Talking fast or sensibly? (Thoreau)
April 29th, 2006 | Published in History, Language, Quotes, Technology, Writing | 2 Comments
We are in great haste to construct a magnetic telegraph from Maine to Texas; but Maine and Texas, it may be, have nothing important to communicate. Either is in such a predicament as the man who was earnest to be introduced to a distinguished deaf woman, but when he was presented, and one end of her ear trumpet was put into his hand, had nothing to say. As if the main object were to talk fast and not to talk sensibly. We are eager to tunnel under the Atlantic and bring the Old World some weeks nearer to the New; but perchance the first news that will leak through into the broad, flapping American ear will be that the Princess Adelaide has the whooping cough.
—Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854), p. 43
April 29th, 2006 at 2:57 pm (#)
I feel that I simply MUST read “Walden”, so much cool common sense can not be ignored… To think that more than hundred years ago people thought about the very things which preoccupy you now is very comforting. Walden is going directly to my shopping basket :) – thanks, Josh
April 29th, 2006 at 3:56 pm (#)
Glad you are enjoying it! It was a great read–especially the first two chapters. The rest of it I picked up and put down for a few months. The rest was good, but I needed to enjoy it in small doses.