Walden Essay Final Copy

            In this modern age, everyday life has complicated itself beyond the bounds of anything the writer and philosopher Henry Thoreau could have ever imagined. An advocate for the beauty of nature and simplicity, Thoreau spent over two years of his life living alone in the wild forest, writing down his thoughts and ideas about the beauty around him as they came to mind. Today, it is extremely difficult for people to simplify their lives to the extent that Thoreau did. Few would be willing to take his same extreme measures and isolate themselves in the wilderness for years on end. With all the modern technology, life is more complicated than ever before. People find it necessary to process ridiculous amounts of information on a minute to minute basis, and are usually in nearly constant communication with other members of society. It is exceedingly difficult for people to just detach themselves from the complex, intense reality that they live in and appreciate the simpler things that life has to offer. Many of the things that Thoreau was incessantly expressing his love for through his writing and journal are the things that people casually take for granted today. Appreciation of nature and how its peacefulness and simple harmony affect our lives is usually far from the minds of the people living in today’s world.

http://www.flickzzz.com/2009/02/beauty-of-nature-18.html

            Looking at the state of the world today, we can confirm that Thoreau did indeed seem to have some insight as to what the future would be like. His visions of cities and farmland taking over the forests turned out to be quite accurate. The former sprawling forests of our continent have indeed been greatly reduced. The majority of the population lives either in densely populated cites or in vast suburban areas. The closest thing that many people experience involving nature on a daily basis is a few trees and squirrels one might spot while walking down the block. Most people’s thought process mainly revolves around their social life, or making enough money in their chosen career to stay afloat, nothing close to what Thoreau most valued in his life. While Henry sought isolation and simplicity, most people today greatly fear being alone and uninvolved with the wider world.  

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/NIGHTLIGHTS.html

                                                                                           

Because of how much people use their technology to always keep them updated on what’s happening in their world, it is hard for people to set aside a few moments every now and then to just sit down, relax, and think.  With things like facebook and cell phones constantly being used for people to always stay in touch, some people can very rarely find themselves a few moments of complete solitude for some quiet contemplation. Very few people today can say that they have experienced life’s, and nature’s, simpler beauties the way that Henry did.

http://louisa-catherall-art.blogspot.com/2009/11/city-stress.html

            Many people living here in the modern day could benefit much from reading the work of Henry Thoreau. Though many people of his time thought him to be a complete fool, it is clear to us today that the man certainly did learn some important, if somewhat odd, lessons and values during his time spent alone in the woods. He gained a deeper insight into the simpler beauties of life and nature, and people would do well to appreciate and perhaps try to learn from his philosophies.