Chapter 29 Economics - 24

Because I have a preference for certain things, and especially value my freedom, and because I can suffer and still be successful, I don't want to spend my time buying rich rugs, or whatever. Ornate furniture, or delicious food, or houses in the Greek or Gothic style.If anyone can get these without difficulty, and know better how to use them when they have them, I let them pursue them.Some people's "diligence" and love of labor seem to be born, or because labor can prevent them from doing worse things; for this kind of people, I have nothing to say for the time being.As for those who have more leisure than they have now, and know not what to do with it, I would advise them to work twice as hard,--work till they can support themselves, and get their certificates of liberty.I personally feel that part-time work is the most independent and uninhibited of any profession, not to mention that it takes only thirty or forty days in a year to support myself.The day laborer's day ends at sunset, after which he is free to devote himself to some activity of his own choosing, quite independent of his labour; while his employer is at the mercy of his chances, from one month to the next, and all the year round. No rest.

In a word, I have been convinced, by faith and experience, that a man's living in the world, if lived more simply and wisely, is not a hardship, but a pastime; It's just a sport in some of the more artificial countries.It is not necessary to sweat and labor to feed himself, unless he sweats more easily than I do. I knew a young man who had inherited a few acres and he told me he would live like me if he had the means.But I don't want anyone to adopt my way of life for any reason; because maybe he hasn't learned my way, maybe I have found another way, and I hope that people in the world will be less The same the better; but I would have each one take care to find out and hold to his own proper way, and not adopt his father's, or mother's, or neighbour's.A young man can build, he can farm, he can sail, as long as he is not prevented from doing what he tells me he would like to do.Man is wise because he can calculate; sailors and fugitive slaves know to keep their eyes on the North Star, and these views have been preserved for a lifetime.We may not be able to reach the destination port within a predetermined time, but we can always walk on a real route.

Doubtless here, what is true of one is true of a thousand, just as a large house is not proportionally more wasteful than a small one; one roof can cover several A cellar can lie under several rooms, and a series of walls can separate many rooms.I myself like to live alone.Besides, it is much cheaper to build it all by yourself than to convince your neighbors of the advantages of sharing a public wall; if you share a wall with another house for the sake of cheapness, the wall must be very thin, and you live next door Maybe he is not a good neighbor, and he does not repair the wall on his side. Generally, the cooperation that can be achieved is only a small part, and it is superficial; , but with an inaudible harmony.If a man is confident, he can co-operate with the same confidence everywhere; if he has no faith, he will go on living his own life, like the rest of the world, with whomever he is company.Co-operation in the highest and lowest sense is to let us live together.I recently heard of two young men who wanted to travel around the world together, the one without money, earning their living before the mast and behind the plow, and the other with travelers' checks in his pocket.It is quite clear that they cannot be long companions or co-operators, because in this co-operation one of them does nothing at all.In the first interesting crisis of their travels, they are about to break up.Above all, as I have already said, a man who travels alone sets out today; but those who travel with a company wait until their companions are ready, and it may be a long time before they set out.