During this last week in class, we have had some good conversations about the readings that were assigned. Emerson and Thoreau have some good views and beliefs that I find interesting and that resonate my own. Emerson talks about how if we want to become men, then we have to be non-conformists. By this he is saying that we should not do things just to fit in, but instead we should do what we what to. I agree with this because if we are worried about fitting in constantly, then we do not really get to enjoy the time that goes by. This is because we are constantly trying to find and adapt to the next trend instead of sitting back and enjoying life.
Thoreau talks about how we are in sort of a trance and that we need to desperately get out of it and change our ways. Basically, as Thoreau puts it, we need to stay “awake” and progress. I agree with him because we do not even know what we like or why we do what we do anymore. We just like whatever is popular regardless of what we think of it. It is like our own thoughts that make us all different and unique are being taken over.
Like Thoreau, I do believe I could give up all of my worldly possessions and technology for a year and live a life of solitude in the woods. But, for what? If I got paid enough or received some special thing for it then yeah I would. The question here should not be "could you" but would you. I am sure we all could if there was no other choice, but most of us would not if we were not forced to. I just do not see why it would be so beneficial to give up all of this progress we earned over the years just to say “yeah I could do it.”
However, I suppose if I did follow through and do it for a year, that I would learn a few things about myself that I had not previously known. Some examples that I would probably learn would be that I do not need all this technology to survive and enjoy myself. I would also probably learn to enjoy the world more and appreciate the little stuff in life. Lastly, that my generation for the most part has been so dependent on this technology, that we do not really know what to do without it. In a way I do see how this would benefit me greatly, but it would still suck to do. I think in the end if someone dared me to do this, I would have to turn the offer down.
I think that the conversations Thoreau, Emerson, Lasn and Anderson create as a whole is that we need to enjoy life as we are brought into it. We should just take one day at a time and be happy to live. We should not run away and drift from the world we once knew and rush into this new technological age. In short, we should not be “determined to be starved before we are hungry.” So I guess my “verse” that I would like to contribute to everyone would be...to just live.
Thoreau talks about how we are in sort of a trance and that we need to desperately get out of it and change our ways. Basically, as Thoreau puts it, we need to stay “awake” and progress. I agree with him because we do not even know what we like or why we do what we do anymore. We just like whatever is popular regardless of what we think of it. It is like our own thoughts that make us all different and unique are being taken over.
Like Thoreau, I do believe I could give up all of my worldly possessions and technology for a year and live a life of solitude in the woods. But, for what? If I got paid enough or received some special thing for it then yeah I would. The question here should not be "could you" but would you. I am sure we all could if there was no other choice, but most of us would not if we were not forced to. I just do not see why it would be so beneficial to give up all of this progress we earned over the years just to say “yeah I could do it.”
However, I suppose if I did follow through and do it for a year, that I would learn a few things about myself that I had not previously known. Some examples that I would probably learn would be that I do not need all this technology to survive and enjoy myself. I would also probably learn to enjoy the world more and appreciate the little stuff in life. Lastly, that my generation for the most part has been so dependent on this technology, that we do not really know what to do without it. In a way I do see how this would benefit me greatly, but it would still suck to do. I think in the end if someone dared me to do this, I would have to turn the offer down.
I think that the conversations Thoreau, Emerson, Lasn and Anderson create as a whole is that we need to enjoy life as we are brought into it. We should just take one day at a time and be happy to live. We should not run away and drift from the world we once knew and rush into this new technological age. In short, we should not be “determined to be starved before we are hungry.” So I guess my “verse” that I would like to contribute to everyone would be...to just live.
I like your title. And I also like what you had to say. Especially the conclusion. I agree that we are just to preoccupied with doing the next thing or getting the newest thing that we completely miss the journey and adventure of living. This concept always reminds me of a scene from "the Bishop's Wife" where they are taking a cab ride and they tell the driver where they are going and they tell him to take his time and the driver responds with awe because normally it's the opposite way and then he says, "The main trouble is there are too many people who don't know where they're going and they want to get there too fast!" I feel like that is what a lot of us have come to. Thank you for your verse... I'll give a try sometime.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post. It was very interesting to see your view on the isolation from society scenario. I lije that you put some depth into thinking about it. I like your verse at the end. its a very good point. I mean, how many people truly live day by day just letting time flash them by? I thing people need to take a step back from everything occasionally, and just live a little.
ReplyDelete"This is because we are constantly trying to find and adapt to the next trend instead of sitting back and enjoying life." I really like that sentence that you wrote. This is one of my strongest views on life and how you should live it. Because I'm not caught up in the newest clothing or model of a phone or TV, I am worrying about the practical things. I spend my time working on homework or constantly improving my relationships with my friends. And I also agree that I too could live without Technology, though I could not find myself spending time away from people. I believe technology adds a certain stress to our life whether we know it or not.
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