In Defense Of Thoreau: He Was A Jerk, But He Still Matters

Jedediah Purdy acknowledges the truth of Kathryn Schulz’s takedown: “He was, in fact, a miserable asshole, … and the writing he is best remembered for sucks.” And yet: Henry Thoreau was a genuine American weirdo. He did not believe in niceness, or even civility, but in justice. … Thoreau is no model, but he is a useful and difficult conversation partner across the centuries, a difficult friend as he was a difficult citizen.”