Question

how does henry david thoreau feel about standard us institutions such as postal service and the press

Answer 1

He thinks both postal service and the press are not necessary for living. Even more, they are redundant. He says that he doesn't need post-office at all, as most of the letters that people send and receive are worthy of sending or receiving. Also, he doesn't care about the media, as they never bring any news worth reading. All events and occurrences that the press writes about are mere gossips. For example, a person doesn't need to read about hundreds of murders or robberies to find out that crimes happen.

Answer 2

Answer: sample answer from assignment

In Walden, Thoreau states that he does not like institutions such as the postal service and the press, as he believes that they do not contribute anything new to society. He believes that few thoughts and letters are worth the price paid for postage. He also believes that there is never new "news," just the same events happening to different people at different times. These views support Thoreau's beliefs that individualism and self-reliance are more important than society or any institution.