Modern Connections
Henry David Thoreau is one of the most influential writers in American history. Free thinkers, libertarians, hippies, environmentalists, and even Martin Luther King have cited him as an influence. As we finish this section of the course we will look for connections with the ideas of Walden in our own contemporary culture.
Is This Thoreau?
Begin by watching a few of the videos in the playlist below. What connections can you make to the ideas Thoreau expresses in Walden? (And here's an extra one that isn't on YouTube). Movements and Advocates
These websites feature movements and individuals who share with Thoreau an interest in nature, simple living, and escaping the "quiet desperation" of modern life. Find one that particularly interests you. Tiny House Movement Yurt Living Homestead Richard Louv and Nature Deficit Disorder Local food / Locavore / Slow Food / Simple food Sustainable Living
Permaculture Hippies / Communes Simple living movement The Minimalists The Naked Face Project Living Off the Grid Car Living / Van Living / RV Living
Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber Note: Ted Kaczynski withdrew from society and began a mail-bombing campaign as a protest to industrial society. He wrote a lengthy, rambling manifesto which he insisted be published in major newspapers. Unlike Thoreau he is a man of violence, but his life and ideas have interesting echoes of Thoreau. Background on the manifestoSummaryExcerptsComplete manifesto |