improve performance and efficiency. In fact, anything that demands top performance or efficiency must include minimalism. This is true even if you choose another name for it.