The renowned American philosopher Henry David Thoreau believed that poetry and philosophy could be stifled by a number of obstructions. Chief among these was Thoreau’s own concept of “conformity”, which he saw as a powerful inhibitor to the expression of free thought. According to Thoreau, being a “conformist” invariably results in living an “artificial life”, one in which we renounce the capacity to think and create in our own right. In his famous essay, Walden, he writes: “I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary.” In other words, Thoreau was suggesting that apart from being an increasingly popular form of escapism, conformity served to restrain the impulse to be inventive, it dulled the desire to philosophize and explore new areas of knowledge, and it stifled the spirit of poetry.
In addition to “conformity”, Thoreau attributed the stifling of poetry and philosophy to the presence of certain “public opinions”. These opinions, according to Thoreau, are nothing more than conventional ideas, which society encourages us to accept, with the effect being that these public opinions entrench conformity still further. But what makes these public opinions particularly harmful, according to Thoreau, was that they not only served to impose a uniform view of the world, but they also precluded us from having an open and creative dialogue with one another. As Thoreau writes, in Walden, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”
While Thoreau was critical of both public opinion and conformity, he also recognized the utility of these two factors in the maintenance of stability and order in society. But, at the same time, he was of the view that society should not allow conformity and public opinion to dictate its terms entirely. Rather, he argued, there should be balance and a healthy respect for independent thinking, for this would be the only way for people to develop and progress. As he famously said, “Every man is sometimes compelled by the law of his being, to express himself and act out his thought, else it will be stifled and repelled, and he will be dwarfed thereby.”
Technological Developments
Today, the latest technological developments have made it even easier for society to enforce conformity, to suppress creativity and to quell independent thought. This is because, given the power and reach of the Internet, it is now possible for governments and large corporations to monitor the activities and views of people, and to quickly identify differences or anomalies in thought or behavior. As a result, this causes people to self-censor, or to suppress their opinions that may be seen as politically or socially “wrong”. As a result, independent thought and creativity are again stifled, and the spirit of poetry and philosophy once again harmed.
Furthermore, the impact of technology on free thinking has been compounded by the rise of social media, which has created an environment in which people are encouraged to present a larger than life version of themselves, rather than express their true thoughts and feelings. This forces people to hide behind a persona, to snap out quick sound bites, and to simply agree with more “popular” opinion, rather than truly debate and explore different ideas and perspectives. Consequently, this further harms the impulse to be creative and to think independently.
Finally, it has been argued that technology has further stifled the spirit of poetry and philosophy by eroding our attention spans, our patience for critical thinking, and the way in which we use language. For example, due to the prevalence and power of the instant messaging applications today, people are increasingly using text messages and popular meme images to express themselves, rather than using more nuanced language, metaphors, and analogies. As a result, this further inhibits our ability to find beauty in language, to appreciate subtle language, and to use language to express deep thoughts and emotions.
Corporate Influence
In addition to the impact of technology on poetry and philosophy, the other major factor that Thoreau believed was stifling creativity was corporate influence. According to Thoreau, corporations were calling the shots today, and they were setting the agenda in most aspects of life, be it government policy, the media, or the education system. As a result, this was creating a “corporate-controlled” society in which thinking freely, creating independently, and exploring new areas of knowledge were no longer valued or even possible. Consequently, this was creating a situation in which creativity and poetry were constantly being stifled.
The corporate culture today has created another set of obstacles to creativity and independent thought. This is because many of the largest corporations today reward conformity, obedience and simply toeing the line, rather than taking risks and thinking independently. Furthermore, many of these corporations have also created “echo-chambers” in which ideas can only be discussed in the most purposeful and sanitized manner, with any hint of creativity or outside-the-box thinking quickly being suppressed or ignored. Consequently, creativity is again stifled and the spirit of philosophy and poetry harmed.
Public Education System
Thoreau also believed that the public education system was another major inhibitor to the spirit of poetry and philosophy, due to its focus on rote learning and its failure to encourage students to think critically and independently. He argued that public education failed to provide students with the skills they needed to become creative and independent individuals, instead creating a population of people who were pliable, malleable, and “programmed” to think and behave in particular ways determined by society. Again, independent thought and creativity were stifled, and the spirit of philosophy and poetry damaged in the process.
Today, the public education system is still failing to address the need to nurture independent thinking and creativity. Despite the prevalence of technology and its implications for the future of learning, many public schools are still relying on outdated methods of teaching and assessment, which fail to address the need for students to be flexible, innovative, and independent. Furthermore, the curriculum at many of these schools focuses far too much on standardized tests, which fail to take into account the individual needs of each student, as well as the need for individual thinking and exploration. Consequently, again, creativity is stifled and the spirit of poetry and philosophy harmed.
Impact on Society
The consequence of this, according to Thoreau, is that we are creating a society in which people are increasingly scared to think and speak freely, instead conforming to “public opinion” and conforming to a certain set of predetermined “rules and regulations”. Moreover, this has serious repercussions for the health of our society, for without independent thought, imagination and creativity, the capacity to innovate and to think and act outside the box are seriously diminished. Consequently, society suffers the consequences, with independent thought and creativity being suppressed, thirsts and needs not being addressed, and potential being wasted.
Furthermore, it has been argued that the stifling of independent thought and creative expression also has a detrimental effect on our emotions and mental wellbeing. This is because, without the ability to think, create and express ourselves freely, we are unable to find purpose, meaning, and joy in life. Therefore, in order to remain mentally healthy and emotionally balanced, we need to be able to think and create freely, to explore new ideas and express ourselves creatively.
Conclusion
Overall, it is clear that Thoreau was correct when he argued that the stifling of poetry and philosophy due to “conformity” and “public opinions” is a major problem facing our society today. This, as mentioned, is due to the prevalence of technology and its implications for the way in which we think, the power of corporations in setting the agenda and reinforcing conformity, and the neglect of public schools in fostering independent thought and creativity. As a result, people are increasingly scared to think and act independently, with serious repercussions for the health of our society and for our mental wellbeing. Therefore, it is essential that we take Thoreau’s words to heart, and strive to create an environment in which independent thinking, creativity and expression are encouraged and supported.
