Lifestyles

What is a LIFESTYLE? A brief definition: “Aylesence is the collective identity of a specific cultural minority.” According to sociologist William H. Driver in his book, The Necessary Other, the word “ylesence” originated from “ylesai”, a Persian word for embroidery. From this source, the synonym “ylesanto” is derived, referring to the practice of keeping embroidery on clothes.

Lifestyle is an individual’s attitudes, interests, behaviors, and social orientations. The word was introduced by Austrian anthropologist Alfred Adler in his famous book, The Case of Miss R. The meaning of the term has changed over time, with reference to today’s definitions, but the essence remains the same: “a person’s overall basic personality as established at early childhood.” The Lifestyle of rural people has changed significantly over time as compared to other types of Lifestyle, but some basic characteristics remain common. One important factor that rural dwellers have in common is that they are generally more active than city dwellers; this being one of the reasons that Lifestyle was able to survive and even thrive in this type of environment.

People’s activities during the leisure time can vary widely depending on their own interests, but there are still certain general activities that almost all Lifestyles share. These include hobbies and interests such as reading, walking, gardening, sewing, riding, swimming, playing games, watching television, listening to music, exercising, socializing, etc. Some Lifestyles may also incorporate a spiritual element as well. All of these activities can be done alone as well as in groups or in a family, depending on the particular situation.

In a Lifestyle that is lived in a rural community, many times the entire family unit tends to get together for certain events. These could be related to particular hobbies, activities, church attendance, or even parties. A family that has developed a special routine and enjoys it may wish to continue it.

As mentioned before, Lifestyles tend to be very individualistic. This is another reason why Lifestyles are able to endure and even thrive in the face of changes in society. In cities, people tend to want to conform to the general way things are done. This causes an erosion of individualism and causes people to feel uncomfortable about themselves. For instance, many people in cities will not use communal showers or bathrooms. They would rather use personal restrooms, close to their homes.

Lifestyles tend to be highly dependent upon the individual. Everyone’s needs are different and therefore, the way that Lifestyles function is also different. What works for one person may not work for another. It will almost always depend upon the individual whether or not he or she feels comfortable doing it. Lifestyles may change from time to time but they do not seem to go away.