"Walden Puddle"

I think it's funny how some people try to cram Henry David Thoreau neatly into a little romantic kind of box. And, yes, this is the guy who went off to live on his own by a pond for a long time. But although I feel that a myriad of "romantic" ideals probably all influence Thoreau to one degree or another, environmentalism for him seems more a concern of economics.

Yes, economics.

I know, I'm a Business major, so everything is money, resources, efficiency, for me. But think about it.

He places a certain value on everything and speaks frequently of opportunity cost. Instead of saying, "Gee, this tree is awfully pretty; it's such a shame to see such beauty leave the world," or "It's wrong to chop down trees," or "Somebody should stop these damn lumberjacks," or "We should worship trees," I think Thoreau is more saying, "Would it not be better to preserve the value--aesthetically, ethically, politically, religiously--of this tree than to waste its value in a lumber mill?"

Thoreau is concerned that the present generation is not taking pleasure from nature and that because of this future generations will not have the opportunity to enjoy--or, if you will, gain utility from--the beauty of nature, which is a real waste of value.

Lessons from Peeps

A few friends and I once bought a whole box of Peeps marshmallow candy. They're little yellow, baby blue, pink, and lavender marshmallows cut into the shape of chicks with tiny brown specks for eyes and dusted with sugar. They are sinfully delicious.

Obviously, we put one on a big plate into the microwave. That's kind of what you do with them.

It was astonishing how quickly it puffed up, probably to about eight times its original size, making a huge blob. And when the microwave timer went off, the Peep deflated just as quickly, sagging not quite back to its original position but certainly just a vestige of its former puffed-up glory.

And I hate to say it, but I think human life is a little like that. We're born, we grow at a prodigious and awful rate, and then we fade, sinking slowly back down for our final rest when the bell tolls. But we probably don't taste quite as delicious.