193 Year Old Man Who Lives In My Woods: More Relevant Than Ever

Wow he is among us today, whispering in our ears, live or die there is no try.

Times change but things stay the same, I propose a stupendous evolution.

I have only ever read 'Walden' by H.D.T but it's one of the best books I've ever read.

. . . .I assume to much, or do not read as much as i should. . .BE carefull about spiritz,

LOVE

Thoreau's ideas were not universally applauded by some of his contemporaries in literary circles.

Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson judged Thoreau's endorsement of living alone in natural simplicity, apart from modern society, to be a mark of effeminacy:

...Thoreau's content and ecstasy in living was, we may say, like a plant that he had watered and tended with womanish solicitude; for there is apt to be something unmanly, something almost dastardly, in a life that does not move with dash and freedom, and that fears the bracing contact of the world. In one word, Thoreau was a skulker. He did not wish virtue to go out of him among his fellow-men, but slunk into a corner to hoard it for himself. He left all for the sake of certain virtuous self-indulgences.

Poet John Greenleaf Whittier detested what he deemed to be the message of Walden, decreeing that Thoreau wanted man to "lower himself to the level of a woodchuck and walk on four legs." He went further to castigate the work as "very wicked and heathenish", remarking "I prefer walking on two legs."

In response to such criticisms, English novelist George Eliot, writing for the Westminster Review, characterized such critics as uninspired and narrow-minded:

People—very wise in their own eyes—who would have every man's life ordered according to a particular pattern, and who are intolerant of every existence the utility of which is not palpable to them, may pooh-pooh Mr. Thoreau and this episode in his history, as unpractical and dreamy.

Modern historian Richard Zacks pokes fun at Thoreau, writing:

Thoreau's 'Walden, or Life in the Woods' deserves its status as a great American book but let it be known that Nature Boy went home on weekends to raid the family cookie jar. While living the simple life in the woods, Thoreau walked into nearby Concord, Mass., almost every day. And his mom, who lived less than two miles away, delivered goodie baskets filled with meals, pies and doughnuts every Saturday. The more one reads in Thoreau's unpolished journal of his stay in the woods, the more his sojourn resembles suburban boys going to their tree-house in the backyard and pretending they're camping in the heart of the jungle.

-en.wikipedia.org...

Interesting.

reply to post by METACOMET


I have to say I am so annoyed with people who complain about the U.S. There are so many more countries that have truly bad corruption and living conditions. Education and opportunity still very much exists in this country for those who CHOOSE to take part in it and law and due process still holds.

Be glad that you don't live in Darfur where there is a genocide taking place or one of the many countries where famine or TRUE political corruption has taken hold.

And if you're going to reply that I'm a sheep and blah, blah, blah, and that I can't see how bad this country is, then I say to you that I'm pretty sure you're sipping on your espresso from Star Bucks, blogging FREELY on a conspiracy site, pissed off at politicians that you didn't vote for, while complaining about how bad you have it.

I think everyone (not counting the tid-bits from grade school) should study the historical significance of why the founding fathers fought for the rights outlined in the Bill of Rights. Examine WHY they fought for revolution.

The right to revolution is important but should not be taken lightly; it should be used for a situation where the people are truly oppressed by their government. YOU ARE NOT OPPRESSED. Sounds to me like you just don't want to pay your taxes.

Look at a country where "revolution" is happening all the time, where there is no government to protect their people, because they exist and I'm pretty sure you will find their living conditions and the corruption FAR WORSE than anything you see here in this country.



[edit on 13-7-2010 by kisharninmah]

reply to post by EspyderMan


In which case you have totally missed the point!

Second line

Peace!

Great post. I was literally picturing a decrepit Obi Wan Kenobi type of character lurking in woods dispensing pearls of wisdom. It's like being Rick-rolled except it was enjoyable.

At first I thought you were crazy but your title could have been a little less misleading. You don't exactly continue to age in the normal sense after death. :p

you are a breath of fresh air
in a sea or oil and 2012 apocalypse threads,
We the People can't stop the oil, and Nemeses is
2,000 or more years in the future, but I agree 2012
elections will decide a new course for We the People's Country
and most probably the world will change as we more into the
14 age.

You Take care of yours,
and if the times comes for civil disobedience,
as I did in the 70s, I even though I am an old lady now,
I will stand up beside you with pride..
hugs to you and all you hold dear
RKL

reply to post by METACOMET

oh man you totally got me!!! i thought for sure you were talking about an actual 200 year old man haha. Well i think its great that we can take wisdom from our ancestors and apply it to todays problems... and i do believe that thing about taxes

I do have respect for Thoreau and his take on enlightenment. I would like to say this however, I think that progress is a very good thing. Many individuals might argue that progress creates environmental strain, corruption of government, and waining of one's intellect. While those points are all valid and informed, there is another side to this story. The progress we've made in recent years connects people, saves their lives, and allows them access to information that was not always easy to obtain in the past. From the moment of our species' inception, we have been yearning for something more. It may have started long ago with fire and worked it's way up to the 4G smart-phone, but no matter how you want to see it, human beings are learners and doers.
Progress can have it's dangers as well. Environmental dangers, corruption, and dependency on technology are examples of that fact. I belive that as a sentient race, it is our duty to uphold a certain amount of responsibility. Responsibility and progress must go hand in hand to harmonize our place on this Earth. We are the first species to have the ability to influence or dissuade our own extinction, we are the first species to cure diseases, and we are the first species to devise an instant connection with others that are on the other side of the planet. Humans have been to the brink of annihilation before, but we're still here now, and after World War II, the cold war, and every other conflict we've trivially incited among each other, we are still here.
Modern times present new challenges and new fears. We are faced with a new horror almost daily. North Korea, the BP oil spill, terrorism, and 2012. These are all daunting issues but it is my personal feelings that these issues detract from the most pertinent of all obstacles; We are still living in a state of division and rivalry. We let the religion, language, and cultures of the inhabitants of this world create tension between us. Our leaders take us to war, and lead us into violence, but what if the whole of the world could be united to solve the problems that threaten our existence as a species? Imagine the resources we funnel into war, not as a country but across the globe. Imagine if every dollar spent on guns, bombs, missiles and other weapons of war, was put towards finding a solution to the BP crisis. I imagine that it would have been solved already. Imagine if we funneled the effort we put into violence and patriotism into curing diseases and aiding the homeless. The amount of money spent on a single soldier could support a homeless person for quite some time. For the time and money it takes to put a gun in a soldier's hand so that he might deliver death to his opponent, one could also give support the the unfortunate and destitute people of this world.
Progress and technology can be applied to so many facets of life, the accomplishments we could achieve are limitless, and are only hindered by our own lack of responsibility. After Reading the articles at the website, primitivism.com, I was rather disappointed. I felt condescended to, as if the articles were written with a pretentious mindset. Our freedom and ability to advance is nothing to be feared, it is only something to be harnessed properly. When we can live in an age of technology supplemented by reason, and reason supplemented by technology, I believe we will have found our rightful place.

Originally posted by SphinxMontreal
Hard to believe the USA once had enlightened individuals who so eloquently documented the plight of the common man. And what does the country have as the equivalent today? Rap music. Oh my.

I believe that we have many enlighten people in this country. Many like the OP can be found right here at ATS bellowing, sometimes whispering the voice of reason and documenting the plight of the common man.

Unfortunately we have more communication than doing.

Change does not occur because we talk about it.

Change occurs when we do something about.

193 years and we are still talking about it.

IMHO

Good to see the man still get recognition. Once you transcendentalist, you never go back!
Funny. . .I thought that would be enough for two lines.

[edit on 13-7-2010 by Divine Strake]

I wonder if HDT were in fact still around, and who says he isn't, what he'd think about us not building the N.A.S.P ?

Thoreau truly made a great contribution to mankind with his writings, that inspired tons of enlightened politicians, activists and just, more ordinary people by making us understand what is wrong with the State as it is, and how we can organize towards a higher standard of living as well, out of almost nothing.

But he's surely NOT a liberal!

That's pure libertarianism.

The only flaw I ever saw in Thoreau's ideas are his rejection of violence, especially political violence, which is rather counterproductive and idealistic in most situations.

[edit on 14/7/10 by Echtelion]

reply to post by METACOMET


Star and flag. Exellent post.
This reminds me alot of the Freeman-on-the-Land movement
that's happening in most Common wealth Countries. I can't wait
to read more.
We who want to be free from de facto governments and courts
must apply du dilligants so to secure are rights under common law
jurisdiction . The remedy is peaceful and non-violent.
All that is needed is patience and the will to learn.

Long time reader first time poster.
s'up ATSers?
Peace from the Great White North




Hand

Originally posted by wx4caster
that was one of the best posts i have read on this site, if not the best.

thank you so very very much.

Wx

And we act like we're enlightened to the "truth". He just posted a bunch of quotes and put a lame twist on the title. Either you're new here or you have no idea what truly great content is.

Yeah and Thoreau probably wouldn't be a right-winger nowadays. Definitely not...

Thank You for reminding me of this American Author. I haven't read any of his works in ages.

Something that needs fixing!