Life Is Frittered Away By Detail Analysis

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Recommended: Thoreau’s understanding of nature and human life

Saying that life was meant to be lived simplistically is nonsensical as the word “simple” is too vague and broad to define something as complex as human life Furthermore if one could define what a “simple life” would consist of that live would stick lack meaning. It's is the complications of life that give it substance and meaning. Henry David Thoreau saying “life is frittered away by detail.” is an overly idealistic approach to life. A simple life is an unobtainable goal and even if it were possible to attain, why would you want one?


Saying that one should live “simply” is a uneducated and almost neanderthalic comment. Life itself is one of the most complex natural mechanisms. Humans bodies consist of 37.2 trillion cells. In our …show more content…

The detail in life is what gives it purpose, meaning and excitement. Imagine your life without detail. You would simply get up and do the same thing everyday with no changes or excitement. Detail is art. Detail is excitement. Detail is entertainment. It's what makes life worth living. In addition Thoreau fails to give us any clear instructions on how to live a simple life. He just states that “life is frittered away by detail” but gives no solution. Finally he doesn't define “detail”. What exactly constitutes “detail”?


If it were somehow possible to live a “simple life” why would you want to? Doesn't a life without detail sound dull and boring? Also there's no guarantee that living a “simple life” would result in a happy, fulfilling life. If you are dealing with stress and depression living simply may be counter productive. It simply avoids your problems rather than dealing with them.

In conclusion living a simple life is nearly impossible. Life is inherently too complex and no one’s definition of a “simple life” can be correct. Thoreau saying “life is frittered away by detail” is an illogical and full approach to the guidelines of how to live. If anything the details that Thoreau refers to, actually make life more interesting. Ask yourself how dull your life would be without details and is it possible to live without

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