Our houses are such unwieldy property that we are often imprisoned rather than housed in them.
-- Henry David Thoreau, Walden
That resonates with me, so I've just bought Walden. (If I'd had my eddication in the US, I'd probably have read it already.)
I'm curious about how Walden can be as famous and influential as it is, given that it goes totally against the grain of what 99.9% of people feel and believe. Giving up status and property for freedom? Unheard of, practically. He must have been one hell of a writer to make that idea sound appealing to anybody but the tiniest "lunatic" fringe.
21 comments:
Fantasy stories are often popular.
Lots of people read the New Testament, too, but you don't see many people actually living their lives according to anything in there.
I used to live near Walden pond. I visited it regularly, and his cabin there. Tiny. Note: it is not far walk into town, and apparently he walked there often to visit friends. And his experiment didn't last very long.... Still, one of the most inspiring required reads of my American edumacation.
Laurie
Kool.
It's clearly inspired Garry Trudeau as well. Doonesbury has a Walden University, and a commune with a pond.
I think it lasted two years, which isn't bad.
I'm reminded of this bit by George Carlin: http://youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac
I haven't yet read Walden, but fourteen years ago, I was wrapped up in an unhappy lifestyle. My current lifestyle is much simpler and I'm much happier.
Don't know if a simple lifestyle would work for anyone else, but it works for me.
I've lived in both abundant, rich settings and simple settings, and been unhappy and happy in both. All these states come and go. I'm learning to see wealth flowing everywhere, and for me, without graspong. For example, I live in a little rickety house, drive an old rickety car now, but all day I work with the most beautiful kids, and come home and take a walk on our road with the most stunning view of mountains.
Sometimes I worry about fuel prices, and fear the cold winter coming up. I'm learning to put on extra sweaters, and think of ways how I can share any kind of warmth with others who may be cold. This is the lesson of my life.
I used to fear *poverty*, but what I really fear is condemnation, and I have power over that. The answer to the fear of poverty is so obvious to me anyway, sharing. Sharing of ideas, touch, food, warmth, even a smile.
Laurie
All that sounds so corny, reading back. I wish my words could be even more simple and uncliche'd.
Oh well, more self-grievances to drop!
Laurie
I haven't read Walden yet, but I doubt he is arguing that poverty is good for anybody. Probably he is arguing that it's not a great idea to weigh yourself down with unnecessary property, property which steals your time and your attention.
The concept isn't poverty or riches; it's self-reliance, uncluttering, reducing, and making sense of your choices on the basis of common sense rather than group-think. "Simplify simplify." "We do not ride the train, the train rides us."
Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Self Reliance" might be the next on your list.
Oh, forgot to mention: I agree, the concepts aren't really mainstream, yet reading the book is. It's regularly taught in junior-high or high-school age (12 to 18 years old). I think teachers like it and most students ignore it.
Here is a good collection of snippets from Emerson collected into "devotional" form:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Self-Reliance/Ralph-Waldo-Emerson/e/9780517585122/?itm=1
"I think teachers like it and most students ignore it. "
That, and humanity has a penchant for admiring virtues they ignore. "Turn the other cheek" and "love thy neighbor as thyself" are prime examples.
Very interesting subject. The blog comment format falls short as a medium for discussing it.
Freedom through simplification has been a popular subject for quite some time now (with all the decluttering books and what not). What I've noticed as a new trend, however, is substantiation of the benefits.
For example, Ferriss' (of fourhourworkweek.com) argues that a new form of wealth lies in mobility. We have only 4000 weeks to live, so trading money for time and mobility (= experiences) makes sense.
Personally, I am in the process of implementing a form of this idea.
"humanity has a penchant for admiring virtues they ignore. "Turn the other cheek" and "love thy neighbor as thyself" are prime examples."
Well, *obviously*, Jesus didn't want us to love *terrahrists*!
David Kutoff: Lifestyle Investing: “Compound Time” Like Compound Interest?
Forgot the URL. This one works:
Lifestyle Investing: “Compound Time” Like Compound Interest?
(Why isn't there an edit function here?)
TTL: I find myself in agreement with much of Tim Ferris' ATTITUDE and assumptions behind "The Four Hour Work Week" but frankly, implementing a little micro-shop on the internet that automates itself to sell, I dunno, cat dander-brushes, really isn't my style. I think it works for him because, well, he LIKES business. In fact, he has a business degree, and has just changed his focus from "traditional" workstyles to ones that have intermittent time commitments and varying locations. I love the idea of intermittent time commitments and varying locations, but I still ... hate ... business.
"... implementing a little micro-shop on the internet that automates itself to sell ..."
That's just one possibility. The idea is for you to find a source of income that works for you.
His key message is data-driven life optimization -- finding what works, keeping that, and discarding the rest.
Of course, some creativity is needed too. Either that or read his blog (including comments) and pick ideas to try from there.
The possibilities are endless. For you to get stuck on the "micro-shops on the internet" idea kind of proves that you aren't looking at it with an open mind and haven't quite grasped the ATTITUDE yet.
Read David Kutoff's post linked above. Life optimization is not just about business, but other choices too. Many people live a life of their dreams without being involved in "business".
"Well, *obviously*, Jesus didn't want us to love *terrahrists*!"
Of you silly, silly Eolake. *Lets out a hearty chuckle and a pat on the back* Terrorists aren't people! They're the mutant monkey men of Darwin's apocalypse come to destroy 5 dollar combo meals and shopping malls,
TTL: I agree with you, the "overall message" is akin to what you've remarked on. One need not be an internet entrepreneur to take on a lot of the positive lessons of 4HWW, and one can certainly see the relation between it and "Walden" with just a little perspective. When I tossed off that comment about "setting up an internet shop" (or whatever words I used) it was more an offhand gesture used as a gnomic manner of encapsulating 4HWW quickly so I wouldn't have to enumerate its many facets. That you have misunderstood, and instead corrected my micro-diction and addressed a small and misrepresentative portion of my post by harping on single nouns and single usages, indicates you are reading like the typical internet hazard: "where can I find fault? How can I miss his point, then indicate small instances of inaccuracy, then make myself look superior by pointing them out." Please read with more charity. I already understood what you are now saying about 4HWW, and my initial perspective on it was rather similar to the one you now wish to claim I ought to change to. You get no credit for successfully convincing me to be just like you, if I started out just like you in the first place. I'm glad you're following behind me like a good little lap-dog, though; but it's irksome that you seem to think you got there first.
The problem I have with 4HWW, is with the base notion of profit in the first place. Deep down, I find the very act of participating in a buy-and-sell marketplace to be reprehensible. To put another gnomic comment on it: we're all communists at heart. :) So, when you say, "The idea is for you to find a source of income that works for you," you're misunderstanding me, because you're still harping on "source of income." I disagree with that sentence of yours. The REAL idea is to stop obsessing over sources of income and instead be a better person. Income, itself, is the problem.
Final Identity said: "Income, itself, is the problem."
In that case, arrange your life so that you don't have any. Shouldn't be too difficult.
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