This immense preoccupation, in turn, hastily overshadowed any and all reflection on life. Thoreau set out to prove that life is not merely going through the monotonous motions of everyday life, but taking advantage of all the wonderful resources we are given to think and feel in order to fully immerse oneself in the life we are lucky to have.
Nineteenth-century Americans were swept away by technological advances and became increasingly blind to the simpler things in life. Their idea of a happy, fulfilling life involved constant connection with others, possession of modern technology, and working as hard as possible to make as much money as they could. The American population went directly against the common phrase "money can't buy happiness" and worked towards the luxurious lives of empty people. Thoreau countered this school of thought by stating that people actually do not need many things at all, proving his advocacy of self-reliance. Individuals are urged to maintain independence and seek companionship in oneself and nature in order to genuinely "live deep and suck out all the marrow of life" (Thoreau.1028).
Henry David Thoreau reveals the unfortunate focus on making a living rather than the living itself. He placed a great deal of importance on stressing this in order to convince those around him that it is not necessary to be wealthy in order to live a fulfilling, happy life. He also makes it seem preposterous to be distracted by those around you, and to get caught up in conformity. Being a strong advocate of living life to the fullest, Thoreau believes people should stray from putting too much weight on other's input, and instead choose all their own paths and choices in life. One of the main reasons Thoreau took to the woods is to evade such petty hassles of everyday life. In fact, Thoreau viewed this separation as an aid to his peace on mind, and went so far as to claiming that a good deal of his greatest company is "in the morning, when nobody calls" (Thoreau.
