Walden: Economy

Walden: Economy

1. Personal Life

   • Lived alone in a house that he built on Walden street
     • Lived away from society where his neighbors were miles away
       • Lived there for 2 years and 2 months
     • Walden Pond Concord, Massachusetts
     • He built the house very cheaply and spent a lot less money then he would have spent on rent or college
     • Only owned basic belongings
     • Living their was an experiment for himself to really see how it is to live on yourself
       • No one really got it at the time
   • Had many jobs before writing Walden
     • Was a reporter, self-appointed inspector of snow and rainstorms looked over wild stock
       • no one really likes or respect his work
         • One reason why he didn't like city life and moved away from society
         • People didn't understand why he choose to be 'poor' and criticized him for that
   • MAIN POINT: Lived a simple life with only the necessities since he believed that is all he needed
   • He had his own farm where he grew many crops
   • Moved to the woods since people did not appreciate his work or his beliefs
     • Your work should be enjoyable, not just something you do for money. It should mean something to you

2. Beliefs

   • All you need in life are the necessities, food, shelter, and fuel
     • Once again showing how he is a minimalist
   • Didnt support or belive in slavery
   • College is not worth it, it's not worth the money or the things you are learning. Wisdom is a lot more powerful then knowledge and College should teach you more about real-life skills and issues and experiences then information you find in books.
   • People opinions make them vulenerable to be controlled by themselves
   • Everyone wants to be rich and have luxuries but not many really succeed at that, being rich and having luxuries doesn't make life any easier or worth living more
   • Older people always want to give advice, but that advice is irrelevant since they were born in a generation that is very different then the present, making their advice irrelevant and since they have lived worst lives then you
   • MAIN POINT: He was a minimalist, believing that people should take what they need and not what they want
   • Buying a big house and luxuries is pointless when all you need to survive is a regular house
     • Once again showing how he is a minimalist
   • If someone tries to be good just for the sake of being good they are actually not being good, just self centered
   • Society has improved, but the people haven't
   • If you compare yourself to what other people have you will never be satisfied with what you have, be thankful for what you have in life, that is the only way to really be happy
   • MAIN POINT: You only need the things that are necessary to live life, having luxuries does not make life 'life' or easier, its a waste of time
   • He did not dislike egotism, he said it was an honest way of living life.
   • People are way too reliant others for their needs, people need to independent to actually be able to enjoy life
   • MAIN POINT: Believed everyone should be self-reliant to truley live.