Reclaiming the American Dream Through Community Service

In his essay, â€Å"Economy,† Henry David Thoreau argues that luxuries do not provide happiness. More specifically, Thoreau argues that luxuries hinder the development of humans; he says, â€Å"Most of the luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind. With respect to luxuries and comforts, the wisest have ever lived a more simple and meagre life than the poor† (13). In this passage, Thoreau is suggesting that it is wise not to live a luxurious life. In conclusion, Thoreau believes the number of luxuries a person has should not determine if a person has led a good life. In my view, Thoreau’s insight into luxuries and life proves useful in discussing the†¦show more content†¦Today’s consumers also follow the path of these merchants and farmers—the path of ignorance towards humanitarian issues. For example, Apple treats their Chinese laborers not like humans, but like machines, and yet Apple products sell fast and the company has a lot of loyalty. Despite the convenience of Apple products, they are after all just luxurious and inhibit our ability to tackle major problems going on in the world. Another aspect of the traditional American Dream is that we want to make life better for the next generation of Americans. However, it is impossible to deal with major issues in the world because of our obsession over luxuries. Constantly used luxuries such as video games, fiction literature, and television, all provide a false sense of reality, a false reality that does not have all the issues of the â€Å"real world.† We do not actually live because of these luxuries, we are driven away from what is happening right here in America—the hungry, the homeless, and the impoverished. Thoreau believes that we should only have four necessaries in life: â€Å"food, shelter, clothing, and fuel;† Thoreau says, â€Å"for not til l we have secured these are we prepared to entertain the true problems of life with a freedom and prospect of success† (11). What Thoreau means in this passage is that we need to remove all of the luxuries in our life in order to think more clearly about the real issues in America that need to be addressed. By not worrying aboutShow MoreRelatedThe Harlem Renaissance : The New Negro Movement1008 Words   |  5 PagesThe New Negro Movement, also known as the Harlem Renaissance, spanned in the 1920s in which African American culture attained unparalleled political and social recognition despite the ongoing horrors of being black in America. New Negro was coined during the Harlem Renaissance indicating a more open advocacy of dignity and a refusal to submit to Jim Crow laws and racial segregation. 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