LIFESTYLE is a term used to refer to a certain type of social movement occurring in the 20th century that was centered on a concept of individualism. LIFESTYLE began in Vienna, where some members traveled to neighboring countries in an effort to reduce differences between themselves and accept one another. These members formed what came to be called the Leningrad Group, which spanned many nationalities and cultures.
LIFESTYLE is an essential part of Weber’s “inerationalist” movement which has its roots in earlier cultural theories. Weber viewed universal human rights and a common life as a feature of traditional lifestyles. The belief was that traditional lifestyles were inherently unsustainable because they left behind a poor state of communal living. Weber claimed that in order to solve this problem, a cohesive grouping of people could be formed around a common social concern. The goal of the L IFESTYLE was to form this cohesive grouping around a concrete idea of lifestyle, which would unite all of the other smaller cultural interests into something bigger and better.
In his book, The Case of Miss R, Alfred Adler defined the word LIFESTYLE as: “the sum total of all the habits, opinions, thoughts, ideas, values, and social standards of a man in his relations with other people”. LIFESTYLE, according to Adler, is more than just a single word. It was his contention that LIFESTYLE was not just about individualistic values, but rather that it was all of the values of the L IFESTYLE group. It is an idea that has resonated through the ages, touched upon by many great philosophers including Leo Tolstoy and Milton. In addition, the concept of LIFESTYLE spread throughout European culture, especially in the works of Michel de Montaigne’s Ulysses.
In his work, Adler portrayed LIFESTYLE as a unique synthesis of various “life-styles” into a single, all encompassing, panacea called LIFESTYLE. Adler claims that the idea of LIFESTYLE is nothing new, but that the sudden burst of interest in it during the last decade or so is unprecedented. In fact, in recent years there has been a trend in Western society to distance itself from established lifestyles. Adler claims that this separation, or rather, reduction of traditional lifestyles, is unnatural, and stems largely from the easy availability of consumer goods and the social expectations that accompany these goods. The writer does not imply that all this is a bad thing, but suggests that a healthy lifestyle requires a certain amount of flexibility, and that those who lead unhealthy lives are less able to adapt to changes.
As is usually the case with advertisements, the truth is somewhere in between. Yes, LIFESTYLE IS A SUGAR Lifestyle! Adler stresses the importance of being realistic about what a healthy lifestyle entails, but he also makes a valuable point about adopting healthy lifestyle changes habits. LIFESTYLE IS NOT A Lifestyle! Adler says that a healthy lifestyle is one in which you can lose weight, control cholesterol levels, get regular exercise, eat right, avoid alcohol, reduce stress, get some sleep, have moderate social occasions, enjoy moderate amounts of stress, and have moderate social interactions.
If you want to lose weight, reduce cholesterol, control blood pressure, or improve your memory, a healthy lifestyle might be exactly what you need. LIFESTYLE IS NOT A Lifestyle! On the other hand, if you’re looking for an excuse not to do something about your health, a lack of motivation isn’t going to help you. In the end, it probably will!