"Where I Lived and What I Lived For" from Walden By Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau is one of the most well-known figures of transcendentalism. Although he may not have lived quite as alone in the wilderness as he may have led us to think, his values and thoughts about civilization and nature have impacted us the same either way. This chapter from his book, Walden, explains his rationale behind retreating to the woods and abandoning society. He opens with, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." Thoreau believes that the only way to truly live is in unity with nature because only then can you see what really matters in life. Thoreau is also a huge advocate of simplification, telling the reader to simplify every aspect of their lives several times throughout the passage. Of course the most obvious way to uncomplicate your life is by living in solitude in the natural world. To wrap up, Thoreau states, "We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us", meaning that the technology of society controls us and shields us from noticing the beauty of the untouched aspects of the world. In conclusion, he preaches that society pales in comparison to the genuineness of wild.
Thoreau makes a very convincing argument of how nature offers much more than society ever could, even as it is developing new technologies and attractions. The part of the chapter about simplification is what I find to be the most relatable aspect of this argument. In modern America we seem to be drowning in materialism and this habit of always needing to buy more is in no way beneficial to us. Our things control us and limit us to a lifestyle of want. But, if someone were to leave civilization in return for the wild, they would be freed from the weight of materialism always on their shoulders when they walked about as a member of society. "Our life is frittered away by detail", Thoreau says and that couldn't be more accurate. We are concerned with unimportant, minuscule matters like following the latest trends and having the newest fads. These things distract us from, "sucking out all the marrow of life", and leave us unaccomplished in the end. Thoreau urges us to simplify these distractions and live purposefully by letting the pureness of nature influence and teach you in ways that society never could.
Thoreau's claim about our lives being wasted on irrelevant details is tested by Annie Dillard in her essay, "Living Like Weasels". She explores the possibility of leading the simple life of an animal where there are no details, just life or death.
Thoreau makes a very convincing argument of how nature offers much more than society ever could, even as it is developing new technologies and attractions. The part of the chapter about simplification is what I find to be the most relatable aspect of this argument. In modern America we seem to be drowning in materialism and this habit of always needing to buy more is in no way beneficial to us. Our things control us and limit us to a lifestyle of want. But, if someone were to leave civilization in return for the wild, they would be freed from the weight of materialism always on their shoulders when they walked about as a member of society. "Our life is frittered away by detail", Thoreau says and that couldn't be more accurate. We are concerned with unimportant, minuscule matters like following the latest trends and having the newest fads. These things distract us from, "sucking out all the marrow of life", and leave us unaccomplished in the end. Thoreau urges us to simplify these distractions and live purposefully by letting the pureness of nature influence and teach you in ways that society never could.
Thoreau's claim about our lives being wasted on irrelevant details is tested by Annie Dillard in her essay, "Living Like Weasels". She explores the possibility of leading the simple life of an animal where there are no details, just life or death.