“He may have been a jerk, but he still matters” (Purdy 1). Many critics argue that Henry David Thoreau, an American author and philosopher, is a narcissistic, selfish, and hypocritical person. In agreement with Jedediah Purdy, Thoreau was not a perfect, admirable person, but he still held important values that relate to society today. Throughout his book, Walden, Thoreau aims to live a simple life by being alone in a cabin at Walden Pond, Massachusetts while embracing the ideals of transcendentalism. Throughout his novel, Thoreau conveys his experience of observing nature and self-reflection while providing a transparent view of his mistakes. His teachings are incredibly vital to students because he introduces elements that are often absent from today’s society. Henry David Thoreau’s literary works are relevant to today’s adolescents, particularly due to the ideal of living a simple life, and its positive effects on resource management, stress, and self-clarity, as well as his focus on action, stemming from moral responsibility, throughout his writing. Therefore, the USC Game Innovation Lab’s video game simulation regarding Thoreau is beneficial for teachers to introduce into the curriculum as today is a time of climate change, charged politicism, and social injustice. 

Thoreau’s advocacy of a simple life holds relevance to children in today’s society, because of its benefits to resource management. Thoreau had the goal of a minimalist lifestyle; “None of the brute creation requires more than Food and Shelter” (Walden 12). Because society lives well beyond this bare minimum people become reliant on unnecessary items; “...from the accidental discovery of the warmth of the fire, and the consequent use of it, at first a luxury, arose the present necessity to sit by it'' (Walden 12). This affliction provokes people to use inefficient resources; “When a man is warmed by the several modes which I have described, what does he want next? Surely not more warmth of the same kind” (Walden 15). This continuous cycle leads to the depletion of natural resources, adding to present-day climate change. As technology advances, instead of focusing on more sustainable approaches, humans have evolved to focus on the most convenient approach which ignores the consequences of one’s actions. Therefore, Thoreau’s approach to life can resonate with students in the age of climate change as this message teaches them to conserve their resources and reevaluate their definition of “necessities''. 

Thoreau believed that a life of simplicity, specifically by being in nature, can also improve stress levels. While living in the woods, he questioned his values, stating; “Let us consider for a moment what most of the trouble and anxiety…is about…It would be some advantage to live a primitive and frontier life…if only to learn what are the gross necessaries of life” (Walden 11). Reducing irrelevant materialistic values and stress-inducing topics can lead to a more peaceful and enjoyable life. He describes the satisfaction of connecting with nature by walking in his essay “Walking”; “An absolutely new prospect is a great happiness, and I can still get this any afternoon” (“Walking” 1). His joy of connecting with nature, and the resulting stress reduction, can teach students the benefit of relating to the natural world around them. In today’s world of constant bombardment of stress-inducing inputs, Thoreau’s lessons of connecting with nature are particularly relevant. 

Living a more simplistic life leads to people creating individualistic ideals free from the influence of others. In the concluding section of Walden, Thoreau conveys how society has become blind to the harms in our lives; “The light which puts out our eyes is darkness to us” (Walden 325). By using the word “light”, Thoreau infers that people do not understand that our advancement in technology is eventually harming us, as we see it as light and beneficial at the moment. However, as the world modernizes, the media influences our opinions and personal thoughts, therefore creating “darkness”. Abundant material possessions in one’s life cloud one’s judgment and perception of the world. Further, with the continued use of the word “light” in this paragraph, Thoreau emphasizes the sense of hope for the future and the importance of seeing the good in each moment. This positivity allows students to remain true to themselves in the face of false information spreading across the media. Additionally, formulating personal ideas and opinions is important as an active citizen during a time of charged politicism. 

Thoreau’s writing is relevant to students due to his focus on the imperative of not just forming opinions but taking action. Thoreau thought a life well lived was one of action, not solely words; “There is not one of my readers who has yet lived a whole human life” (Walden 322).  Thoreau believed that conscious decision led to beneficial actions; "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived" (Walden 88). His actions of leaving his life behind and spending time alone in the woods, allowed him to reflect and learn from his surroundings. In his writing, Thoreau emphasized that action helps create meaningful change in a society. He expressed this himself by sharing his political opinions and ideals in his writing; “However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names” (Walden 322). Thoreau is expressing his ideal to take action during challenging times, rather than fall victim to adversity. By using the words “meet it and live it”, Thoreau articulates that by working through an issue, one can help create a solution, rather than becoming a bystander to immoralities or challenges. This idea is important in modern society as students need to learn to not only have their own opinions but to use them. In a time of social injustice, students have to speak out about and act on injustices that they witness. 

Thoreau’s focus on action stems from his strong sense of moral responsibility. In an article titled “In Defense of Thoreau”, Purdy describes this moral responsibility attribute of Thoreau; “Henry David Thoreau was a true American weirdo. He did not believe in niceness or even civility, but in justice. He believed his soul was at stake in it” (Purdy 11). This moral responsibility created his indication of right or wrong, which is an important skill for students today to learn to navigate the false information surrounding the media. Additionally, Purdy also describes Thoreau’s emphasis on long-term thinking; “Doesn’t implicate us all, in our comfort and security, in global destruction that becomes visible only when we rouse ourselves and see it clear?” (Purdy 10). For Thoreau, moral responsibility encompasses the idea that one should be responsible for the impact of their actions on future generations. This idea relates to modern-day climate change. Today, people do not take action on this issue unless they see destruction personally. However, if people were to adopt Thoreau’s view of moral responsibility they could approach problems differently and find lasting solutions. 

 While Thoreau might not be the perfect role model, he still is an important figure in history. Many writers believe that Thoreau’s writing is indigestible and hypocritical, and Shulz even said Thoreau creates an unrealistic standard of living for others. However, Purdy believes that Thoreau is honest and sincere in his writing as his contradictory points are an expression of candor about his conflicting opinions. Because Thoreau admits to his mistakes and shares a truthful reflection on his life, he is not a perfect role model, but a realistic one. His expression of his ideals in his writing contains important lessons for students around the world to understand. By embracing these ideals, students can find guidance while navigating the difficult topics of climate change, charged politicism, and social injustice. While Thoreau’s problems may be different for students of today, they can learn from similar circumstances and Thoreau’s approach to solving them. Thoreau’s teachings are needed in education today as his values of a simplistic lifestyle and action are valuable lessons for students navigating the complexities of the modern world. Thoreau seems like a far and disconnected figure, but his perspectives still relate to the problems and bring hope to society today. While his writing may be from the past, it shares the inspiration needed to overcome challenges like climate change, charged politicism, and social injustice in the present and the future. 

Works Cited 

Purdy, Jedediah. “In Defense of Thoreau”. The Atlantic.  

Thoreau, Henry David. Walden: A Fully Annotated Edition. ed. Jeffery S. Cramer. Yale 

University Press, 2004. 

Thoreau, Henry David. “Walking”. United States. The Atlantic Monthly. Riverside Press. 

1862.