Romanticism & Civil Disobedience
Romanticism, Civil Disobedience & 2 Men of Peace
Romanticism Vocabulary
Idealism
Individualism
Optimism
Intuition vs. Logic
Response to Henry D. Thoreau
Dear Mr. Thoreau,
Your ideas about government gave me a new perspective. I think that it’s crazy not to obey the law, but following your consciousness or heart is important. I would also not pay the government even when I’ll have to face what my punishment would be. I would agree that a government is no government because most governments are inexpedient and their power can be abused before people have time to respond. I also agree that the government doesn’t keep the country free, doesn’t settle the West and doesn’t educate people. It’s half-witted that it doesn’t do anything, but gets itself out of a major problem. Even the elected officials act as if they’re mischievous kids, which gives you a picture of the government. I agree that each person should do what he or she thinks is right rather than what the laws says because our state of mind tells us what is right. The government might force you to obey the law, but our minds is free, which they can’t do anything about it. I agree that going to jail for following your heart is more free than obeying the unjust law because when a human follows the law, they feel as if they’re free even if the law tells them what to do. They’re too blind to know that they’re actually being enslaved by the government. I feel as if I’m not free right now because I’m following what I have to do. Being in jail will have less effect on being forced than being outside because you’re solitude and the government gets their attention on other people like yourself and put them where you are. In conclusion, your ideas have inspired me to write you a letter.
Sincerely, Paul.
Mahatma Gandhi
Thoreau & Gandhi
Sources
- Dr. Ravindran Kumar. Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal & Gandhi Research Foundation. University of Meerut, Web. 8 December 2015.
- Wikipedia, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikipedia, 20 November 2015. Web. 9 December 2015.
- Zander. "Comparison of Thoreau and Gandhi" Zander's Blog. n.p., 14 November 2010. Web. 10 December 2015.