Thoreau Dialectical Journal

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Society and Its’ Information

“To a philosopher all news as it is called, is gossip, and they who edit and read it are old women over their tea” (Thoreau 908). When I first read this section I passed over it without a thought, but something reminded me of if later that day, and called me to read it again. Thoreau’s thoughts and beliefs about society in the second chapter of Walden are blatantly stated in this section.
“And I am sure that I never read any memorable news in a newspaper. If we read of one man robbed, or murdered, or killed by accident, or one house burned… we never need read of another. One is enough. If you are acquainted with the principle, what do you care for a myriad instances and applications?”
(Thoreau 908).
Society

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