Conform or die.
Mark Twain, in Corn-Pone Opinions or Thoreau, in Life Without Principle, both make it clear that humans are conformists. They either conform based on the opinions of society and or their expectations for living life to its maximum. Twain points out how the society in his area conforms to what is considered a majority opinion. Twain also declares that a first-hand opinion, or original opinion, exists. In essence, it’s a flaw that Americans seek to be accepted by others through their opinions. Twain’s choice to say “we” and not “I” in describing his opinions on American culture is quite interesting. Thoreau’s essays is mainly about people who choose to work for money. Thoreau believes that working solely for money does not constitute living. Thoreau says that the American people are slaves because of the tax system and political systems that form their opinions. Thoreau says that gossiping wastes time, and you should spend it on more important things. Both are expressing their opinions on American society.
Mark Twain & Henry David Thoreau both claim that society relies on opinion and doing what’s expected. Twain wrote in the Corn-Pone Opinions that “it is our nature to comply: it is an urge which few can resist”. In general, men must accept whatever society says and the majority’s decisions or they will suffer. Mark Twain states that fads are not always for obvious reasons. He elaborates on this when he says, “We’re creatures of outside influence; we generally don’t think. We only imitate”. Thoreau concurs, “Men will lie on the ground, blaming mankind for its fall, and never attempt to rise up”. The past is a reflection of the present and vice versa. Thoreau means that the man will always repeat his work to earn a living because it’s the norm. History will always repeat itself. This is especially true for man, who needs approval from the civilization.
Thoreau makes a clear distinction by using the pronouns we and I in Corn-pone Opinions. Thoreau doesn’t consider himself a member of the American society as it is. Twain, on the other hand, uses we to show that he has also fallen into the conformity of society and its majority. Thoreau’s Life Without Principle looks at society from a different perspective. Thoreau sees paying taxes as a system of slavery. Thoreau does not want to be a part of the society. Thoreau distances himself from Americans in both his writing and lifestyle.
Both say clearly that in all of human history, men have a tendency towards gossip and to only think about opinions already formed by others. Thoreau says, “It’s important to maintain the mind’s chastity on this point”. The danger of social interactions is essentially gossip. The man’s thinking is never profound, but based solely on what he learns from others. Thoreau wrote, “Our normal conversation is largely hollow and ineffective”. Life Without Principle is a book that aims to help people understand that how you spend your time is what determines whether or not you are living a fulfilling life.
The American society is easy to relate to after reading these essays. After a period of time, the society begins to accept certain things as normal. I think of fashion trends and the desire to own the latest phones. Amazing how people don’t think about what or who influences them. Our society’s self-centeredness is evident in the commercials that we watch, and our desire to be better or the same as the Joneses next door. The election this year showed that people’s personalities are determined by who surrounds them. The Republican or Democratic mindset is really just a group who influences one another, and whose beliefs are influenced by each other. Mark Twain said in his essay Corn-Pone Opinions that being associated with a party is a way to fit in and be accepted by your peers. Men base their political opinions on the beliefs of their party. Man does not really think for themselves. He believes what the public thinks.
Life Without Principle is the philosophy of a man who refuses to settle for just something that pays his bills. People are willing to do anything in exchange for money. People who have a passion for their job are less likely to be influenced by bribery. It is a problem when people spend more time at work than enjoying life. That statement alone is powerful and causes you to reflect on the future of your job and life. Will you just do it to make money or is there a purpose to your life?
Thoreau mentions that gambling or cheating is like finding money. It is possible to get money through the lottery system without doing any work. It’s wonderful if you can earn enough money to support your family, but it is not enough. You must also have passion for what you do. Ironically our knowledge comes from texts and essay written by others. In reality, we are regurgitating information that has already been discovered by others and which society has deemed “the right type of knowledge”. You must be true to yourself, while also keeping the momentum going forward. This will help you avoid the “snowdrift and knowledge”.
Contrary to popular belief, the American culture values uniqueness but conformity is in our nature. You can see how kids are going to school just to conform to the norm. You’d be crazy to believe that the people we live with have a great influence on our decisions. People buy energy-efficient cars because it is considered the norm. It is not uncommon for luxury cars to be energy-efficient, but this would only serve to demonstrate the current fad. People say that you should be yourself and pursue your own goals, but this only works if those goals and paths you set yourself on are in line with what the people you’re around expect. You will not be accepted by others unless you look like them. It is absurd to believe that one’s choices are made with the expectation that they will become the norm. If one chooses to be unique, they are choosing to be like other individuals with similar views. In turn, we are expected to follow the rules of our culture and to adhere to its norms. Is it not a cyclical acceptance of opinions and knowledge based upon those who have come before?
