i think it’s not so much the hypocrisy i object to, but when people celebrate thoreau in a manner that suggests he is some sort of pioneer of “rugged american manhood.” in a really fetishized way, too, where details of his life are thought to be blueprints for re-enactments of survival and minimalism, while forgetting that he had this whole family (and god, women!) who supported him and no one really gave an ounce of shit what they put up with.
i think he absolutely had a huge impact on american culture in terms of how we interact with nature— but do we need to really pore over the details, dimensions, and quotidian minutia of his hut to grok it? that’s what i question.
