The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation (2023)

FAQs

Who said the mass of men live lives of quiet desperation? ›

One day, I came across the lines of Transcendentalist philosopher Henry David Thoreau. “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation,” he wrote in Walden in 1854. Thoreau's writing—a reflection on human nature's tendency to reside in a “quiet desperation”—helped me to pinpoint my own misgivings about my professional path.

Quiet desperation is acceptance of–and surrendering to–circumstances. Quietly desperate lives are frustrated, passive, and apathetic. They're unfulfilled and unrealized.

Quote by Henry David Thoreau: “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation...”

Research in empirical psychology shows that, contrary to what Thoreau claims, most people in the world are, in fact, generally happy. Even people in difficult conditions are usually happy. Thoreau's claim is simply false: the mass of people in the world do not lead a life of quiet desperation but, rather, of happiness.

The above quote comes from the classic book “Walden” written by Henry David Thoreau and speaks to anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit. “The mass of mean lead lives of quiet desperation…” Most go through their lives wanting more but accepting less. Accepting a life that is mediocre and lacking passion.

Henry David Thoreau's quote “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation” was an observation that most people live an empty life caused by unfulfilling work, lack of leisure time and misplaced values; money, possessions and accolades. Thoreau claimed the value we attach to possessions, money and status is wrong.

The origin of the word traces back to the Latin desperare, "to lose all hope," which is formed from the prefix de-, "without," added to sperare, "hope."

“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.”

What is tapestry of quiet desperation? ›

Orpheus make to Brock being a "tapestry of quiet desperation" are references to the Henry David Thoreau book Walden in which Thoreau claims that most men in urban contemporary society "lead lives of quiet desperation".

Albert Einstein once stated: “A quiet and modest life brings more joy than a pursuit of success bound with constant unrest.” Leading a quiet life means slowing down, being mindful of your surroundings, and being grateful for everything you have.

Thoreau is sometimes referred to as an anarchist. In "Civil Disobedience", Thoreau wrote: "I heartily accept the motto,—'That government is best which governs least;' and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically.

He argued that when one walks by foot they have the freedom to forge their own journey, whereas when one rides the railroad they are subject to the predetermined path of the rails. This scene from American Autumns by J.F.

Men are evolutionarily wired to need solitude. It is where we find peace, quiet, solace, and a connection to the soul. Men and women have adapted differently to some degree throughout the ages, to require different ways of coming back home to themselves, from the stresses of the world.

Henry David Thoreau - Floating Quote - If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears. In stock.

Men respond to silence and distance emotionally. When they don't hear from you for a while, their male instinct pushes them to find you and know how you feel. They want to see if you are fine, if you miss them or whether you value their existence. Strangely enough, it doesn't matter if you like him to not.

How many people are quiet quitting? ›

26% of workers admit they do the bare minimum or less

Twenty-one percent of workers are 'quiet quitting,' choosing to put in only the bare minimum and just doing what they are paid to do. Additionally, 5% say they actually do less than what's required of them.

The term quiet quitting came about as a rationale for the Great Resignation, or Americans' sustained willingness to quit their jobs in search of better ones during the pandemic. Work did not have to take priority in their lives, and if it did, they could quit.

“Quiet quitting" means workers are now prepared to reject the notion that work is their life and that they should work beyond their job descriptions to succeed. This means they will be less willing to take on extra work, volunteer for committees, or answer work communication beyond the workday hours.

His heart pounded, his lips quivered, decay crept into his bones, and his legs trembled (Habakkuk 3:16). He was confused, angry, terrified, and desperate for relief. He cried, “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?” (Habakkuk 1:2).

Distress and desperation are both emotions that someone can have who is seriously in trouble. They are both characterized by being overwhelmed, not knowing what to do, and if possible, finding others to help you.

Some common synonyms of desperate are despairing, despondent, and hopeless. While all these words mean "having lost all or nearly all hope," desperate implies despair that prompts reckless action or violence in the face of defeat or frustration.

Desperation is a negative emotion that tends to accompany situations of stress, anxiety, or situations involving a lack of control that ultimately motivate one's behaviors (Baker 2002; de Haes et al.

Being desperate for love often means making it a priority, even over self care and time with friends. This can be dangerous because it often means you are filling a void with dating and relationships.

It can make you feel tired, hopeless, and disoriented. Desperation can, metaphorically, squeeze the creative juice right out of you. In 2013, Harvard researchers did a study on how financial stress affects decision-making.

Thoreau's central message in Walden is to live simply, independently, and wisely.

What was Thoreau's main point? ›

Thoreau argued that the government must end its unjust actions to earn the right to collect taxes from its citizens. As long as the government commits unjust actions, he continued, conscientious individuals must choose whether to pay their taxes or to refuse to pay them and defy the government.

Summary: Conclusion

Thoreau notes that doctors often recommend a change of scenery for the sick, but he slyly mocks this view, saying that the “universe is wider than our views of it.” He argues that it is perhaps a change of soul, rather than a change of landscape, that is needed.

He began writing Walden in 1846 as a lecture in response to the questions of townspeople who were curious about what he was doing out at the pond, but his notes soon grew into his second book. Thoreau stayed in the house at Walden Pond for two years, from July 1845 to September 1847.

Quiet people are more likely to be introverts than extroverts and tend to be more creative and sensitive than the average person. They also tend to be private people who don't like being in large crowds or socializing much at all unless it's necessary for work or school.

Staying silent helps give you a reason to speak, to analyze your situations and yourself, to be aware of how you are going to react. Many people do things without thinking because they're not used to the absence of words.

Scripture tells us that silence can help us avoid sinning (Proverbs 10:19), gain respect (Proverbs 11:12), and is deemed wise and intelligent (Proverbs 17:28). In other words, you may be blessed by holding your tongue. Ultimately, refraining from speaking in certain situations means we are practicing self-control.

While Thoreau opposed slavery, his principal response was to resist it passively, rather than to crusade for its abolition. In contrast, William Lloyd Garrison (1805–1879) was moved to devote all of his energy and resources to a tireless crusade for abolition.

Emerson particularly respected Thoreau as a man of action and valued his useful skills and knowledge. He wrote in his eulogy of Thoreau: “He grew to be revered and admired by his townsmen, who had at first known him only as an oddity.

Yet, despite his apostasy, his often withering criticism of the churches of his day, and the habitual distrust he showed to institutions in general, there is no question that Thoreau was a deeply religious or, in the preferred parlance of today, spiritual man - so long as we understand these terms in the personal, ...

In Slavery in Massachusetts Thoreau pleaded, Will mankind never learn that policy is not morality—that it never secures any moral right, but considers merely what is expedient . . . .

What is the main theme of Thoreau's Civil Disobedience? ›

In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau's basic premise is that a higher law than civil law demands the obedience of the individual. Human law and government are subordinate. In cases where the two are at odds with one another, the individual must follow his conscience and, if necessary, disregard human law.

Thoreau was an abolitionist who helped runaway slaves and worked to repeal the fugitive slave law.

“The mass of men serve the State, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies.” By saying "the mass of men," Henry David Thoreau implies that most citizens serve the government in one way or another. The word serve suggests a lack of freedom, and the word machines suggests a lack of control and consciousness.

He wrote in his eulogy of Thoreau that “no equal companion stood in affectionate relations with one so pure and guileless,” and went so far as to comment, “I think the severity of his ideal interfered to deprive him of a healthy sufficiency of human society.” Then, too, there was an offputting thorniness to Thoreau's ...