Even Thoreau didn't live as a hermit - Walden was very much a break from everyday life for him. So I think like all such material the value is helping us to try and live before we die. Because one thing you can say about a less mediated life is that it's more fulfilling and more satisfying.
This was the aim of Thoreau, Gandhi and of course the Buddha - to live life directly without any mediation between oneself and reality. And to greater or lesser degrees they all achieved that.
All these viewpoints, Situationism, Marxism etc. can be dogma or just little clues to help us live a more fulfilling and satisfying life.
This was the aim of Thoreau, Gandhi and of course the Buddha - to live life directly without any mediation between oneself and reality. And to greater or lesser degrees they all achieved that.
All these viewpoints, Situationism, Marxism etc. can be dogma or just little clues to help us live a more fulfilling and satisfying life.