Who said we all lead lives of quiet desperation?



philosopher Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau. “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation,” he wrote in Walden in 1854.

What is Henry David Thoreau’s most famous quote?

Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.

What does this quote mean most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them?

Accepting a life that is mediocre and lacking passion. Most want to do more or make more of themselves, but they resign themselves to accepting the status quo and not taking any action to make their life and the lives of those around them better. “… and go to the grave with the song still in them.”

Is it true that most men lead lives of quiet desperation?





Thoreau’s claim is simply false: the mass of people in the world do not lead a life of quiet desperation but, rather, of happiness. Moreover, there are methods that help many who live desperately to live happily. Many have reported that these methods have been effective for them.

What was Henry David Thoreau’s message?

Thoreau’s central message in Walden is to live simply, independently, and wisely. He suggests that people try to live free and uncommitted, away from things that overcomplicate life such as exchange economy and modern labor. He also emphasizes the importance of engaging with Nature as closely and directly as possible.

What is Ralph Waldo Emerson’s most famous quote?

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.

What did Thoreau mean when he said most men lead lives of quiet desperation?





Henry David Thoreau’s quote “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation” was an observation that most people live an empty life caused by unfulfilling work, lack of leisure time and misplaced values; money, possessions and accolades. Thoreau claimed the value we attach to possessions, money and status is wrong.

What does the line hanging on in quiet desperation mean?

One of Floyd’s most famous lyrics ever is “Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way” and this relates directly to an absurd life. It hints at the feeling that many people may have, whether conscious about it or not, that we are all just grasping for meaning.

How do you overcome quiet desperation?

How to Overcome a Life of Quiet Desperation

  1. Stop Putting Yourself Down.
  2. Don’t Allow Fear to Destroy Your Dreams.
  3. Invest in Yourself.


What are famous sayings?



Quotes by Famous People

  • The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. – …
  • The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. – …
  • Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. …
  • If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor. –

What is the first line of Walden?

When I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of them, I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbor, in a house which I had built myself, on the shore of Walden Pond, in Concord, Massachusetts, and earned my living by the labor of my hands only.

What did Thoreau say about love?

Henry David Thoreau Quotes About Love



Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still.” 2. “Ignorance and bungling with love are better than wisdom and skill without.”