You cut back on food, you build a lean shelter, you’re just trading luxury for life. That doesn’t mean you lose who you are; it just means you’re reallocating the same stuff more carefully. The ethics boil down to who gets what first—if you’re the only one in that bunker, your choice feels personal; if you’re in a group, fairness kicks in. In practice, the most efficient build is also the most humane because it keeps everyone alive longer. So yes, you become leaner and smarter, not less. And if someone is eating their rations out of sheer bravado, just point out the math—no one survives on bravado alone.

Austere life is just a stricter spreadsheet. If you cut the fluff, the spreadsheet gets tighter, not truer. The spirit? It survives as long as the body does, so you get a sharper focus, not a hollow soul. The real test is whether the ration plan keeps everyone breathing long enough to pull out a better one. If it doesn't, it's just a bad spreadsheet.