The 19th century writer/philosopher Henry David Thoreau said, " Most men lead lives of quiet desperation". He probably included himself. But what he did about it was unusual. He left that part of his humdrum and went into the woods. He wrote about his travels and thoughts most notably in " On Walden Pond". He wrote about how our species was being spiritually suffocated by our tools and insittutions. He said, " Be a Columbus to whole new continents and worlds within you... not of trade but of thought".
Recently Betty Friedan passed away. She is most noted for her writing the very popular 1963 book " The Feminine Mystique". She wrote about women's " nameless, aching, disatisfaction" that she termed " the problem that has no name". She was refering knowingly or unknowingly to Thoreau's " quiet desperation" description of the lives of many men.
Thoreau went into himself and reconnected with the natural, apolitical world. Friedman founded NOW- National Organization of Women. She made a political organization of the " nameless, aching, disatisfaction" syndrome. Thoreau found fulfillment in himself. Friedan tried to fulfill herself with others. He moved " in". She told others to " move over". Control of oneself is easier than trying to control others.
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