Questions Thoreau Makes Me Ponder:

In Walden, I stumbled upon what I consider to be a fascinating conflict. Thoreau explains, "I found in myself, and still find, an instinct toward a higher, or, as it is named, spiritual life, as do most men, and another toward a primitive rank and savage one, and I reverence them both." I engage in the same thought process on such a frequent basis. He sometimes feels as if there is conflict between the two lifestyles, but I think he has struck a balance, which is one of the most important prospects in life. I sometimes feel as though we as humans are less "human" than we were centuries ago. I occasionally deem it ludicrous that we would suppress our natural instincts for the sake of being politically correct or conforming to social standards. Yet, other times I feel as if I must treat my body as a temple and dedicate my life to spiritual evolution, for we are not merely animals but also spiritual beings capable of seeking out fundamental truths during introspection. Thoreau claims that "goodness is the only investment that never fails." Most people at some point in their lives wrestle with the issue of morality, and ask themselves the question of when being "good" is going to pay off. I wish I had unflinching faith like Thoreau does. His firm belief that the cosmic order of nature will reward those who do good seems as if it would make one feel so much more at ease in life.