On Chapter One "Ecomony" (Assignment One)

In 1828, a boy of approximately 16 years of age staggered into Nuremberg in Germany, having barely been able to speak or write. According to his statement, he had been kept in a dark cellar in which he could hardly stand upright. He had never seen the person who kept him ‘caged’. His circumstances remained mostly unrevealed, and a later occurring theory about him being the son of the grand duke of Baden whose elimination had been planned by a rivalling noble lineage haunts a small part of German nobility history.
Other similar occurrences – without the sensational connotation – have been recorded during the past century. So called “feral children” who grew up in complete isolation without any norms (often in rural forest areas) lack usual human communication patterns.
Scientists conducted so called “Kaspar-Hauser-Experiments” in order to explain whether certain behavior like nest building or hunting techniques are inherited or acquired features in animals. During the course of those experiments, the offspring grow up in isolation from their parents and other individuals of their species. The results often show that the isolated individuals lack traits that are achieved by learning from other members of their species. 

These examples show what deficits individuals can suffer from when they are not integrated into a species relevant group in early age. This point does at first contradict Thoreau’s view scientifically. He is of the opinion that as means to enjoy leisure you have to labor both physically as well as mentally. A point he emphasizes is that a student should relinquish community services of any kind. At Thoreau’s time it seems to have been common that students went studying and relied on surrounding communities. Thoreau suggests the exact opposite: instead of just studying life and let others do the “living”, you should be motivated to live by what you are able yourself to build, plant, think, eat, move, and learn. Quite an ambitious life perspective when mirrored into our times. If it would not be for IKEA furniture (presupposed the instruction manual is not in Swedish), none of us would be capable of building a table on which a glass of water stands perfectly even.

Marilynne Robinson on the other hand clearly asks for the guarantee of social welfare to which every member of a community contributes. Trust and faith, safety and autonomy are thus granted by and for everybody. This relationship is based on mutual respect and the will to learn from others as well as to pass your knowledge on to them. Although Robinson represents a contrary to Thoreau, both share the overall value that needs to be a premise: intellectual freedom and well-being. These conditions have to be met for an individual to thrive, regardless of dependence on community or independence from it. 

For me in the end, these two perspectives complement each other. The natural form of living together is organized in a group with a hierarchy or any other kind of structure, as can be observed in indigenous peoples.  The members of these structured groups oftentimes guarantee safety to one another and rely on mutuality. What I can also conclude from all these arguments is that individuals need stability in order to thrive personally. For some, the belonging to a community poses a substantial part of their whole lives, others search said stability within themselves. 

Still, a particular thought strikes my mind: suppose I can only create what I am able to. If I were to build my own home, it would probably not be a decent hut made from wood, simply because I might not be strong enough to carry all the material. I do not know anything about agriculture or common plants. I would probably starve to death if I did not learn what is edible. Alexander Supertramp, the protagonist of “Into the Wild”, was an admirable human being who had an absolutely fantastic and very drastic relationship towards nature. He went into the wild and found the beauty of life, although he died in her arms.

Works cited:

Atkinson, Brooks, ed. Walden and Other Writings. New York: The Modern Library, 2000. Print.

“Kaspar-Hauser-Versuch.” Academic dictionaries and encyclopedias. Universal-Lexikon, 2012. Web. 15 Jan. 2014 <http://universal_lexikon.deacademic.com/258759/Kaspar-Hauser-Versuch>. 

The Nation Online. “Night Thoughts of a Baffled Humanist.” Marilynne Robinson. The Nation, 2011. Web. 15 Jan 2014 < http://www.thenation.com/article/164466/night-thoughts-baffled-humanist>. 

Neuroscience for Kids. “Neuroscience at the Movies: Feral Children.” Heather Stewart. Web. 15 Jan. 2014 <http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/moviesfc.html>.