Nice job! Recently gave Walden to my nephew, as well as Walking. Just sent him this video too! I saved $ the last 5 years and then got fired for gently standing against DEI. Have spent the last 7 months reading spirituality and philosophy, working out, camping, hiking etc. Thanks to Thoreau, the last time I wasn't working in 2004 I spent a month walking 8 hours per day and meditating the rest of the night. Never healthier.
I was obsessed with Thoreau in my 20s... then life got real and harder etc, I lost my books, my home, had to rebuild. I kind of forgot. I'm so happy to have found this. What have I been doing the last few years? Living in a fear bubble. I never used to believe that way... time to flourish again, stop obsessing about the roots and flourish in the sun 😍
I found Walden when I was an addict... it really spoke to me... I started to walk and walk, and it helped me to get off drugs and even led me towards a type of Daoism... after reading Civil disobedience I also found the diary of Sören Kierkegaard. I read all those books until they broke down the spine... I wonder if your 20 year study has changed you in any way along the line...
@@rosemadder5547 Yes. I do not aspire to any typical American idea of success. I do not allow myself to be defined by a job, but instead take each day as it comes. I no longer seek any counsel or solace from religious ideas, but instead only try to find myself in Nature.
I have been a Thoreau fan for 40 years. Hard to convey this to you as I am proud to have punched the clock for 15 years as a Tool & Die Maker and as a technician. I always see work as a means to life(adventure & thought). I still bring in a good buck working hard as an owner operator now. I see it as a means to my being the laziest person. I think there are many like me. It is hard to pay attention to life with 45hr work week but it’s been accomplished by many before me.
I like the gadfly analogy. I agree. Like Socrates, Thoreau sometimes rubbed people the wrong way, and some thought no his adventurous path to knowledge and peace of mind is unattainable. But, as you’ve shown us, it can be done on only a dollar a day.throw has always been one of my heroes, as I delve deeper into philosophy Diogenes, as well, has been someone I have looked up to for inspiration. Thanks for all the great work living philosophy.
Excellent presentation on Thoreau's philosophy and his stoic influences of Cato the Younger and Diogenes. I've learned something from you and for that, I'm grateful. Thank you!
amazing content , a real gem of a channel i stumbled upon ! the audio is crisp , the video essay progression smooth , the script poetic ! criminally underrated ...
By gaining strength of self, one is enriched, but learning what you can then do with that strength determines how and if your life was admirable. However, one need not always be admirable for one’s story to be useful in the teaching others; a cautionary tale can educate us on what *not* to do, so all are valuable to the betterment of humanity in some way.
Yes! I love the idea of anti-heroes. I had a list of a couple of them before because it's as useful to know what you want to steer away from as it is to know what you are steering towards. It also helps with getting out of the gate because you say well that person is doing it well then I can certainly do better than that and perhaps have a duty to do so
Bravo! Wonderful discussion about Thoreau. I am reading Thoreau again for the first time in over 40 years and I'm realizing the strong influence he had on my being from when I first read him as a teenager.
Wow, thanks for this ..just a few months back I sent 'walden' to my daughter in new Zealand. I think I will send her your commentary, she's around your age but only just now approaching the greats! Yay you!!!!!!!!! Blessed 😁😇
Really appreciate the way you respond to listeners! Sometimes It's lonely wanting to connect/share with others in these concepts...especially Nietzches work...and Schopenhauer. I'm considering learning German so I can go deeper into their work. I live in a beautiful place in Queensland...the ocean life is so conducive to contemplation! 💖 I write poetry but mainly about 12 Step 'conscious contact' stuff Cool to connect with you again, thankyou :) 🚀
@@deebaker9199 I'm happy to interact when I have the time! I've often thought the same about learning German but have been daunted by the challenge of it so have thusfar stayed aloof of it. I spent a bit of time in QLD back in 2015 mostly Brisbane and Cape Trib. Interesting place. Very different weather to Ireland 😁
I just used your video and shared it with my students in a US history course. We enjoyed your presentation. It is a deep piece of thought we all do well to engage in as we examine our lives and purpose. None of us want to live a life of Quiet Desperation
This guy is Gangsta man. Even though world has developed and modernised his words are so direct and simple that there is a truth in them that we can adopt by living less.
Very well done. One correction, however: Thoreau, when asked how his name was pronounced, said it should rhyme with “furrow.” Hence, the accent goes on the first, rather than on the second, syllable. He sometimes made a pun on his name: when hired to do surveying, he would tell his employer that he would do a “thorough [the actual pronunciation] job.”
This is the reason why some people do not understand that poverty is just pretentious pressures of society. A minimalists lifestyle is a virtue of practical men like Thoreau and Diogenes.
Wow, I began my deliberate 1:6 work:play (ahem! higher purpose) life ratio about a year ago. Didn't know Henry thought of it first. "Revolution, please," I whisper to the trees. Do you call your personal philosophy anything other than "the living philosophy"? (Which is quite good enough, I'm just wondering!)
Wow! Sounds awesome! Very interesting way to live life I'm sure Henry would be delighted! I don't call my philosophy anything else yet I guess I hadn't even thought of it as the living philosophy although it's the one that's closest to my heart. I guess in many ways I'm still waiting for my philosophy to click into a more coherent form. There's a few core pieces such as the value of suffering and valuable multiplicity of the inner world that are relatively clear to me but there's so much information and wisdom that has yet to become clear and solidified into my bones so at this point I can't see the wood for the trees and I'm still patiently waiting for the epiphanic eureka. Interesting question though I've never thought about it before!
@@TheLivingPhilosophy I don't think the names of our philosophies matter much anyway! Just vessels for communicating a larger unspeakable thing. Wishing you an epiphanic eureka regardless ✨
I don't know much about Thoreau. Always thought of him as just a famous journalist rather than a philosopher but I might look into his work. Any book recommendations for someone who knows nothing much of him? Maybe one book by him and one about him to give me a concise idea what he was about. I see a bit of his anti-social contemplative nature in myself, but not so extreme. Maybe I can pick up some inspiration and learn how to be a better misanthrope...LOL. Thanks for another good biographical sketch.
Love Simplicity Patience Are 3 greatest treasures of mankind; But because of fear and laziness, Man tends to chase after the ends And forgets about the root. Returning to das source is returning to tranquility because there is no happiness higher than rest.
*_'Give me integrity or death'_* . Salve Saturnus, the cultivator of soil, the sower of future harvest, the god of a golden age. To turn on one's heel and to walk away from everything - a moment, everything done and suffered has lead to - is entering the promised, _imminent_ Kingdom - from which all directions are fair.
Great video! I hope you start focusing more on these authentic, humanist philosophers rather than misanthropic sociopaths like Nietzsche. Have you done any videos about Kierkegaard yet?
Haha well I will be looking at Nietzsche at some point but lot of thoughts and material there to tame so the misanthropic sociopaths aren't out just yet but yes I am thinking a lot about Kierkegaard especially when you look at the living philosophy of philosophers he's one that comes up to mine so expect him to be dropping sometime in the next month
Yet what is it that Thoreau overlooked? What he could not see, which was a world of relatively sane, modest people attempting to build lives using business, the railroad and other "complications" of modern life. Sure, we lose something amidst all our complicated living, but our lives are indeed ultimately superior to the solitude-loving, buddha-type people of the world who chose to remove themselves, rather than participate & play. Thoreau was indeed sincere, that rare quality, but he was a little too serious, that more common folly.
Thoreau wasn’t like Diogenes at all. Thoreau was an anarchist but he had a deeply moral nature and he cared deeply about social Justice. He was motivated by high moral principles. He didn’t flaunt social conventions for the mere sake of outraging the public.
Ah I dunno Steven I think that's unfair to Diogenes. I don't think it was just for shock value although social justice wasn't much to his taste. I guess they share their individualism mainly
@@TheLivingPhilosophy Maybe I’m being unfair to Diogenes but it’s hard to take seriously a man who masturbates in public and sleeps in a large urn and begs in the street. Of course, these accounts may be apocryphal. I understand that he was an anarchist who advocated asceticism and so I can see some connection to Thoreau.
@@satnamo Well i hope you don't think the real world is just an opinion and that some mere opinions are better than others based on their relation to the world
Nice job! Recently gave Walden to my nephew, as well as Walking. Just sent him this video too! I saved $ the last 5 years and then got fired for gently standing against DEI. Have spent the last 7 months reading spirituality and philosophy, working out, camping, hiking etc. Thanks to Thoreau, the last time I wasn't working in 2004 I spent a month walking 8 hours per day and meditating the rest of the night. Never healthier.
I was obsessed with Thoreau in my 20s... then life got real and harder etc, I lost my books, my home, had to rebuild. I kind of forgot. I'm so happy to have found this. What have I been doing the last few years? Living in a fear bubble. I never used to believe that way... time to flourish again, stop obsessing about the roots and flourish in the sun 😍
Very well done. Have been studying Thoreau for over 20 years, and aspire to be in the Diogenes and Thoreau line. Bravo.
Thanks a million David! There's certainly plenty in them to model and strive towards. Its a simple path but far from easy
Me too David.
@Imperishable stuff a strong person is good noble and impressive
I found Walden when I was an addict... it really spoke to me... I started to walk and walk, and it helped me to get off drugs and even led me towards a type of Daoism... after reading Civil disobedience I also found the diary of Sören Kierkegaard. I read all those books until they broke down the spine... I wonder if your 20 year study has changed you in any way along the line...
@@rosemadder5547 Yes. I do not aspire to any typical American idea of success. I do not allow myself to be defined by a job, but instead take each day as it comes. I no longer seek any counsel or solace from religious ideas, but instead only try to find myself in Nature.
I have been a Thoreau fan for 40 years. Hard to convey this to you as I am proud to have punched the clock for 15 years as a Tool & Die Maker and as a technician. I always see work as a means to life(adventure & thought). I still bring in a good buck working hard as an owner operator now. I see it as a means to my being the laziest person. I think there are many like me. It is hard to pay attention to life with 45hr work week but it’s been accomplished by many before me.
Your vocal tone is simultaneously soothing and endearing. Very nicely done video, in all.
I like the gadfly analogy. I agree. Like Socrates, Thoreau sometimes rubbed people the wrong way, and some thought no his adventurous path to knowledge and peace of mind is unattainable. But, as you’ve shown us, it can be done on only a dollar a day.throw has always been one of my heroes, as I delve deeper into philosophy Diogenes, as well, has been someone I have looked up to for inspiration. Thanks for all the great work living philosophy.
By “prickly,” did you have Alan Watts in mind with that conspicuous - but wonderful - description?
I had to stop and re-listen to that first sentence. Such an amazing way of putting it, really great video
Haha awesome delighted you enjoyed it so much Kyle!
Excellent presentation on Thoreau's philosophy and his stoic influences of Cato the Younger and Diogenes. I've learned something from you and for that, I'm grateful. Thank you!
Thanks David! Delighted to hear it!
Gratitude is das father of all virtues:
Wisdom
Courage
Justice
amazing content , a real gem of a channel i stumbled upon ! the audio is crisp , the video essay progression smooth , the script poetic !
criminally underrated ...
This is one of the nicest comments I've ever received!! Thank you very much iam'a redhawk you have brought a smile to my face
I rate living philosophy good.
What is good ?
An increase in power.
By gaining strength of self, one is enriched, but learning what you can then do with that strength determines how and if your life was admirable. However, one need not always be admirable for one’s story to be useful in the teaching others; a cautionary tale can educate us on what *not* to do, so all are valuable to the betterment of humanity in some way.
Yes! I love the idea of anti-heroes. I had a list of a couple of them before because it's as useful to know what you want to steer away from as it is to know what you are steering towards. It also helps with getting out of the gate because you say well that person is doing it well then I can certainly do better than that and perhaps have a duty to do so
A cautious man is wise.
Bravo! Wonderful discussion about Thoreau. I am reading Thoreau again for the first time in over 40 years and I'm realizing the strong influence he had on my being from when I first read him as a teenager.
Wow, thanks for this ..just a few months back I sent 'walden' to my daughter in new Zealand. I think I will send her your commentary, she's around your age but only just now approaching the greats! Yay you!!!!!!!!! Blessed 😁😇
Delighted to hear it Dee I hope she enjoys it!
Really appreciate the way you respond to listeners! Sometimes It's lonely wanting to connect/share with others in these concepts...especially Nietzches work...and Schopenhauer. I'm considering learning German so I can go deeper into their work. I live in a beautiful place in Queensland...the ocean life is so conducive to contemplation! 💖 I write poetry but mainly about 12 Step 'conscious contact' stuff
Cool to connect with you again, thankyou :) 🚀
@@deebaker9199 I'm happy to interact when I have the time! I've often thought the same about learning German but have been daunted by the challenge of it so have thusfar stayed aloof of it. I spent a bit of time in QLD back in 2015 mostly Brisbane and Cape Trib. Interesting place. Very different weather to Ireland 😁
Simply beautiful! I lov your poetic descriptions
Thank you Quality Apologist!
Simple is beautiful.
I just used your video and shared it with my students in a US history course. We enjoyed your presentation. It is a deep piece of thought we all do well to engage in as we examine our lives and purpose. None of us want to live a life of Quiet Desperation
Wow that's amazing! Glad to help spread some of Thoreau's fine wisdoms!
This guy is Gangsta man. Even though world has developed and modernised his words are so direct and simple that there is a truth in them that we can adopt by living less.
A good life is simple because simple is beautiful since simplicity is das ultimate form of sophistication
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
Very well done. One correction, however: Thoreau, when asked how his name was pronounced, said it should rhyme with “furrow.” Hence, the accent goes on the first, rather than on the second, syllable. He sometimes made a pun on his name: when hired to do surveying, he would tell his employer that he would do a “thorough [the actual pronunciation] job.”
Haha not just informative but entertaining and informative thank you very much for that I shall update my pronunciation going forward
Brilliant video mate
Thanks TheAwillz!
Fantastic work !!! Please 🙏 keep it up
This is the reason why some people do not understand that poverty is just pretentious pressures of society. A minimalists lifestyle is a virtue of practical men like Thoreau and Diogenes.
Lovely!
Really enjoyed that, thanks mate!
Wow, I began my deliberate 1:6 work:play (ahem! higher purpose) life ratio about a year ago. Didn't know Henry thought of it first. "Revolution, please," I whisper to the trees.
Do you call your personal philosophy anything other than "the living philosophy"? (Which is quite good enough, I'm just wondering!)
Wow! Sounds awesome! Very interesting way to live life I'm sure Henry would be delighted!
I don't call my philosophy anything else yet I guess I hadn't even thought of it as the living philosophy although it's the one that's closest to my heart. I guess in many ways I'm still waiting for my philosophy to click into a more coherent form. There's a few core pieces such as the value of suffering and valuable multiplicity of the inner world that are relatively clear to me but there's so much information and wisdom that has yet to become clear and solidified into my bones so at this point I can't see the wood for the trees and I'm still patiently waiting for the epiphanic eureka. Interesting question though I've never thought about it before!
@@TheLivingPhilosophy I don't think the names of our philosophies matter much anyway! Just vessels for communicating a larger unspeakable thing. Wishing you an epiphanic eureka regardless ✨
Life filosofy
I don't know much about Thoreau. Always thought of him as just a famous journalist rather than a philosopher but I might look into his work. Any book recommendations for someone who knows nothing much of him? Maybe one book by him and one about him to give me a concise idea what he was about. I see a bit of his anti-social contemplative nature in myself, but not so extreme. Maybe I can pick up some inspiration and learn how to be a better misanthrope...LOL. Thanks for another good biographical sketch.
Thoreau wasn't anti-social but he was far more comfortable being alone in nature.
Thoreau's masterpiece was the book Walden.
A good biography of Thoreau is that of Joseph Wood Krutch.
Thoreau was first and foremost a naturalist- and resented distractions from it.
Great job. I love you channel.
(your) lol
Haha thanks Rob (on behalf of both the channel and myself)
Like my own thoughts, but of course I must have been told these things described the human experience I most dream of
Thank you.
Love
Simplicity
Patience
Are 3 greatest treasures of mankind;
But because of fear and laziness,
Man tends to chase after the ends
And forgets about the root.
Returning to das source is returning to tranquility because there is no happiness higher than rest.
Well stated. I think fear and comfort is the opposite polarity cage that keeps us trapped
*_'Give me integrity or death'_* .
Salve Saturnus, the cultivator of soil, the sower of future harvest, the god of a golden age.
To turn on one's heel and to walk away from everything - a moment, everything done and suffered has lead to - is entering the promised, _imminent_ Kingdom - from which all directions are fair.
Thanks, good job. Subbin
Great video! I hope you start focusing more on these authentic, humanist philosophers rather than misanthropic sociopaths like Nietzsche. Have you done any videos about Kierkegaard yet?
Haha well I will be looking at Nietzsche at some point but lot of thoughts and material there to tame so the misanthropic sociopaths aren't out just yet but yes I am thinking a lot about Kierkegaard especially when you look at the living philosophy of philosophers he's one that comes up to mine so expect him to be dropping sometime in the next month
OK, my mom loved Walden
❤
"I would rather sit on a pumpkin..."
Yet what is it that Thoreau overlooked? What he could not see, which was a world of relatively sane, modest people attempting to build lives using business, the railroad and other "complications" of modern life. Sure, we lose something amidst all our complicated living, but our lives are indeed ultimately superior to the solitude-loving, buddha-type people of the world who chose to remove themselves, rather than participate & play. Thoreau was indeed sincere, that rare quality, but he was a little too serious, that more common folly.
Thoreau wasn’t like Diogenes at all. Thoreau was an anarchist but he had a deeply moral nature and he cared deeply about social Justice. He was motivated by high moral principles. He didn’t flaunt social conventions for the mere sake of outraging the public.
Ah I dunno Steven I think that's unfair to Diogenes. I don't think it was just for shock value although social justice wasn't much to his taste. I guess they share their individualism mainly
@@TheLivingPhilosophy Maybe I’m being unfair to Diogenes but it’s hard to take seriously a man who masturbates in public and sleeps in a large urn and begs in the street. Of course, these accounts may be apocryphal. I understand that he was an anarchist who advocated asceticism and so I can see some connection to Thoreau.
your constant reference to "temperament" while then attempting to engage, with respect, with a thinker is obnoxious
Everything I hear is only an opinion-
Not a fact.
@@satnamo Well i hope you don't think the real world is just an opinion and that some mere opinions are better than others based on their relation to the world