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on Walden and Nature

12/9/2013

 
Although you can't all watch it now, you all should watch the video above where a guide from Walden Pond gives a tour of the site where Henry David Thoreau moved to get away from the world.

I think what I find the most interesting from this video is the point that Thoreau was an early conservationist- that is, someone who wanted to protect and preserve the natural world around him. He cataloged birds, animals, plants, etc around him.  If you go to the original website, there is an article about the video that mentions at the end that "
Conservation biologists reported in 2008 - based on Thoreau's research- that common species are flowering 7 days earlier than they did during his day and 27% of the species he studied have disappeared (another 36% are endangered)." This is pretty incredible. That the research that he did 150 years ago, tells us how we, modern man, has changed the environment. Here is the link to the article. It's pretty short but has interesting information about the site and about Thoreau himself.

Here is the funny thing about Thoreau. He built his cabin on land that Ralph Waldo Emerson owned (with his permission). Yes, this is the author we just finished reading.  I didn't realize that they knew each other, and upon doing a little research, I found that they knew each other well, good friends. So, it is no wonder that their writing is very similar in theme.

Emerson was interested in the idea that each person has to develop his or her own understanding of the universe, or the Natural World and God. While Emerson never wrote about Nature and agreed that one needed to go out into the world to find true meaning, Thoreau went out into the woods, alone, for a long time-  to develop his own understanding. Did he find it? Well, he certainly begins to tell us in the excerpt from Walden that we are going to read.

What do you think? Do you agree with Emerson's belief that we should follow our own convictions,  live by our own opinions, and not imitate the ideas or follow the convictions of others? 

Thoreau went into the woods to "live deep and suck out all the marrow of life...". What do you think about someone who decides to go to the middle of nowhere to think and write? Where would you go, if you could go anywhere, to think and write?

If you want to learn more about Thoreau, I found an excellent annotated version of Walden here.

Elexious.
12/9/2013 09:44:07 am

I believe that Emerson's belief that we should follow our own convictions, live by our own opinions and not follow others because, we should follow our own path because, you learn from what you do not what others do, we are individuals not two or more.
I think that if a person decides to go into the middle of nowhere to read/and or write is a good idea. I think it is a good idea because it can be a good way to vent out. if I could go anywhere to read and write it would be in the woods. I would go to the woods because I would be alone and I would be able to do anything with out any worries.

deseree cama
12/9/2013 09:44:16 am

yes because if we follow other peoples convictions. We are living by what they say is right how they say we should live.by use living by are own convictions we can do what we want when we want

Deja Weeden
12/9/2013 09:44:17 am

I do believe in Emersons belief ,but to an extent,I believe that this kind of belief only benefits people who are open with Athiesm along with people who believe in different Gods,how ever not people who believe in God himself.

I view someone who did what Thoreau did as an act of trying to find themselves.Someone lost ,someone who would go through great depths to find the true meaning of life.

Kerrie
12/9/2013 09:44:27 am

Yes I agree because with Emerson's belief. We should live by our own opinions because I don't think anyone would like to live by what others think. Besides, living by our won opinions help us people be more independent.

allen
12/9/2013 09:44:37 am

I agree with Emerson and his beliefs to follow our conviction, because following others, may not always be the right way or the right thing to do. You as a person, know yourself better than everyone else. If everyone followed other people's convictions, originality would be dead. And to the people who decide to go in the middle of nowhere to think and write, I think that is perfect. Sometimes isolation, stimulates the mind, and creates ideas, ideas that are worth writing down. If I had to go to a place and write it would be on a rooftop, and have the sound of a busy city sooth the mind and relax me.

elexious
12/9/2013 09:46:06 am

I wouldn't say that we would ll be dead as you stated but it could* lead to death

jose
12/9/2013 09:44:44 am

yes we should follow our convictions

ismael
12/9/2013 09:45:02 am

i think that the convictions of your own can lead you to live a better life rather than following others convictions. I think someone that who decides to to go to the middle of nowhere is free from the his/hers surroundings. If i could go anywhere to think or write i would go to a beach where i am alone just hearing the waves of the water hit the sand.

Erika
12/9/2013 09:45:28 am

i agree because if we get intimidated with others ideas or convictions, you will be living off what others opinion are instead of living of what your beliefs are. only your opinions should matter not others.

Lourenzo link
12/9/2013 09:47:23 am

I do agree with Emerson. Throughout life a person needs to develop an understanding and opinions on things, because just copying those of others leaves them with nothing.

christopher
12/9/2013 09:47:48 am

i agree because we should live by our own convictions because we can lead are own life in a better way. and its a better way to live

Mlayenon
12/9/2013 09:49:15 am

Yes, I agree with Emerson's belief that we should follow our own convictions and not the convictions of others because everybody is not the same and we all don't like the same thing so follow whatever you like, and to live by. I think the person who decided to go to the middle of nowhere is a brave person because he's observing somewhere he don't know and I would go observe to Texas because I never been there.

Woody
12/9/2013 09:50:03 am

I agree because with Emerson's belief. We should live by our own opinions and decisions because noone wants to live by someone elses rules. And living alone helps you on being more independant.

Mr. Potato Head
12/9/2013 09:50:20 am

I do believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Becoming a copy is never going to be better than being an original.

david
12/9/2013 09:50:56 am

i also agree too Emerson teaching us in life we can not always rely on other for our sake

javian
12/9/2013 09:51:23 am

People should have their own beliefs and lead instead of follow.

Anlly
12/9/2013 09:51:31 am

I think people should follow their own opinions and do their own thing. If you life doing things other do you always going to be afraid of what other think of you.

buzz lightyear link
12/9/2013 09:51:52 am

i agree with Emerson because i think that all people should do what they believe in and not let other peoples decisions influence their own

Jordan Oliveira
12/9/2013 09:52:02 am

Yes i do agree with Emerson because our belief is what we believe in. Also we live by, imitate and follow what we believe in and not to follow others convections and beliefs.

i think its a good way because if you go in the middle of no where it will be just you and and you can think about what you want to write. Yes i would go any where to think and write because i need a quite place to think about what i am gonna write.

Vaughn
12/9/2013 09:52:12 am

I agree that people should live by their own convictions. You should live by what you think and not what other people think or what the world tells you you need to be like.

Sarah
12/9/2013 09:53:20 am

I strongly agree with Emerson's belief of we should follow our own convictions and not the convictions of others because, as an individual you have to learn from your mistakes and not all the time you agree with someones beliefs, therefore we should follow our own convictions and be ourselves.

Helana
12/9/2013 09:53:48 am

I agree with Emerson. I think we sould follow our own convictions and be our own person. We should follow our own beliefs and what we think is right.

jadrian
12/9/2013 09:54:42 am

i believe because you lead yourself to what you want to live a good or better life than following someone convictions

brandon
12/9/2013 09:55:38 am

idk what to right soooo....


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    Stephanie Morrison

    Teaching in an urban district, trying to flip my classroom.

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