Civil Disobedience (Books of American Wisdom)

Tbh I only started reading this because I was offline away from the internet and it was already on my phone. But that said, I found it surprisingly readable for a modern audience. The arguments are cogently conceived, clearly presented, and well developed throughout the book.In terms of the philosophy and picture of the world presented, it leans a bit libertarian for my taste, altho I do think sane people in general and people on the left in specific can still find a lot to chew on and build off of. I'm completely aligned on the idea that the most fundamental actions any person can take are those in alignment with their code of ethics; but it feels like Thoreau is too focused on the idea of an individual as a unit of humanity and hasn't really considered the basic premise of collective solidarity: that groups of humans acting in concert can accomplish actions synergistically greater than the sum of their parts.

I've always thought of Thoreau as a peace loving writer. His poems, psalms and writings are of a naturalists perspective. Loved to take walks in the forest, think, and be merry. Thoreau surprised me on this essay. He clearly showed the disdain the rest of us do at times as we live in the context of humanity. It's no wonder Thoreau was a bit of a loner, self-described in fact. He speaks of his time serving a very short sentence in the local jailhouse. He speaks out against taxation, slavery and other human conditions that still exist today. He's angry at authority and the sheep humanity is to authority.Thoreau didn't hate people, understood that he needed them to maintain the current standard of living he had. In this essay he describes feelings many of us probably have had or have now regarding society in general and societal ills caused by urbanization. Either way, great essay, short read.

Timely, with Democracy under siege here and all over the world. A bit stilted by today's standards but very applicable.

Read it. Amazing how these authors knew so much that would be relevant so much later.

Highly recommended to free thinking people who act to cultivate a world where respect for others is valued as highly as self-respect.

A worthy, classic read in political theory by a man who was well ahead of his time. Particularly compelling in the current, erratic political climate in Washington (as well as for anarchists). It's more of an essay than a book, so does not take long to get through.

Another American classic , if you haven't read this you're missing out

Every time I read this again, it speaks to the current time. I am excited to teach it tomorrow and see what Millennials think about it.

A great book in these uncertain times governments

This is a short essay, rather dated, but no less valuable for all that being a snapshot of a free man's opinion a century ago.

Come primo libro di Thoreau non male direi!Questo libro parla di tantissimi argomenti in pochissime pagine quindi armatevi di evidenziatore per sottolinearle (come ho fatto io!).Anche se il libro è stato scritto nellaseconda metà del 1800, alcune parole o pensieri scritti dell’autore risuonano anche nel 2021. Si parla di libertà, di ingiustizia e di minoranze ma anche di tasse e del governo ingiusto in tanti e troppi casi.Questo piccolo libretto fa riflettere sulla nostra situazione attuale e ci fa capire come tantissime cose non siano cambiate da allora a oggi.Super consigliato!

This essay touched home for me. The parallels between slavery and animal farming are hard to ignore and, being vegan, I deeply empathize with the disgust, outrage and disappointment that Thoreau expresses here.Some of the quotes that stood out to me:1. "It is not a man's duty ... to devote himself to the eradication of any, even the most enormous, wrong; ...., But it is his duty, at least, to wash his hands of it, and, if he gives it no thought longer, not to give it practically his support."This is the excuse I give myself for not doing more than the bare minimum, which is not killing animals needlessly. But after reading this book I feel moral pressure to do more.2."Improvement is slow because the few are not materially wiser or better than the many. It is not so important that many be as good a you, as that there be some absolute goodness somewhere, for that will leaven the whole lump."This is a profound idea, is it better a scenario in which 100% of the population eats meat only once a week or one in which 20% doesn't kill/eat any animal whatsoever?. I am for the latter, since it will most likely lead to the few correcting the unethical behavior of the many. In contrast, the former case allows for an indefinite state of a clearly suboptimal dynamic.3. "What is the price-current of honest man today? They hesitate, they regret and sometimes they petition; but they do nothing in earnest and with effect. They will wait for others to remedy the evil, that they may no longer have it to regret."I consider all my loved ones to be truly good, honest people, most of them are against animal abuse. However almost none is willing to take actual steps into changing the current situation, since it implies personal sacrifice, they are comfortable waiting for others to push the needed change.4."Unjust laws exist; shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor go amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once?"The original reason I looked for this book is because of the ridiculous length and magnitude of some regulations that had taken place during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am not an anarchist and hence tend to obey the law without much conflict, however this situation has made me think, what should be the limit? When should I think about rebelling?5. "No man with a genius for legislation has appeared in America. They are rare in history. There are orators, politicians and eloquent men, by the thousand; but the speaker has not yet opened his mouth to speak who is capable of settling the much-vexed questions of the day. We love eloquence for its own sake and not for any truth which it may utter, or any heroism it may inspire."I've always felt that it is twisted how the political system optimizes primarily for eloquence and charisma disregarding all other attributes which are actually crucial in a good leader. Legislation is the hardest part and should be one of the main skills sought after when chosing our representatives.There are many other quotes which I loved, but these few cover the general sentiment. I also found admirable how Thoreau distances himself from anarchists and pacifists simultaneously, and how he, in an essay arguing for detaching yourself form any unjust government, also humbly recognizes the virtues of the state. Similarly, I enjoyed how criticizes excessive consumerism while also praising the perks of modernization and technology. So nuanced should be the opinions of everyone.

classic read. cheap and worth a day or two to reflect on the world.