Henry David Thoreau and Self Reliance

Henry David Thoreau decided at a relatively young age to use his life as an experiment in “self-education”. His optimistic views on life and his goal-oriented lifestyle is reflected in his writing. In “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”, Thoreau writes about his appreciation for his tattered little abode, which was only a defense against the outer environmental elements. Though the wind blows through the house, he hears it as though it were …

…for an understanding of whence you came; your values, heritage, and traditions which formulate your being. In seems from examination of Emerson’s life, that he was an individualist. He appeared to be more content with examining the patterns of human thought and emotion than to live it for himself. Regardless, it is my view that Emerson was a brilliant man, defining the word enlightened with numerous passages regarding life, intertwined with spirituality and nature.