Thoreau still speaks to buried teen in all of us

Kennebec Journal ^ | 5/6/12 | Michael T. Dolan

[Borges]

And he was less than honorable!

[Peter Libra]

Your post #38.

I certainly appreciate your scholarly and well thought essay. Quite the event to have such time and care over my rather hastily put together post.

Your observations do present the paradox of some of those strange species in our midst. This could be the activists who go one worse than the yuppies, who wallow in purchasing "stuff". They seek to destroy and create havoc by demonstrations and some violence. Then, no doubt sneak off to a comfortable residence. Expect to then access heat, water and light. Reminds me of a certain academic in Chicago. Lives in a small mansion with every modern convenience. Calls the police if harassed.

Originally tried to blow things and people up. Still talking about the value of what he did. "America, what a country!" quoth he.

[Atlantan]

I’ve heard that when Mrs. Ralph Waldo Emerson rang the dinner bell, Thoreau was the first one at the table.

[jimsin]

when i was a teener i once told my dad that I did not wish to show up after school and help him in the family business...further i informed him that indeed my time was private and i found more fun and fullfillment layin on the bed listenin to my elvis collection whilst maintainng a journal of my important thoughts...also i told him i preferred my meals delivered to this, my work site, in order to facilitate the continuation of my chosen pursuits, uninteruptedly you see. He informed me that i, indeed HAD no private time and that if i did not show up to work on time, every time...i would not get ANY meals at ALL let alone DELIVERED meals....BWAHhaahaahaha dad Thoreauly unThoreaued me in no time atoll...atoll....thank GOD!

While Henry might have inspired LEO my dad inspired me....he taught me lessons that transformed a rudderless kid into an astoundingly successful adult.. I did better than either HENRY OR LEO..so...there’s that...

[af_vet_rr]

Thoreau was the first hippy of America. Like many hippies, he never grew up.

Whatever you want to say about him, he could truly survive on his own in the wilderness.

Dump a bunch of "Occupy Wall Street" types in the wilderness and you'll end up with a bunch of "Occupy Wall Street" types that end up dead or malnourished or in need of medical care.

[Borges]

He was protesting against the expansion of slavery.

[RichInOC]

I speak to the buried teen in my back yard.

[Army Air Corps]

Bookmark

[Olympiad Fisherman]

A lot of Americans protested against slavery. I did not know that Thoreau did, but this would not be surprising.

[SampleMan]

We take it for granted that people who were just trying to survive had all of the aesthetic emotions that we have thanks to Thoreau and writers like him.

Thoreau to me is like Plutarch and James Boswell. Men who had enough free time on their hands to over analyze the world. Plutarch was certain that utopia was the simple life of the noble barbarian, and James Boswell thought himself quite the man for being able to make his allowance last out the month (though he rarely did).

I'm glad you like Thoreau's humor. I prefer Churchill and Kipling for their dark, yet humorous, commentary on human nature.