Life At Its Simplest--Emerson & Thoreau As Applied To Modern Living Es

Life At It's Simplest--Emerson & Thoreau As Applied To Modern Living Life at Its Simplest A Practical Application of Interpreted Emersonian and Thoreauvian Concepts Due to a variety of coincidental circumstance, I have recently found myself in the position to write a paper exploring the practical application of Emersonian and Thoreauvian concepts in modern society. Both Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are considered two of the most influential and inspiring transcendentalist writers of this country. Their works consist of extensively studying and embracing nature as well as encouraging and practicing individualism and non-conformity. As a college student in a metropolitan city, I experience the everyday hustle and bustle that city life breeds. Youre kidding yourself if you say we live in a simple timeeveryone knows thatand with so much everyday stimuli there are bound to be simpler aspects of life that end up neglected. The primary goal of Emerson and Thoreau seems to be the exploration of what they believe to be the forgotten, but most important, parts of life: the simplest. Here is what happens when an average, city dwelling, colle ge student gets back in touch with life at its simplest. Day 1 Its 10 am, Im running late for school, Im hungry, its freezing, and I have no money in my wallet. Now, a person often says he is broke, meaning he cant buy a new pair of sneakers, but I literally have not a dollar to my name, having quit one job and having yet to land another. This day without money looks like the perfect opportunity to explore Thoreaus concept of living without the common comfort money can bring. But even Thoreau, with his dislike for money, eventually gets a job as a schoolteacher in Concord. (usmh12.usmd.edu/thoreau) I cant really experience any Walden lake situation either, because I must go to school, and being without money is not an excuse to avoid it. I grab a banana and rush to school only to realize that I cant park in the schools lot (that I have parked in everyday for the last three years without a problem.) A two-dollar fee never seemed so large. If I were in the forest, at least the parking would be free. I pull over and scrounge through my trunk, foolishly believing there might be a few quarters lying around. Not in this city. I end up driving around Park Merced for 20 precious minutes searching for free parking. Is everyone else as broke as I am? I head to my favorite coffee shop for their specialty, the white mocha, only to turn red as the cashier looks to me for payment. I cant believe Im this broke. How am I supposed to go all day without coffee? The same thing happens at lunch, but this time I stop myself before reaching the cashier. Looks like Im learning. I stop at the supermarket on the way home and pick up coffee and lunch supplies, determined to get up early enough to make coffee before school and pack a lunch. Needless to say, I pay the cashier in plastic. Later, I have to do the same at the gas station, but I know I cant keep using my credit card like this. What am I supposed to do, though? I need gas, food, and coffee. I also need to get my nails done, but I dont see that happening anytime soon. The end of the day leaves me frustrated. I need a job. I dont care what Emerson and Thoreau say about living simply. This no money thing will not work. Day 2 The CD player in my car breaks. This may not sound like such a big deal, but I certainly do not have the money to fix it, and there is no radio, so now Im left with no sound in my vehicle. Driving to school, I can hear my cars little engine huffing and puffingIve never really heard it before since I always have my Britney Spears playing so loud. I pull into the student lot (Ive managed to snag my roommates pass from earlier) and reach out of habit to remove my stereos face. But, right, nothing is there. The drive into the city is