
The True American: On Henry David Thoreau - samclemens
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2017/08/17/henry-david-thoreau-true-american/
======
nsparrow
Robert Harrison, the author and professor at Stanford, also has a podcast,
Entitled Opinions, that may be of interest to HN [1]. He recently did a
fascinating episode on artificial intelligence & the singularity, approaching
AI from a philosophical standpoint with a Stanford computer scientist [2].

[1]:
[https://entitledopinions.stanford.edu/](https://entitledopinions.stanford.edu/)

[2]: [https://entitledopinions.stanford.edu/sam-ginn-
singularity](https://entitledopinions.stanford.edu/sam-ginn-singularity)

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dmckeon
As technologists, let's not overlook Thoreau's tech work [0] - he made the
lead pencil into a profitable product in the US: and could be said to have
invented the "Number 2 lead pencil" in that the technique of blending graphite
and clay made it possible for his family's company to produce different grades
of pencils.

To be fair, European pencil-makers were using a similar process as a trade
secret at the time, and the market share of Thoreau pencils was helped by high
tariffs. Still, HDT was not just a dreamer and writer in the woods, but a
technologist improving the very tools he wrote with.

[0]
[http://www.english.illinois.edu/-people-/faculty/debaron/482...](http://www.english.illinois.edu/-people-/faculty/debaron/482/482readings/03%20thoreau%20s%20pencil.pdf)

------
ordinaryperson
For a better, more critical take on Mr. Thoreau, see:
[https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/10/19/pond-
scum](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/10/19/pond-scum)

"The real Thoreau was, in the fullest sense of the word, self-obsessed:
narcissistic, fanatical about self-control, adamant that he required nothing
beyond himself to understand and thrive in the world."

Some highlights:

-HDT was unmoved by dead bodies from a shipwreck, thought they "enhanced" the beauty of the beach.

-A 6' x 3' toolshed with air holes would "make a fine home" (he added he was "not jesting")

-He turned up his nose at food: explicitly condemning salt (the "grossest of groceries") and jam and exhorted readers to limit themselves to 1 meal a day, at most

-He despised his admirers and was superior, condescending and rude, referring to his fellow Concordians as "pygmies and manikins."

-He didn't believed in philanthropy or helping others because it he had "tried it fairly" but it "didn't agree with [his] constitution."

Read on for more.

There are many great 19th C American writers (some ex:
[https://www.thoughtco.com/notable-authors-of-the-19th-
centur...](https://www.thoughtco.com/notable-authors-of-the-19th-
century-1773693)). HDT is not one of them, IMHO.

~~~
eighthnate
> Some highlights:

Mahler was antisemitc. Pope was sexist. If you judged works of art by who the
author is, then most works of art would be viewed as rubbish.

> HDT is not one of them, IMHO.

Just because you disagree with his ascetic and "anti-social" lifestyle doesn't
mean he wasn't a great writer. Walden and Civil Disobedience are easily some
of the most important and iconic writings in american literature.

Many of the great writers are eccentric. You can't judge works of art based on
who the author is.

The amount of anti-intellectualism pushed by the social justice left is rather
alarming. If HDT wasn't a great american writer, then there is no such thing
as a "great american writer".

I just had a debate the other day with someone who claimed Mark Twain was a
terrible writer because he used the N word in his books. Now I have to defend
Thoreau? What's going on here?

~~~
hellofunk
> Mahler was antisemitc.

Mahler was a Jew.

~~~
NiklasMort
oh double trouble!

