Assignment 2: How would Thoreau react to today´s more complex, phantasmagorical technological advancements and social media? Are these further encroaching “shadows and delusions” that we esteem for soundest of truths?

Nowadays technology is very much part of our lives. Many people feel that technology has improved the quality of life, but by some others it is seen as a force which has escaped from human control.

Henry David Thoreau deals with this topic in his book “Walden; or, Life in the Woods”. In his second chapter “Where I lived, and what I lived for” he mentions the reason why he has sealed himself out of his society. Thoreau criticizes the media and its influence on society taking away the time which is not appreciated anymore. In his opinion this stolen time should be invested in enjoying and observing life in its very little detail and beauty. In addition to that, the morning plays an important role in life, because it reminds Thoreau of heroic ages which inspires him to be truly awake. Therefore, for him “To be awaken is to be alive.” (Thoreau 59).

”I went to the woods to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practices resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to life sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to route all that was not life […]” (Thoreau 59).

Thoreau, who was far away from disturbance and nose, endeavors to find out life´s true meanness which seems for him to be distracted. Considering the fact that his book is written in 19^th century, what distraction does he mean?  He mentions the newspaper in which the same stories are told again and again, only with new details, and thus he considers it as gossip.

Also he wonders why his society lives in such a hurry and waste (cf. Thoreau 60). Their lives are so fast, and superficial; they do not even notice what is going on. What happens with reality? He makes demands on “Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!” (Thoreau 59). The society gives in to the illusion of habit and routine which has not really changed yet. But they should observe only the reality, he wants them to “spend one day deliberately as Nature”, to find out it if its life or death they are living in.

Nowadays technology has spread so much you can see no place without it. Observing the children in this generation, everyone owes a smartphone or an I-pad; one can assume they are addicted to it. Being online and reachable day-and-night is a must have. Twittering the doings and uploading pictures of foods, places, new haircut, or puppies, is only normal in this 21^st century. But we need to consider what this irrelevant information does for our life? And further, how can reality be enjoyed, if being present in these technologically affected lives are so much more important?

The role of technology and social media in this century has enlarged, and the modern life is unthinkable without it. For Thoreau, his affected society was the reason why he started his Pond project and it would obviously be the reason again why he would live solely in this century. Because he has a desire and need for simplicity whereby the full meaning of life can only be expressed. “Every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature herself” (Thoreau 58). 

Thoreau, Henry David. Walden; or Life in the Woods. USA: Dover Publications, 1995. Print.