The Mass Of Men Lead Lives Of Quiet Desperation

This incredible quote comes from Henry David Thoreau's "Walden":

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city, you go into the desperate country and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things."

Henry David Thoreau

What Thoreau is saying, is that life has endless possibilities in store for those who are willing to distance themselves from what is normal. For those who will not be limited by the conventions and perceptions of humanity. Even if “everyone is doing it.”

We can stick to that which is familiar to us—the 'old life' of safety, conditioning, fear, and ultimately despair. Or we can take a bold, perhaps terrifying leap into unknown territory, no matter the cost. That is the promised land, the refreshing water we yearn to drink. Thoreau is telling us it’s real, and we can drink it, too, just like him.

In service of the betterment of men,
Erik

From Office Space