The Philosophies And Writings Of Henry David Thoreau

In modern society, a person is forced to conform to the standards placed by stereotypes. Namely, the idea that having a the goal of labor, no matter the occupation, is to climb to the highest tier and obtain the most income possible, regardless of passion or interest. That ideal has become a major flaw in the functionality of people claiming to live a successful and fulfilling life. Based on the philosophies and writings of Henry David Thoreau, there is a connection between Thoreau’s concepts regarding society by exposing how working joylessly only for the sake of gaining wealth is not a true way of experiencing a fulfilling life. The point Thoreau is attempting to convey is the fact that life is what a person makes it for themselves. Good
Having a career that makes the most money should not be a primary objective when searching for a job. Working joylessly with the intent to gain wealth cannot be viewed as the ultimate goal of life. Some who would argue that acquiring money is key to a fulfilling life in modern society. There is also the assumption that money allows a person to explore different opportunities and experiences, thus living life to the fullest. Is sacrificing one’s personal happiness and stunting passion within the workplace for the sake of gaining a substantial pay increase worth the price of such self-centered emotions? With this question in mind, a person can see the benefits of achieving wealth at the expense of personal contentment; however, merely engaging in different activities does not necessarily mean that a person has truly lived life to the best of their ability. Furthermore, the more a person centralizes salary, “ the less they will focus on satisfying their intellectual curiosity, learning new skills, or having fun, and those are the very things that make people perform best”(Chamorro-Premuzic). The blame on how a person views fulfillment in contemporary society should not shift to the individual, but to the influences of modern society. Thoreau urged people to choose careers that they are personally enthusiastic about because an individual's values and emotions should contribute a large amount of bias towards choosing an occupation. Relating to Thoreau’s philosophies which regarded happiness, a man must not tolerate working in a place where he is anxious and uncomfortable because “the more emotionally stable, agreeable, extraverted, or conscientious people are, the more [he] tend to like their jobs(irrespective of their salaries)” (Chamorro-Premuzic). The pressure of climbing the social ladder to reach a ‘happy’ life while in competition with millions of others can emotionally trap