When we work we are either building or destroying.
Dorothy Day said somewhere that if you sleep on the floor you don’t have to fret your life away about falling off of the bed.
What was Henry David Thoreau’s attitude toward poverty and charity?
Henry David Thoreau’s simplicity is a major theme of Walden. During the time he lived in the modest cabin in the woods, he practiced voluntary poverty—stripping down his life to the bare necessities to fit the lifestyle he chose.
Continue reading to learn about Thoreau’s practice of voluntary poverty and a bit about his attitude toward people who lived in poverty.
Thoreau’s Simplicity and Voluntary Poverty
Thoreau, a pencil maker and inventor, explains that the choices he made in moving to Walden were motivated by a desire to live more simply—and he doesn’t hesitate to say that he thinks his readers should simplify their lives, too. During the two years he lived in the woods, Thoreau’s simplicity manifested in what he calls a life of “voluntary poverty.” He reduced what he produced and consumed to just what was necessary for survival: food, shelter, clothing, and fuel.
(Shortform note: True to its name, Thoreau’s “voluntary poverty” was a choice. He came from a middle-class family, and he could afford to supplement the crops he grew with store-bought goods. He could also leave Walden when he felt like it. Some scholars argue that Thoreau was aware of the irony of his choosing a lifestyle that was imposed on others. But he also believed that it was important for people who had his advantages to recognize what life was like for the disadvantaged. He contended that by stopping our endless pursuit of material things, we can pay attention to what life is like for others.)
While Thoreau believed there is dignity in labor and in working to provide for oneself, he contended that people consume too much and work too much to pay for it. He explains that people can live on much less than they think possible. Then, with that change in perspective, they can stop overworking themselves to afford a large home, a vast family farm, fashionable clothes, or even an expensive education. Thoreau contends that the drive to acquire these and other material things results in unacceptable costs in terms of time: time that we give up for truly living in order to obtain possessions that aren’t necessary and don’t fulfill us.
Vocation Versus Job Hunting. The Catholic Alternative.
When we work we are either building or destroying. Written in 1948, the truths set out here are more timely than ever.
