Emerson and Thoreau were the quintessential purveyors of simplicity. Through their transcendental beliefs they felt that each person should life simply and live in-tune with nature. They believed that we should live our lives free of commitment and searching for "the truth." In our modern society you can't walk into a shopping mall without being bombarded with logos for expensive clothes, computers that run at 50 megahertz faster than the ones we already have, and gadgets that we can't live without. It's hard to live simply in a world with so many fun things to play with.
             Although it is agreeable that living simply is a great character builder, if Thoreau had his way, everyone would probably live naked out in the woods living off of cave fungus and crawlers found on the ground. Many people in modern society want to feel like they can cope with whatever life deals them, but we often need the help from modern devices. It would be very hard to live out in the woods with nothing more than a sleeping bag and a knife. Maybe that's why camping gear is so expensive.
             Is there really a problem with enjoying modern life? Are cellular phones evil? Most people don't think so. If I get a cut, should I not clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide? Do medicine and hospitals complicate my life too much?
             Unlike Thoreau and Emerson, most modern people enjoy their material possessions and spending time with their friends. Pop culture is just that – popular, and no one wants to live a simple life when they can enjoy things like Old Navy sweaters, TV, the Internet, cellular phones, and an assortment of other modern conveniences, time savers, and toys to fill that saved time.
             In closing, as long as the things that complicate our life don't get out of hand, they cannot hurt us. I would rather live in a culture where I had to worry about which color I want the faceplate of my computer to be t...