In “Life Without Principle” by Henry David Thoreau, Thoreau talks about separating ourselves from society as a whole and living life by our own standards, not those of the company. I believe Thoreau's thesis is, "If I were to sell both my mornings and my afternoons to society, as most seem to do, I am sure there would be nothing left for me worth living for." Thoreau talks about the ways people make a living and the many mundane things people do just to get more money. He believes that we should not allow ourselves to be trapped in the ways of money and society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayI personally agree with the points made by Thoreau in “Life Without Principle.” After all, what's the point of having money if you're not happy? Today, society paints a picture of what the perfect life should be like. However, the reality is that the average person would never achieve the lifestyle described. Yet, people still strive to make it happen. People work day after day, some methods more controversial than others, to make more and more money. Ultimately, are those people really happy? I believe that wealth does not equal happiness. If all I have is a hundred dollars in my bank account, I'm no less happy than when I have a thousand dollars in my account. Don't get me wrong; money is a nice thing to have and a very fun thing to spend. However, material things are just that, material. I would much rather spend money going out with my friends or taking a trip with my family than buying a couple hundred dollar pair of shoes. Material things wear out, but memories last a lifetime. I believe this mentality would be achievable in an ideal world. One where no one really cared what others or society in general thought of them; a world where we don't base our happiness on our bank accounts. But we do, and it's a very sad thing. This is why, from a generational point of view, Thoreau's ideas/beliefs in “Life Without Principles”: We live in a society where everyone has principles. However, the principles are not all the same. We all come from different backgrounds, religions and families and each of these aspects influences what each of our principles can or cannot be. I don't think my generation will ever fully agree with Thoreau's thesis. We are a generation that is constantly competing against each other and constantly wanting the newest versions of things. For example, I know many people who just purchased the Samsung Galaxy S6, but are already waiting for the S7 to be released so they can say goodbye. For the sole reason of saying they have the newest phone. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Social media and television also play an important role in this. We spend so much time wanting to be just like our favorite celebrities and wanting to have what they have. We forget to stay true to ourselves and do what we like to do. It is for these reasons that, although I agree with Thoreau, my generation would never have been able to achieve his ideal way of living their lives.