Solitude?

[Richard4444]

I re-read On Walden Pond about five years ago. I had lived in the Boston area and visited Walden Pond quite a few times, so I felt that it would be a good nostalgia read. It seemed to me, just my 2¢ (or IMHO), that he was a bit of a fraud to believe he was very isolated. He even made friends with the occupants of the closest house whose property he squatted on and built his cabin, I believe with their permission. And IIRC, he 'stole' items (or the time-appropriate equivalent of dumpster diving), to improve his cabin.
Nonetheless, he did it all by himself.

Rich

[Marita40]

I'm big on solitude too. I live alone, so of course that helps--I'm by myself far more than with people. I especially love the very early morning hours to read, pray, plan, write etc.



I love Thoreau but want to agree with people who note his self-imposed "solitude" was not all that it often seems to be. Evidently he went to the Emerson's almost daily for conversation and a piece of Mrs. Emerson's pie. Incidently, besides Walden, I love and recommend Thoreau's essay, "Walking."

[jollystomper]

My favorite type of solitude is recreational or active solitude. Playing golf alone (or with friends who also see it as a time to relax and enjoy being outside), mowing the lawn, building something it my workshop - all of those I consider my solitude times.

I gain solitude in my digital life by avoiding non-productive activities... in this day and time, I deem use of social media and news sites (which are more, to take from an article I have read, "outrage porn") unproductive. Using the internet to learn a skill or activity adds to my solitude. For example, before this post I spend a couple of hours playing with python t test reading data from PDF files for use in a couple of my programming projects. That might not sound like solitude to you, but that type of activity is relaxing to me and clears my mind.

I love my DW, and she is the polar opposite of me, she is an extrovert who prefers being around and talking with people. But over our years of marriage we have struck a happy medium. Now that I am retired, she is deliriously happy that I am just in the house, even though we are usually in different parts of it. There are times that we are in the same room but working on different things, and at times will catch each others eye and smile at each other. For me, it is solitude. For her, it is conversation.

I do not mind being around other people, and engaging in conversation, but I can still relax and have solitude as I can go into observation mode, not engaging in conversations but just observing what is going on at the gathering.

[albireo13]

My favorite solitude is in nature .. a walk in the woods.
Better yet, a mountain hike.
There is something about being out in the woods with no internet
and no phone calls. Sounds great to me!!!!

[Koolau]

Regarding solitude, I want to choose between solitude OR some form of hustle/bustle WHEN I WANT. That's why we chose Oahu instead of one of the other Islands. Most folks I know who have only been "tourists" look down on Oahu because it is so "spoiled." I tell them "That's why I chose Oahu!" I can hang out in the condo, go to a secluded park or beach (well, until Covid 19) OR immerse myself in the "rabble" at Waikiki or Ala Moana shopping center. It's the best of both worlds. I waited until I could afford to live that way. Now that I AM living that way, I really love it. I honestly would have a tough time choosing if I had to pick either solitude or hustle/bustle. Thank God I do not have to choose - except on a daily (or hourly) basis. YMMV

[CoolRich59]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExFlyBoy5 I have been reading Cal Newport's "Digital Minimalism" and he discusses (at length) how solitude is a very necessary thing in our lives. There are quite a few references to Henry David Thoreau and his time at Walden Pond in the book.

Going to stop reading right here.

I read his previous book "Deep Work" and loved it. I just picked up a copy of "Digital Minimalism" but haven't started it yet. I am going to bookmark this thread and come back to it once I make some progress on the book.

[DayDreaming]

Pretty much whenever I'm outdoors, I prefer to be disconnected from phones and internet. Hiking, bicycling, working in the woods... I'll have my phone with me for emergencies, and maybe for GPS, but it's in airplane mode so I don't get incoming calls or notifications about email. I love being disconnected for a while.

[Foodie]

I think that Thoreau was way ahead of his time. Before TV and before Instagram he wrote in Walden:


"By closing the eyes and slumbering, and consenting to be deceived by shows, men establish and confirm their daily life of routine and habit everywhere, which still is built on purely illusory foundations"


This was inspiration for me to get away from the big social media platforms (Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and detox for a while. I do not miss it. I have been alone with my thoughts part of the day, but not lonely at all.

[Dtail]

Never been on the big media social platforms and don't intend to do so.
Gardening and being on retirement sites is my solitude.

[Amethyst]

It probably looks like I spend half my time on this site, but it's actuallly only a few minutes a day...I read and write fast.