Thoreau's Influence On Individualism

Thoreau's Civil Disobedience talks about politics, government and the issues concerning these areas today. "Government is best which governs least." This motto means that the government should not have complete power over the people. The people's opinion is what matters the most. Individualism is stressed throughout his writing. To stand up for what you believe in and not bend backwards for the government is necessary. He speaks of Slavery and the war in Mexico and how is must be put to a stop. The people are responsible for this happening. Many people opposed these things yet did nothing to change it. Allowing yourself to be a part of injustice makes you a part of the negativity. Paying taxes to a corrupt government makes you

What is the overall message of Thoreau's "Solitude"? Consider the term epiphany, which is a moment of clarity and understanding. Is there such a moment in this essay? If so, what triggers it?

“Government show thus how successfully men can be imposed on, even impose on themselves, for their own advantage.” – Henry David Thoreau.

Thoreau didn’t like his government trying to tell him what to do, so he took it upon his own hands and tried to fix it. In protest of slavery, Thoreau refused to pay taxes and spent a night

Henry David Thoreau was an American philosopher known for his interest in politics; specifically raising awareness about the injustice committed by the American government. He’s the author of prominent works like Civil Disobedience and Slavery in Massachusetts, which set the setting for the United States at the time. Both of these works follow a common theme of perseverance through difficult times and the role of the self when choosing right from wrong. Thus, he was deeply engaged in the idea of individualism, suggesting that we are “men first and subject after”. His beliefs led him to refuse to pay taxes as an act of protest against the Mexican War; he was imprisoned for a night and this sparked in him the inspiration to write Civil

From the start of man fighting for freedom or his beliefs, the question has consistently been whether a person can wage a battle using words rather than actions. The notion of civil disobedience would seem to be an inept weapon against political inequity; history, however, has persistently proven it to be the most dynamic weapon of the individual. By refusing to pay his taxes and subsequently being imprisoned, Henry David Thoreau demonstrated this very defiance. Thoreau’s Resistance to Civil Government conveys the effectiveness of the individual conscience, renounces hypocrisy, and cultivates a sense of urgency where inaction creates a moral conflict. This path of responsibility paved by Thoreau gave our leaders of today the means they

An American Author, Transcendentalist and tax resister, Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord Massachusetts, and lived there most of his life.  He was opposed to many of the things that went on in our society and debated many issues in his life. Two of these major issues are , the Mexican American War and the implement of Slavery in our society. This was the reason for many of his writings include “Slavery in Massachusetts” and “Civil Disobedience” where he wrote about his principles and views against the U.S government and their involvement in the Mexican American War and the evil of Slavery. Thoreau opposed to these because they promote unjust government practices which he was strongly against.

    Thoreau seems to be a very educated political thinker. He can be very stubborn but humble when it comes to his beliefs, “I have contemplated the imprisonment of the offender, rather than the seizure of his goods -- though both will serve the same purpose -- because they who assert the purest right, and consequently are most dangerous to a corrupt state… ”(Thoreau 24. 218). Thoreau has lived in the woods for over six years, without paying state taxes. When the police officer asked him to pay, the non-violently compiled and spent a day in jail. Thoreau did not want to fund the American Mexican war through taxes and believed that people shouldn't be forced to do what they don't think is right. He is also a very optimistic person and believes that the people themselves should be good people, live good lives and therefore we wouldn't need as many laws, “when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have.” (1. 210). Thoreau believes that the government is doing the best when doing the least, “I heartily accept the motto, -- “That government is best which governs least” …” (1. 210). Although Thoreau might have an unpopular opinion, he sticks with his beliefs throughout this essay. As he presents his opinion, he does it in the most classy yet confident arguments. He had the thought of the people in mind while writing, showing his good intentions of improving our government.

Civil Disobedience is defined as the refusal to comply with certain laws or to pay taxes and fines, as a peaceful form of political protest. To several governments and even some citizens, civil disobedience can be seen as a bad way of handling situations. To others, it is just a way of expressing how they feel about decisions the government make and it makes them feel as though they have a voice in how the decisions are mad. In the essay, “Civil Disobedience,” by Henry David Thoreau, there are several connections made to how the people should react to the government “controlling” them and what should be done about it. “Civil Disobedience” also makes connections to the article, Faced With a Fracking Giant, This Small Town Legalized Civil Disobedience. In both of these forms of writing, they discuss the main idea of civil disobedience and the impacts it may have on the government and the people as a whole.

Thoreau characterizes life in New England as tough especially for immigrants, who are exploited for cheap labor. It is also a struggle for many people who live every day as they are expected to, but still do not find happiness, as seen through his example of the son who inherited his family’s farm but has no personal inclination to be farmer. Society is setting boundaries for what is accepted as good behavior and what is not, plus, there is an abundance of basic necessities beyond the required food and shelter. As a result, he simplified his life. When Thoreau says that “men remain in their present low and primitive condition…” in his comparison to people and a thawing snake, he is noting how society as he observes is filled with people who follow and conform instead of following their own instincts and principles. Applied today, places like North Korea show an extreme dictatorship where the government firmly establishes the norms of society and forces the expectations of the regime into its citizens. Propaganda is seen everywhere and even though the people conform to society’s will and are told to be happy, there is without a doubt people in North Korea who are suffering under the strict regime and are not satisfied with the restrictive and conformist lifestyle.

A significant philosopher of the pre-Civil War era of the United States, Henry David Thoreau appeared to be above the standard with his philosophically driven life style. He wrote detailed accounts of his life in his book titled Walden, in which he expressed his desire to escape the confining pressures of human society. His second chapter lauded the concepts of individualism and self-sufficiency, yet he never took into account the potential harm of his mentality, for it could hurt individuals as well as communities, and modern life simply cannot support his ideals.

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are still considered two of the most influential writers of their time. Ralph Waldo Emerson, who was a lecturer, essayist, and poet, Henry David Thoreau is his student, who was also a great essayist and critics. Both men extensively studied and embraced nature, and both men encouraged and practiced individualism and nonconformity. In Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Self Reliance" and Henry David Thoreau's book "Walden" and essay "Resistance to Civil Government ("Civil Disobedience")", both thinkers speak about being individual and what reforms and changes need to be made in society. Thoreau stayed with Emerson for a while and was affected by his ideas, especially relating to the individual and

In Thoreau’s “Resistance to Civil Government” the main idea of government is best when it has little to no say in society is embodied in the first sentence of his writing “that government is best which governs least”. This idea is a reoccurring them within his article and some people such as liberalists still believe that a good government would be one that governs the least. The idea of the government having little control over the country has many implications to it and it would affect many things from how business is run to how the government itself is chosen. Thoreau says that government should have little control over society because if government didn’t have so much control over everything the conscience of people would win rather than

It was my high school teacher, Anna Shaughnessy, who introduced me to Henry David Thoreau. His Walden was not part of the course of study. She asked whether I knew of this Massachusetts writer. I didn't. Without scaring me off by proclaiming how great he was, she said he had lived and died in obscurity. But not like some romantic poet in a dusty garret. He had done all kinds of work for a living-been a schoolteacher, surveyor, pencil-maker, gardener, carpenter, mason, lecturer, naturalist, as well as keeper of a personal journal into which he wrote two million words.

One of the transcendentalist beliefs is that you should rely on yourself. Transcendentalism is a idea that you have to experience and understand nature. It developed in the early 1800’s. It has 5 core beliefs: nonconformity, self reliance, free thought, confidence, and importance of nature. The texts I will use as examples are Excerpts from Walden, and Self-Reliance. The authors of these are Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau. Self Reliance helps you survive easier, you can do whatever you desire, and you can trust in yourself. Self Reliance is a transcendentalist belief. It is described in Walden and Self-Reliance. Both of the texts that I chose treat the belief similarly.