Reading these recent chapters of Thoreau, "Baker farm" and "Higher Laws" I find myself cringing and wincing at his undeniably rudeness towards an impoverished immigrant family who showed him generosity through quartering during a rain storm. I feel that as Thoreau has isolated himself and became "self-reliant" he has not only become antisocial but also rude. Not only does he close his eyes to drink the water that he asked for, but he starts giving unsolicited advice through lecture to a person based on their economic status. When meeting a stranger the last thing I would want to be told is how to live my life, especially when this stranger is telling me that I need to in order to climb out of poverty I need to cut out coffee and meat contradicting my beliefs, the last thing I would like to hear is that I am wrong and have no clue on how to live properly. I feel that he is thoroughly contradicting himself by praising poverty in his early chapters, but only when it is self-imposed rather than when it is imposed or determined by societal factors. Self-imposed poverty is much different in my opinion than societal poverty where there are systems in place keeping you down. This conversation with Fields is very one-sided where Thoreau imposes his views on Fields and doesn't let Fields report his side of his story. This forces us to see a different form that of the solitary dreamer and conscientious objector we have seen before. In this chapter I feel that Thoreau's passionate convictions may actually stand in the way of human relations. His isolation has made him insensitive to others. I also was cringing at the fact he kept bringing up the Irish heritage and justified the poverty based on the Field's family being Irish. This is racism, plain and simple, claiming its not the un-education that justifies his poverty but the Irish laziness and self-neglect within him, claiming that he was "born to be poor", this quote is line with genetic predisposition to economic performance.
The "Brute Neighbors" chapter had me less perplexed than the previous above as I was able to relate more and more when Thoreau was watching the colony of the larger in size but smaller numbers black ants versuds the smaller in
size but numbers of red ant fight a war. This chapter had me drawing the same connections Thoreau drew by noticing the human resembelence in which was taking place. He concludes that ants are just as set and spirited as human soldiers. In life we often rally against a common enemy like that of ants and are reluctant to let what we love die. He goes on to basically say that humans are animals and we are all neighbors and "brutes" seeking food and shelter to survive. His take on humans having two sides one animal and the other spiritual. I can't help but relate, I feel that we as a people tend to be more animal in groups however in isolation and by yourself and with your own thoughts you are much more spiritual and see ther world through a different lense. I often try to be spiritual with friends and partners however it is much harder to be down to earth and susceptible and have your guard down. This relates to a what Thoreau said in "Sounds" that there is no method or discipline that is more advantageous than keeping alert. There is no alertness when meditating or trying to be spiritual there is only calmness and relaxing. In order to reach a spiritual level you first must be comfortable and let your guard down then in turn becoming less advantageous.
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