In recent months I have been battling with my own purpose in life, what I really want to get out of it, and how no matter what I do I never feel good enough because everyone else always seems to have it better. So to find this documentary about a group of 21st-century normal people who go live the Amish ways was right up my street and really helped me realise what is most important in my life.

The Simpler Life follows 24 ordinary people who are part of the world that is being consumed by technology, social media and the never ending want of success and notoriety. They swap their 21st-century lives for living with the Amish on a farm in Devon where they have to grow their own food, tend to the animals, wear Amish clothes to be part of the community and not show off in any way. They also have a budget of £2000 for the whole three months that they can use but only sparingly.

Throughout the show we see the different personalities dealing with the sudden change from people who can’t get on board with the rationing of their food and doing hard labour to others who relish in the opportunity. It’s brilliant to look at in terms of what we do as normal human beings and how much of our time is consumed by social media or the Internet and how we are missing out on our basic fundamentals which is fresh air, community, and striving towards something that doesn’t just better you, but betters the people around you as well.

Watching this documentary it really opened my eyes thinking that what we think is the norm isn’t always and what we have created the world to be like today isn’t always a good reflection of what it should be. Especially within my life, I’ve been taking steps back from social media so that I still post my own memories and things that I want to discuss and talk about but I don’t allow other people’s opinions and thoughts close my own judgement and values. It’s really helped me realise what is important and what I really want to get out of my life and make those steps towards it.

The one thing that annoyed me about this show, and I get why it happened because it is what happens with anyone that goes on shows like this, is for sometime after participating some of the people that took part would take a step back from social media because they realise they don’t need it, but once they see the Internet clout they get from being on TV they want to feel it and add into it so they can have their 15 minutes of fame. I’m not saying that’s bad, I’m just saying it’s a shame that what they learnt on the show is so easily diminished by their want for attention and notoriety whether that be good or bad, and it’s also interesting how people will comment on this show online, much like I am doing now, when the whole point of it was to step back from social media and make life more simple.

I loved this show as it put so much of my own life into perspective and really made me question what I’m doing and where I want to be. I would love one day to have my own allotment where I can be more self-sufficient and grow my own vegetables, get eggs from local people in my community so I know that those chickens are being cared for and loved as pets and not just a moneymaking system, and also spend less time on my phone and on social media and more time in nature exploring new places and just making the most of every moment. Yes you can get stuck in your 9-to-5 working life and then spend your evening scrolling endlessly for a smidge of entertainment that rarely comes, when really I believe there’s more to life than that. Yes you need to make money but the time outside of work is yours to do with as you wish and personally for me, I want to make the most of it.

What do you think of The Simpler Life?

Until next time.

Published by shonaharding

Media graduate with a passion for reviewing film and TV. View all posts by shonaharding