"Welcome to Anathoth" and Thoreau's vision into contemporary times

Thoreau opined that all these developments in Science and Technology are due to the desires of man for luxuries of life. If man opts for simple living and gets rid of his desire for luxurious life, there won’t be any need for these factories, industries, science and technological developments and the so called progress. Such a situation could also enable man to protect the environment in its original stage. Man with such simple outlook will not easily opt for wars as a result of which Governments can reduce their heavy expenditures on wars and divert the monies for the welfare of the people. If the World can thus be devoid of wars, the simplicity of life can further be enhanced (Thoreau 1985).

The practicability of living a simple life as preached by Thoreau in the modern times is almost impossible. However simple one wants to be, he cannot live without the help of minimum requirements like water, electricity and fuel. Moreover to opt for such a life is a question of attitude also. Even eminent scholars like Thoreau cannot persuade people to opt for such simple lives in the interest of grand ideals like protection of environment (Thoreau 1985).

‘Anathoth’ may be an example of a village incorporating the ideals of simple living preached by Thoreau for a very limited population but it cannot be a practical idea to build such village all over the country throwing into corner all these scientific and technological developments and the comforts they have brought to mankind with them. It may also be note that man always tries to live in the comforts of the contemporary atmosphere. Science and technology and its benefits are the norm of the present day society. Just because Thoreau was able to live a very simple life in his days it is not proper to ask the people of the present day to live such simple life as Thoreau in the middle of the alluring comforts of Science and Technology. Thoreau and other transcendentalists themselves were the proponents of the importance of the original and creative ideas. They preached that man should not be bogged down by the happenings and philosophies of the past and should formulate ideas and systems for their own times. Keeping this in mind they even said that such tings as literature should not be imitated or mimicked by people and people should have their own creative ideas. They also wanted education to tone up the intuition of man rather than make him a slave of his past. In the background of this it will be antithetical to the views of Thoreau himself if we ask people to live the life of Thoreau in the present day times. It is not only not proper to do so, but also impossible. So the people should be allowed to lead their own lives in tune with their times.

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Thoreau's position on charity and caring for poor as in 'Walden'

Thoreau has some peculiar impressions on charity, caring for the poor and philanthropy. He feels that philanthropy is the only virtue more than any other virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind. He goes to the extent of saying that it is overrated due to our selfishness. He quotes the example of a robust poor man in his town concord who praised a fellow townsman because that man was kind to him (the poor man). By this Thoreau meant that the selfishness of the poor man made him praise the townsman for his kindness. He expresses surprise that kind people are treated with more regard than the spiritual people, who have done more for the mankind. For this he quotes the example of a lecturer on England who spoke about the great people of England like Shakespeare, Francis Bacon, Oliver Cromwell, John Milton and Isaac Newton. But she also spoke of her Christian heroes like William Penn, Howard and Mrs. Elizabeth Fry and placed them on higher place regarding their greatness than the former ones. Thoreau says that such a comparison is wrong because the latter are best philanthropists and not great in the same vein as the former ones(Thoreau 1985).

While insisting that he would not like to detract in anyway the appreciation for philanthropy, Thoreau says that justice should be done to all those, whose lives and works are a blessing to humanity. Thoreau compares uprightness and philanthropy of people to leaves and stem of plants. He says that it is not the stem and leaves of a plant that mankind want but its flowers and fruits. Thoreau says that philanthropy is bud from one angle in the sense that it is being doled by the philanthropist out of sympathy for the recipients of his philanthropic donation. The entire process gives an impression that the recipients are grief-stricken for want of something which the philanthropist doles out(Thoreau 1985).

On closer analysis, Thoreau’s impression about philanthropy and charity are absolutely right. Philanthropists all over the world receive immediate recognition and appreciation, whereas the great inventors, scientists and discoverers, whose works facilitated the wonderful evolution of mankind, appear to pale into insignificance compared to these people. One reason maybe that people feel that philanthropist is earning something by hard work and then by act of philanthropy is depriving himself of his hard-earned possessions, whereas a scientist or an explorer is considered to have achieved something to prove his greatness. The utility of his invention, discovery or exploration to the society does not mean anything to majority of the people, while an act of philanthropy attracts the attention of even the lowest placed man in the society. It is this difference in recognition that should be set right according to Thoreau (Thoreau 1985).

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Thoreau's views on Economy in 'Walden'

Thoreau advises simplification of all needs of life to have a better economy. He points out that modern man has converted all luxuries of life into necessities. According to him, food is the mot essential requirement of humans’ and other necessities like shelter, clothing and fuel have an element of luxury about them. His purpose of going to Walden Pond was to show that life can be led the best way when done in simplest manner (Thoreau 1985).

According to Thoreau, economy refers to a very careful spending of money for the natural activities. For the society, both during Thoreau’s time and later also till date, economy means exchange of money by consumerism. Thoreau says that people bog them selves down with too many details and materialistic aspirations. Success in one’s life is measured by acquisitions and disposable incomes. According to him, the best way to lead life is not by such economic considerations but by abandoning such clutches of material possessions in life (Thoreau 1985).

The approach of Thoreau to economy is totally different from those of others. He wonders why people own so many clothes when they wear only few of them repeatedly. He also wonders why people eat thrice a day when one meal per day is sufficient. He also wonders at everybody enquiring as to what the news is, showing the inquisitiveness in the lives of others while they can use that time for enriching their lives (Thoreau 1985).

Thoreau criticizes colleges for not preparing youth for real life. He criticizes the yearning for material possession for creating luxuries saying that these many production facilities are not required if people opt for a simple life(Thoreau 1985).

Thoreau’s philosophy preaching simplicity in life, no doubt is appealing and also practical as shown by eminent people, who despite all their achievements led simple lives. But this opting  for a simple way of life does not appeal to majority of the common people who are tempted by the pleasure of possessing things in abundance even if they don’t use them. So his views appear impracticable, not because they are really utopian, but because people normally don’t like to opt for such life(Thoreau 1985).

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