National Simplicity Day, the birth anniversary of the man who influenced Gandhi and Martin Luther King

• National Simplicity Day honours Henry David on his birth anniversary.
  
• Civil Disobedience by Henry David influenced prominent figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Leo Tolstoy, and Martin Luther King Jr.
  
• The theme for 2022 is ‘Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities.

National Simplicity Day is celebrated every year on July 12 to honour American philosopher and writer Henry David Thoreau and his initiative toward simplicity.
"As you simplify your life, the universe's rules will become simpler," Thoreau had said to celebrate the unadorned standard of living with little or no tribulations. Apart from being a philosopher, he was also a naturalist, abolitionist, historian and transcendentalist writer.

History and significance

Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817, in Concord, Massachusetts, USA. Through his notable essay on civil disobedience, the author influenced prominent figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Leo Tolstoy, and Martin Luther King Jr.
The special day arose from the desire to be free of worldly things that cause stress in our daily lives. It highlights the importance of breaking free from the shackles of the modern world and learning how to live life to the fullest without spending time in the virtual world.
Worldwide, people spend most of their time on social media, mobile phones, and other forms of technology. The National Simplicity day can help to break the technology chain and help live ordinarily.

The theme for 2022

This year, the National Simplicity Day theme is ‘Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities’. The theme suggests that people should spend a bare minimum scrutinizing the world's current situation with the rising inflation rate and crisis. People should spend their money on necessities rather than engage in frivolous purchases.
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