Item 1 in Quaker Testimonies
Simplicity
Resist unnecessary consumption, status and complication so attention can serve what matters.
- Position
- 1
- Form
- Mixed formulation
- Obligation
- Context-dependent
- Wording status
- Translation
- Intended audience
- Quakers, with broader public ethical relevance
- Last reviewed
- 28 June 2026
Names and terminology
Canonical name: Simplicity
Source wording
Resist unnecessary consumption, status and complication so attention can serve what matters.
Broader interpretation
Resist unnecessary consumption, status and complication so attention can serve what matters.
Practical meaning
Resist unnecessary consumption, status and complication so attention can serve what matters.
Ethical purpose
This principle is intended to guide conduct, character and relationships in accordance with the parent framework.
Variations across schools or traditions
Interpretation and application may vary across communities, translations and individual circumstances.
Criticism and difficult cases
This principle should be applied with attention to evidence, consent, equality, power, foreseeable harm and realistic alternatives.
Truth By Reason analysis
Resist unnecessary consumption, status and complication so attention can serve what matters. Its ethical force depends on whether its application reduces avoidable harm and respects equal human dignity.
Ethical themes
Sources
- Quakers in Britain — Our Values Mainstream secondary source