Response to “Where I lived, and What I lived for,” by Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau, who wrote "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For," lived his life in the woods, rejected modern technologies and emphasized a simple way of life. Like a Neanderthal, Thoreau refused to evolve with the advancements of modern life. Thoreau claims, “I could easily do without the post-office…there are very few important communications made through it…And I am sure that I never read any memorable news in a newspaper.” I found his claims to reject postmodern communications ironic, without such simple technologies we might not even know who he was. Thoreau refers to our life as a German Confederacy—not functioning as a whole—and “the nation itself, with all its so-called internal improvements, which by the way are all external and superficial, is just such an unwieldy and overgrown establishment, cluttered with furniture and tripped up by its own traps, ruined by luxury and heedless expense…and the only cure for it…is in a rigid economy, a stern and more than Spartan simplicity of life and elevation of purpose.” (Thoreau, 2007) Thoreau does make a valid point that our world as a whole has not made enough effort to collaborate and produce a solution for our global energy crisis, though without technological and energy advances, growth and understanding of solutions can never be obtained. Without advancements in technologies, people, like Thoreau, will be subjected to a pathetic simple life of a troglodyte, where our minds will deteriorate without stimulation and the once most intelligent life form on the planet will potentially become extinct. By refusing to adapt, grow, learn, make discoveries, find solutions, and live to our highest potential, the purpose of life becomes questionable. Thoreau states that, “instead of eating three meals a day, it may be necessary to eat one”, so as to conserve energy.But why even eat one if you have nothing to live for? Without energy and technology, we cannot be competent, we cannot save lives, we cannot educate, we cannot make a difference.

References:

Cohen, S. (2007). 50 essays: A portable anthology. Pp. 424 - 430. Bedford/St. Martin's:

Boston, MA.