Dan’s Reviews > Walden > Status Update
Dan
is on page 145 of 344
He contradicts himself by saying he never learned anything useful from someone older than him then goes on to praise the ancients. He also contradicts himself by saying nobody reads good books yet he barely has time to read Homer's Iliad because he has too much work to do. Doesn't he realize that most people don't have the time either, plus they also have kids and are not isolated from civilization.
— Jun 14, 2019 04:15PM
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Dan’s Previous Updates
Dan
is on page 56 of 344
He spends so much time working that he has no time to pursue reading or any other artistic endeavors, just like most hard working people.
He is proud that he knows the cost of his home and has built every meter of it, and he bemoans ornament and over decoration, but most people are willing to pay a convenience to not be bothered with more labor than they can bear. Better to pay rent and have company than be isolated
— Jun 23, 2019 02:06PM
He is proud that he knows the cost of his home and has built every meter of it, and he bemoans ornament and over decoration, but most people are willing to pay a convenience to not be bothered with more labor than they can bear. Better to pay rent and have company than be isolated
Dan
is on page 37 of 344
I'm starting over because I want to deal with this book at a deeper, more philosophical level and make sure I'm giving it a fair shake.
I still stand by my position that he is very privileged to be able to "get away" from society. That might seem an odd sort of privilege since he was living in abject poverty, but think about how difficult that would be for us to give up our responsibilities and go live in the woods?
— Jun 19, 2019 02:24PM
I still stand by my position that he is very privileged to be able to "get away" from society. That might seem an odd sort of privilege since he was living in abject poverty, but think about how difficult that would be for us to give up our responsibilities and go live in the woods?
Dan
is on page 93 of 344
On the one hand this is a beautifully written book filled with sage and Yankee practical wisdom that would benefit any person. But on the other, and this is the same issue I had with Camus' The Stranger, is that there is always the 'they', those of us whom are being addressed who are living wrong, or are asleep, or have missed the point of life. I disagree with this judgment, this one failing of liberal idealism.
— Jun 13, 2019 03:10PM
Dan
is on page 51 of 344
I've wanted to read Walden since I was a kid, and I wish I had read this when I was younger because I'm not sure how I feel about his attitude towards everyday people. I might have been more susceptible to his judgement of people acting "foolishly" because they go along with fashion of the times rather than be seen with a patch on their pantaloons. I'm just not sure I can get behind his smugness.
— Jun 13, 2019 10:36AM
