Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience
Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience
According to the Encarta World English Dictionary, civil disobedience is the deliberate breaking of a law by ordinary citizens, carried out as nonviolent protest or passive resistance. Henry David Thoreau, author of Civil Disobedience, had idealistic motives. He visualized a perfect government, free of harm, fault, and malfunction. Of course, this government he spoke of was purely off his needs, failing to review or analyze the needs of his fellow citizens. In accusing the reader, Thoreau obtained the reactions he wanted. Raised eyebrows, negative feedback, debates, and retorting, were the resulting factors. The disputes sparked are endless. “The authority of government is still an impure one.” This statement suggests Thoreau recognized that the government was not liable to revolutionize. In spite of this, he erects a disgraceful depiction of the reader, and presents it. Obliterating the observer’s self-esteem, he conveys amusement, and portrays the indignity that they will forever undergo. “Through this wound a man’s real manhood and immorality flow out, and he bleeds to an everlasting death.” Using the same strategy, Thoreau highlights subject to shame as far more catastrophic than materialistic loss. The outcome of this irrational strategy leads to grudges, resentment, loathing and further argumentation, defeating the purpose to begin with.
“Is it not possible to take a step further towards recognizing and organizing the rights of man?” By this, we all know Thoreau is accentuating his own needs, rather than those of the majority, because as he has already stated, “A majority are permitted.” Instead of distinguishing the fact that the “majority” of people are satisfied with the government formation, he insists on irritating them and trying to change their motives, in reproofing the fulfilled ambitions they have accomplished, and hopes for tomorrow. His unawareness in this and other perspectives are clearly visible.
According to the Encarta World English Dictionary, civil disobedience is the deliberate breaking of a law by ordinary citizens, carried out as nonviolent protest or passive resistance. Henry David Thoreau, author of Civil Disobedience, had idealistic motives. He visualized a perfect government, free of harm, fault, and malfunction. Of course, this government he spoke of was purely off his needs, failing to review or analyze the needs of his fellow citizens. In accusing the reader, Thoreau obtained the reactions he wanted. Raised eyebrows, negative feedback, debates, and retorting, were the resulting factors. The disputes sparked are endless. “The authority of government is still an impure one.” This statement suggests Thoreau recognized that the government was not liable to revolutionize. In spite of this, he erects a disgraceful depiction of the reader, and presents it. Obliterating the observer’s self-esteem, he conveys amusement, and portrays the indignity that they will forever undergo. “Through this wound a man’s real manhood and immorality flow out, and he bleeds to an everlasting death.” Using the same strategy, Thoreau highlights subject to shame as far more catastrophic than materialistic loss. The outcome of this irrational strategy leads to grudges, resentment, loathing and further argumentation, defeating the purpose to begin with.
“Is it not possible to take a step further towards recognizing and organizing the rights of man?” By this, we all know Thoreau is accentuating his own needs, rather than those of the majority, because as he has already stated, “A majority are permitted.” Instead of distinguishing the fact that the “majority” of people are satisfied with the government formation, he insists on irritating them and trying to change their motives, in reproofing the fulfilled ambitions they have accomplished, and hopes for tomorrow. His unawareness in this and other perspectives are clearly visible.