Henry David Thoreau

First of all I’m a PC guy when it comes to my laptop. And I don’t usually pay attention to the built in Windows screen saver crap they show me every time I turn it on (Like this photo?, Sports, Weather, etc). However, just today the This Day in History thingy commemorates the anniversary of Henry David Thoreau’s book Walden. That caught my attention. 

Walden — a deeply influential book to me. It came to me around 2018 - the beginning of my BC era, where I was coincidently living in a small house in the mountains - I felt an immediate connection with it. The appreciation of nature, the frugality, the brilliant writing, and the unapologetic self analysis all connected with me. 

I must say, in recent years I have gotten off the Walden path in many respects (living in a big house in the suburbs, for ex) but I carry his essence wherever I go, and I hope to god it still intertwines with my own writing and non-stop self analysis. 

I’ve read and re-read Walden about 5 times since 2018. I seem to feel the urge to browse it again every 15-18 months or so. I never read it to completion. I stop when I get bored. 

Here’s what History.com says about it:

On August 9, 1854*, Henry David Thoreau’s classic Walden, or, A Life in the Woods is published. It is required reading in many classrooms today, but when it was first published, it sold just around 300 copies a year.

*That’s 171 years ago

The American transcendentalist** writer’s work is a first-person account of his experimental time of simple living at Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts, starting in 1845, for two years and two months. The book explores Thoreau’s views on nature, politics and philosophy.

**Transcendentalism means to "climb over or beyond." Founders of the American transcendentalism movement were trying to "climb beyond" traditional empirical*** thinking, favoring instead a person's intuition and natural spirituality.

*** Empiricism is an epistemological**** view which holds that true knowledge or justification comes only or primarily from sensory experience and empirical evidence.

****Epistemology relates to the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope, and the distinction between justified belief and opinion.

Reading make me smart.

Reading make Bryan smart.

Reading make Bryan smart. Bryan love internet.

Thoreau was a 27-year-old Harvard graduate when he moved to Walden. He built the simple 10-by-15-foot cabin along the shore of the 62-acre pond, a mile from the nearest neighbor, on land owned by his friend, poet Ralph Waldo Emerson.

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived,” he wrote.

^I copied the above passage from Walden and used it in the Foreword to my book The Blades Beneath My Feet - did you catch that? It is considered without doubt Thoreau's most famous written sentence and one of the most famous passages in the history of American literature*****. 

*****(Source: Duffett, (at a shed party), 2024)

His only income came from the labor of his own hands. Thoreau farmed the land, eating and selling his crops, which included beans, potatoes, corn, peas and turnips, made frequent trips into town (including to see his mother, who lived up the road) and entertained visitors.

The initial print run was 2,000 copies, with each book priced at $1, and took five years to sell out. Later shortened to Walden, per Thoreau’s request, it was one of just two full-length books published by the author (though he published shorter works including the notable essay “Civil Disobedience”). His first book, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, released in 1849, was also written during his time at Walden, as a memorial to his late brother John.

I specifically recall an art exhibit at the 2021 Bonavista Biennale (your boy gets out) that was Thoreau inspired albeit in a mocking way. I remember not fully grasping it (because art) but sensing a vibe the artist implied HDT and his ‘off the grid’ ways were horseshit. At the time I only knew of praise and admiration for HDT’s work so I was intrigued by the critique. Maybe not everyone thinks the sun shines out of this guys ass like I do I remember thinking as I drove away. Maybe not everyone loves him. I slept very poorly that evening.

Upon research, here’s what critics say of HDT’s work:

Hypocrisy and Privilege: Critics have accused Thoreau of hypocrisy for advocating simple living while benefiting from social privilege—his cabin was within walking distance of town, and he relied on friends and family for support. Some claim he unfairly judges others’ choices and that his experience wasn’t as rugged as he professed.

The critics say the same stuff about me. And might I add: the truth hurts.

Self-Righteousness and Condescension: Thoreau is often perceived as “full of himself,” condescending, and overly prescriptive, making lofty demands on readers that may not be practical or realistic. He can be seen to both praise and criticize aspects of nature and society inconsistently, yet presents these opinions with unwavering zeal.

^Oh, HDT and I have so much in common!

Inaccessibility and Complexity: Critics point out that Walden is “a thicket of contradiction,” its prose sometimes inaccessible, sententious, and dry. 

Hell-o!

Misanthropy & Isolation: Thoreau’s preference for solitude and disdain for society are frequently noted. Some view this as narcissistic self-reflection, with Thoreau believing himself above the “mass of men and their quiet desperation”.

He was 100% on the narcissism spectrum. As am I. 

Shout out to the popularization of the ‘spectrum’ concept. (Thank you Autism!)

It really helps us accept ourselves.

“I’m not an alcoholic but I am on the alcoholism spectrum” - Bill Burr

Despite HDT’s critiques, many defend him and his work for:

Philosophical Depth: Defenders argue Thoreau’s call for conscious living, self-examination, and material minimalism remains profoundly relevant. His experiment at Walden Pond is seen as an invitation to mindfulness, not a prescription for all.

Activism & Commitment: Thoreau’s actions after Walden, such as supporting abolitionism and civil disobedience, are cited to show his engagement with important moral causes, contradicting the view of him as selfish or detached.

Lasting Literary Impact: Walden is recognized as one of America’s most celebrated works of literature—with Robert Frost and John Updike among its admirers—for how it challenges readers to reconsider their relationship with nature and society.

Alright, that’s enough.

Enjoyed this rabbit hole! Thanks Windows! I had nothing better to do tonight anyway. In conclusion, I’ve never felt more connected to my man, HDT! If he was alive today he’d probably run a blog. I’ll sleep better tonight believing this.