In economy, Thoreau writes about the enlightenment he achieved by letting go of the luxuries of overabundance. He states that having the bare minimum is enough for a person to survive and even flourish as he/she would be freed from the imaginary pressure imposed by society and oneself. “By the words, necessary of life, I mean whatever, of all that man obtains by his own exertions, has been from the first, or from long use has become, so important to human life that few, if any, whether from savageness, or poverty, or philosophy, ever attempt to do without it.” This paragraph starts with a description of the bare minimum according to Thoreau. The passage in general is Thoreau explaining what he thinks is the only requirement for a person to live to the fullest. Cloth, food and shelter in this case.
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