POLISCI 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau, Individualism
20 Apr 2016
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Reading - foy 2, thoreau (posted), mckibben (posted) He now resides in civilization two years at walden pond living simply. Skepticism and wonderment with which townspeople had greeted news of his project, and he defends himself from their views that society is the only place to live. Thoreau moves quickly to the moral of his experiment: to illustrate the benefits of a simplified lifestyle. He believes one should minimize their needs . Claims that excess possession require excess labor to purchase them it also oppresses us spiritually with worry and constraint. People believe they need their own things, forces them to devote all their time to labor. Farmers are chained to their farms as much as prisoners are chained in jails. Four necessities according to thoreau, food, shelter, clothing, and fuel . People should accept the basic gifts of nature. Move in day was a day of his own independence from social norms and.
