Thoreau and Now

Dominick Shipley
Tuesday and Thursday Class

Thoreau was a great writer who I found it interesting that he lived alone in solitude for so
much time. As I began reading Walden, I did not know what to expect. The whole paper seemed
to be just rambling of whatever popped in Thoreaus mind. However, as I came to the part that
talked about children inheriting farms; it was interesting to see that he believed it was easier than
giving them away. He also talked about how a child would be better to be born in the middle of a
field suckling on a wolf. While that paints a strange picture, he said that if a child were to do
that, they would have a better understanding of why he is there.
When Thoreau talks about the mass of men live in quiet desperation it makes me think
of why he believed we were desperate. While he said this he was implying that it did really not
matter how much money you made because it will never be enough. Thus it would be
cheapening everything around us that may be free, or priceless. When we are too focused on
things that dont matter, the other little things that make life great will go unnoticed. Desperation
makes us think of how it is more like a lack of hope that we see, because we can never be rich or
who we want to me, but rather its always a constant battle of who is better. The way that
Thoreau describes we should end quiet desperation, is to focus on the nice little things that we
have to stop always trying to be better.
While reading the man who lives on zero dollars, I found it interesting that someone
has learned to get out of Thoreaus quiet desperation. In the article, he talks about how when
he lived with money, there was always a limit, and he wanted more. However, since he has
moved away from money, he feels freer than ever. He also does not expect to go back to money
anytime soon. Almost that of following Thoreau and what he wrote about.

Thoreau and Now

Dominick Shipley
Tuesday and Thursday Class

While I can see that the world is trying to be more conscious of what they are doing to
the earth I dont think that it can or ever will be enough. In times of change it becomes harder
and harder to go back. Everyone now wants more and more, making it hard to even get out of
debt. Someone that who doesnt want to live anymore may seem weird, just a hobo, or even a
leech on everyone else who lives with their money. I believe it is necessary for everyone to
realize their part in the world and where they need to change. We as humans are wasteful, and
we need to learn to take advantage of what is around us in order to be the change.