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Could Thoreau's idea of a simplistic life work in today's society?
Results so far:
| Yes | 66% | 264 votes | Total: 401 votes | |
| No | 34% | 137 votes |
Yes
by Kristopher Oppegaard
Created on: April 27, 2010 Last Updated: April 28, 2010
The global economy is weak, as we all know. A major cause of this crisis, especially in America, is the detriment caused by living beyond one's means. People spend money with credit cards, loans, etc. before they actually have the money or even know for sure how much they will have. This problem presents a very simple solution: live according to what you need and what you have. As Thoreau said, "As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness." Not only would Thoreau's model of a simplistic life work now, but it would thrive.
The tenets of one's needs, in Thoreau's opinion, break down to Food. He redefines Food as necessary Warmth, which he says is gotten through food, shelter, and clothing. Imagine how simple and carefree one's life could be when worrying only about the bare essentials. Food and clothing are generally of the least concern of a modern family, who struggles to pay their satellite TV bill after they just purchased a brand-new computer. That is because they are easily gotten. They are necessary to life and can be found very cheaply. The biggest concern in living a simplistic life, according to Thoreau, is shelter.
Thoreau bought several acres of land from a very poor family very cheaply. He built his own home, no permit required, and did not have to worry about electricity or water bills. Obviously, there are a few realities in modern society that would make this a bit more complicated. While Thoreau built a house for what was equivalent to a year's rent for a college student, maybe we would have to settle for an equivalence to two years of rent or mortgage payments, which is obviously much cheaper than buying a house off of the realty market. It may be a bit more complicated to attain these needs in modern society, but not by much. And with these three needs met, there isn't much else to worry about.
The only real difference between Thoreau's society and modern society that would cause any trouble is income. Thoreau made his income through farming and selling crops he grew on his land at Walden Pond. Farming is not exactly the easiest profession to enter into in our society, especially not when you are the one overseeing it all. As a result of big business farming, independent farmers are left to comprise the organic crop market at best, sometimes making their income solely from sales at the local Farmer's Market or even on the side of a highway. Farming could certainly be pursued as a means of income, but it may not be the most reliable option in modern society. Instead, one would have to find something more stable, preferably something that would not require them to stray far from home. Perhaps Helium.com would make a fine monetary supplement to Thoreau's Life in the Woods.
Henry David Thoreau developed the revolutionary idea, based on other philosophies, of living simply in his modern society. One may doubt that his ideas can work in our society, but keep in mind that all Thoreau did was take Zen Buddhist principles of old and apply them to HIS modern society. Obviously, Thoreau's actual practice of a simple life cannot work as effectively in our society, but his idea of a simplistic life can be very easily accomplished. In fact, it would be much simpler than the life most people are currently living. Simplicity is the name of the game after all.
Learn more about this author, Kristopher Oppegaard.
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No
by Lenna Gonya
Created on: February 17, 2010
Thoreau said, “The cost of a thing is the amount of . . . Life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.”
No truer words were ever spoken. If we have learned anything in the past several hundred years, it should be that everything we own and hold dear in our lives, whether it’s a perceived necessity or desired acquisition, comes with a price.
The big question is, are these things important enough in our lives that we are willing to trade off years of our existence while struggling to acquire them.
Everything we have owns us, in the respect that we must maintain it, clean it, make payments on it, and pay taxes for it.
Can we do away with this mind set, and live the simplistic life in the 21st century?
Probably not.
Thoreau believed that people should live isolated from others and in tune with nature to achieve their true happiness and fulfillment. He also believed that people should rely on themselves to survive, and be less dependent on what the world can give them.
Not that long ago, our ancestors came as pioneers. They fed themselves from their own land, and, from the bounty of nature. They built their shelters, and made their own clothes. For the most part, the outside world had no real effect on them, unless there was a war.
It is true that we absolutely can be more independent. We may not reach the level that Thoreau wanted, but we can do more for ourselves, learn to be self reliant and supply our needs from our own resources.
However, with the complexities of our world, our connection to governments and the restrictions on our lives that Thoreau never had to face, his ideal world is unlikely.
In today’s society, the Amish have probably come as close as humanly possible in a developed country to achieving some sort of independence and simplicity. But, even they have wandered into the modern day world on occasion.
In this crowded world, it is less likely that most people will have the space to live in one with nature, as Thoreau wanted.
We can, however, try to cut back on excesses, and develop a lifestyle that gets us out of the cities and back into more natural settings. We can also develop a mind set that keeps us from accumulating the extra baggage that we have become accustomed too.
As Thoreau also said, “He who owns little, is little owned.”
Learn more about this author, Lenna Gonya.
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