We could meet our needs with nothing but a small shelter, a single set of clothing, and some food. Not many people would choose to live with so little; certainly, some would (and do), but they are the exception rather than the rule. To some degree, our possessions can increase our happiness beyond the point at which they meet our basic needs. Many of us could easily halve our stuff without even noticing a change in our quality of life. I doubt that we’ll ever be reductionist enough to choose to live with nothing but our most basic necessities.