Thoreau's Ideas Don't Apply to Today (Argument Essay)

          According to Thoreau men are nothing “but a machine,” and that inventions are “pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things.” Thoreau also claims that fashion is just a way to show people’s prestige and where they belong in the social pyramid. Thoreau has a point however today in 2016 this is untrue because workers are not treated like machines, new inventions don’t distract people but instead help them in jobs and at school, and fashion doesn’t mean social ranking today.

          Thoreau’s ideas don’t apply to today because times have changed and most of these issues that Thoreau claimed have ended. Thoreau was correct when he claimed workers as “machines” but that was true during the second industrial revolution when workers had no rights however, times have changed and Progressive presidents like Theodore Roosevelt have improved workers conditions and today in America workers are not mistreated and they have the right to form labor unions to go against abusive companies. Furthermore, inventions aren’t distractions however, some critics may say that social media and iPhone’s are distractions to students. Nevertheless this is false because todays inventions like social media allow people to socialize and create relationships, plus iPhones allow students to look up help for homework and learn about the subject that is taught at school. In addition, other critics say today fashion today still causes division in social status just like Yeezys show people are rich while vans are for people with less money and the same goes for clothing like ones from Pacsun are more expensive than clothing from Ross or Burlington. However, this is also not true because fashion has a positive effect and that it is to show people's style and personality. Therefore, Thoreau’s ideas don’t apply to today because times have changed.