Civil Disobedience Audiobook by Henry David Thoreau

Civil Disobedience is Thoreau's primary essay on how to interact with Government. Here the author argues that a citizen must always uphold conscience over what is prescribed by law. Never one to accept the status quo, Thoreau says that if called, we must all disobey a system that is inherently prone to corruption and that even personal endangerment may be needed in order do what is right. An inspiration to luminaries such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., this essay is one of the core American writings on government.
Civil Disobedience is an essay by Henry David Thoreau which was published in 1849 and is now in the public domain. This audio book was recorded by LearnOutLoud.com and is narrated by Jon Reiss. Copyright © 2008 LearnOutLoud, Inc. Any reproduction or illegal distribution of the content in any form will result in immediate action against the person concerned.
Download this audio book on MP3 audio for free on LearnOutLoud.com: www.learnoutlo...

[@daviddawson1718]

I've read this essay once a year for 16 years, its nice to listen to it while I'm on the tractor.

[@_JudgeDredd]

I grew up in Vermont. I'm black so I added to the 1% black population of the state ha! My teacher 4th/5th grade teacher was particular on making us read. I read this in the 5th grade and deduced that taxes are theft and some white guys hated slavery. I also learned that slavery was about commerce and economy. Then it became about conditions and human decency. If you really break it down, it's easy to understand. I think Americans are focused on the wrong things because it's easy to lose sight of perspective - why people did what they did during their period of time. Our continual decline in education is a major issue. I must say it's a lot easier to comprehend this in audio format rather than trying to interpret while reading hahaha! Maybe the beer.

[@daviddawson1718]

@@_JudgeDredd interesting and thoughtful commentary, I think that I would enjoy a long conversation with your beer, and my barbecue (I am a Texan) somewhere in my river bottom. Man can improve himself more with a " mutual tutorial " than other forms such as debate.

[@slightlya4tistic]

You live a cherished life, sir.

[@MorGan-rf7to]

WAIT you read this WHOLE entire essay once every 16 years?! Honestly you are a legend I would have quit lol

[@JoseLopez-ys2oz]

Excellent! How much better the world would be if we understood the teachings of Henry David Thoreau?

[@rimfire8217]

Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr did

[@tonysparks1682]

I read "The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail" in english class in high school, S/O to Mr.Shiopita!! I listened to this because this book effected Martin Luther King and Ghandi, I now see why. In the ending Thoreaus talks about his ideal government, it's a government that understands the individual is more powerful, the individual is where it derives its power and the individual is to be respected. Thoreau and his effect on multiple governments is evidence of this truth. That being said, i beg you all to realize you have this same power and do your best to emit positive effects and energy in your life and the world you lead.

[@Natty183]

Beautiful comment. We're all very powerful. We're also cognitively diverse so we're powerful in different ways.

[@anthroplant7879]

I dont care whether you agree or not; I'm glad you're here; educating yourself.

[@househackking]

More relevant now than ever

[@meghan8971]

I see I see, my honors english class is tryna make me read a small ass book when there is a audio of the WHOLE THING ON KZbin

[@hunden8404]

You should pay very close attention to the words of this essay.

[@actualideas8078]

Read “the law” by Bastiat

[@westonklaus9945]

If you want the audiobook more than the book, then our education system doesn't work.

[@t.j.thetomato]

Thank you! I do horrible reading in my head, this is so much easier!

[@johndifrancisco3642]

I do too but I find if I read it, it sticks more. I just hate when I find I'm reading the same paragraph over and over.

[@sweetcupcake2741]

Right

[@snowdapplesnowdapple9795]

I have to read this for class tomorrow and I havent slept all night so my brain is not enjoying words right now, this is more helpful than should be possible thank you XD

[@titangurki6705]

Im here from AP Lang Lmaoooo

[@folvaen]

same lol

[@kyleebutler8923]

Same

[@6nug]

8th Grade English Class...

[@nathanbarnes1087]

Ok fortnite profile picture

[@titangurki6705]

​@@nathanbarnes1087 i months ago lol nice response timing I'm in AP ECON now even worse

[@greggietheeggie1005]

It's funny to read normal comments amongst the philosophical ones, thanks man, this helps a lott

[@kaylajohnson4867]

not even an audiobook will help me get this essay 😫

[@oliviawing3888]

Same.

[@diaries5419]

There’s a explication on study.com

[@daviddawson1718]

What's the problem? I first read it in 1988, and get something from it every single time.

[@kaylajohnson4867]

@@daviddawson1718 i’m just bad with reading long texts of scholarly articles. prob would have gotten it better if i was given more time to read and comprehend it before jumping into the next project

[@LL-wh3uc]

the quick: following your conscience is more important than following the law

[@okaypiinkboy]

WHY DOES HE LOOK JUST LIKE ELLEN, WTF

[@pajamarock]

Duuuuude

[@kylejohns2288]

He came first she stole his look

[@robynball2989]

Ellen is Allen

[@katrinalove5704]

😂😂

[@whyamnauseous_]

ancestry

[@reitheist]

For some reason I understand the text a lot better when I hear it and look at the words 😅 otherwise ai get confused and spend 10 minutes on a paragraph

[@daviddawson1718]

That is true of me too. I think the benefit is that you engage two senses, but me too.

[@bookwyrm8181]

Same. You can intake information better when you both read and listen at the same time, I think. Also I get distracted too easily when reading something this dense/wordy

[@cheaptrick929]

Nipsey Hussle brought me here. Rest In Power.

[@youtuberahhhh3624]

CHEAP TRICK what did he say about it ??

[@aaron___6014]

I brought myself here.

[@markferbert52]

Why

[@Martin-iw4fm]

What exactly would Nip say about Henry David bruh??

[@richardlynch1094]

I have thought about these words before many arrests for civil disobedience, from Apartheid in South Africa, to AIDS, to Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter. I've learned that's in a jail cell where conscience truly sings it's Clarion song.

[@thescapegoatmechanism8704]

Love reading this during election season

[@JohnThorErnst]

If words of a man seemed to keep coming like the tide, then Thoreau would be a King tide. Plea for John Brown, Civil disobedience, and of course Walden are essays that could build a nation or set one to a change so great that word citizen would be as strong as the word nation. THOR

[@m.cullinane6692]

I’m not here from school, but from red dead redemption 2 as I heard the gang’s views are based on Thoreau. I found this worryingly applicable to today, and really interesting!

[@daviddawson1718]

@Peter Kotchev wrong, read it again

[@kylejohns2288]

No no no you’re so wrong the state was never meant to be an agent of change or control. The moment it did so it betrayed the foundation of our country. We are meant to be a country of people free from tyranny and domination. Now look at the situation we see where the will of the minority it completely ignored in favor of the masses with will. This was never the intention of our founder I fact it was their explicit intent to avoid a tyranny of the majority

[@Cereal008]

McDougal Littell abridged version 00:00 - 1:12 2:51 - 6:44 18:04 - 18:56 19:36 - 20:02 21:23 - 22:59 23:25 - 25:31 30:13 - 32:55

[@mariomatias6864]

14:39, 21:24, 30:13, 47:55

[@karenhaynes3125]

This was my thesis in the late 80's. My hero WAS HDT -EVEN THOUGH I AM CONSERVATIVE, I AM NOT A SHEEP!

[@AL_THOMAS_777]

Yeah Karen me too. I dislike weak sheep - only as meat on table :P

[@COLA_Citizen_Investigations_]

The cognitive dissonance is real. You people do realize that Thoreau was an Anarchist, right? He fundamentally disagreed with damn near everything representative of conservatism today; but then again, "conservatives" have the emotional awareness and understanding of this world as that of underdeveloped child (sadly, thats--by and large--scientific fact. So it makes sense that any and every bit of cogent wisdom that would flow forth from Thoreaus' mind would be naturally incomprehensible and filtered through a lens of absurdist stupidity upon arriving to conservative "consciousness". It's a very lonely world for folks like Thoreau, myself, and the rest of the thinking population with a backbone and a single grain of moral integrity. We just wish the rest of these Neandertals--we call "Americans"--sheer stupidity and soullessness didn't impact our lives and the lives of the innocent; but sadly, here we are--living and dead Anarchists alike--being forced to devote our time, efforts, and lives in a futile attempt to ensure the barbarity of statist minds (sheep, Karen....sheep) don't enslave civilized human beings, or at least the few that exist. But as is our nature, we seek not power nor master, and accordingly--by and large--own nothing and possess no public power to socialize these heathens we call "capitalists, liberals, conservatives...*makes me nauseas just thinking about the insult the modern American is to "civility, truth, justice, or dare I say, "intellectual integrity"--not to even speak of emotional fortitude. As for the rest of you, "conservatives and liberals alike", thanks for the hell on earth you people constructed. Now countless GOOD men and women will have to die to undoe the damage you folks have wrought on humanity and this planet as we know it. You're like, retarded evil infants after having been given the technological forces of your parents, not knowing wtf "it" is let alone how to wield it responsibly (that doubly goes for this odd device we call, "language") AND THEN this child turns those weapons on their parents, all-the-while, we have to play civil with a dangerous idiot child who knows only what he does with respects to the propagandistic villainy of the state painted as valor, and y'all can't tell the damn difference. The clock is ticking for our species and midnight is coming--how fast?-- is largely dependent on whether or not y'all virtue signaling cucks can pull your heads out of your bleached and groomed assholes. Good day, and be better. P.S I know I'm a dick, and f-kin proud, at least my conscious is clean, honest, and truthful...the same surely cannot be said for anyone holding water for this government and is especially true of the general American populus. I'ma go throw up now as this "culture" is necessarily repugnant to anyone with any taste for truth, justice and liberty; idiot children much rather have their bs shoveled into their gullet by the propagandist by propagandist if only to keep them from feeling the pain of starvation...sheep, pssh, as if.... "Peace" and "God's speed" ya'll going to need it because your prayers and thoughts are less than worthless--in fact--vile.

[@JesusRamirez-zl3gp]

The reader messed up a few times. At 22:18 when he reads "neighborlines" its supposed to be "neighborliness" and at 21:44 when he reads "indispensable" its supposed to be "indispensablest."

[@johndifrancisco3642]

Thank you Beau of the Fifth Column for recommending this. I will have to read it too.

[@xavieralexandre8507]

this was amazing, thank you so much!

[@keylacruz5265]

He repeats himself at 17:43

[@ducktaledudette]

I noticed too! So confusing.

[@LUIOFFICIALBEATS]

this makes me feel like thoreau was a political podcast host

[@LasArmas_]

Lmao

[@RandomGamerDude399]

I was confused when the reader repeated himself at 17:21; I thought he was reading a different version. I realized he was just rereading it by mistake. It is probably text-to-speech, and there was a mistake in the text it was reading.

[@TheyCallMeNewb]

Just a treat!

[@wesleyrodgers886]

Here from beau

[@navenozid566]

I agree with Thoreau, the Byzantine Empire WAS the best empire that ever existed and will ever exist.

[@seanjenkins6947]

NaveNozid ahem Empire Français

[@Alex01106]

I was reading this for honors, and i could not understand what the author was trying to convey in this story

[@hunden8404]

That government is immoral.

[@LL-wh3uc]

Following your conscience is more important than following the law

[@chelseaK11]

Very apropos for the world today!!

[@whatamievendoing]

I wonder if Henry Thoreau would social distance and self isolate. I get the feeling he wouldn't like that being mandated by the state

[@AsianTheDomination]

He said the best gobernment is the one that doesnt govern at all

[@daviddawson1718]

With the science behind the practice of distancing, and the ability for it to stop a pandemic you bet your life he would self isolate.

[@saddhayoga7615]

"I have never declined paying the highway tax, because I am as desirous of being a good neighbor as I am of being a bad subject"

[@frnk3b006]

''Walden'' documented his social isolation experiment that he did on his own... and, that was for 2 years, 2 months, and 2 days... far longer than what we've experienced, so far. THAT'S what I call a lesson in self-discipline.

[@whatamievendoing]

@@frnk3b006 I wonder if that experience at Walden would be the same if it was government mandated

[@alisonhenriquez3202]

A big ass headache to read and especially to write about.

[@williamofdallas]

nah

[@jamesnewport4752]

If only we had a yearly tax bill rather than payroll and inflation, we could more easily withdrawal our treasure from the state.

[@christinawellen2573]

why does this guy look like matt steffanina. im shook.

[@skinni_the_P00hBear]

Christina Wellen I had to go look him up. I'm screaming 🤣💀

[@mrmrlee]

You mean Matt Steffanina looks like him? Thoreau came first by a century.

[@heysaaya]

getting real into anti-capitalism and hating the government so I was recommended this

[@TheMaybelater2]

Capitalism is just an idea it is not evil but evil men are evil. Socialism/communism faces the same threat to become corrupt as everything is that is run by humans. The last 3 most oppressive dictatorship governments have been run by socialist/ communists. Thoreau even says that “a corporation has no conscience, but a corporation made of conscience men now has one.” So his ideas while coveted and used as a means for justification by the radical left are missing the point of Thoreau. The man himself was against big government, and he is not promoting an idea that falls in line with the left nor even the right. But rather the idea that Everyman should not submit to the current states of their government simply because it is, but follow their own mind and conscience into fighting for what they know to be good. Whether you’re definition of “good” falls into the political left or right is a different story. Thoreau did not try to define what should be good or bad. But that the great evil is political passivity and to be so is to sell yourself as but a mere tool for those in power.

[@daviddawson1718]

@@TheMaybelater2 I must admit that most people who read this essay have a good idea what they want it to say. His work is so often taken out of context by many different sides.

[@emanuelefarnesi6044]

This is not the FULL VERSION right? it should be 11h

[@tomatoaderms2481]

25:31

[@Ray-g9n4s]

💫💖💫 Thank you

[@hobocraft0]

Dayum!

[@joebyrneMensrights]

Local and county Government Come once a year to collect taxes they then use as Payments to themselves as proof of A grand racketeering Scheme that puts them as recipients of altruism Rather then the people in need . Racketeering - organized criminal act in which the perpetrators offer a service that will not be put into effect, offer a service to solve a nonexistent problem, or offer a service that solves a problem that would not exist without the racket. In other words Local Government .

[@bennybutcher1858]

Idle_time_gallery sent me here 📖

[@aneesamack7255]

Freshman Comp 1 has me here

[@hunden8404]

I’m surprised this is still being taught.

[@jonahwardell1060]

24:45

[@ducktaledudette]

That neckbeard tho

[@bennypapino3670]

Beau sent me

[@coolbeans6148]

That commie hillbilly?

[@bennypapino3670]

Yup. Hes a commie hillbilly exactly like me 🤷🤷🤷

[@coolbeans6148]

@@bennypapino3670 communism is not compatible with human nature. Believing in communism is to reject value of labor.

[@Brxwn9]

@@coolbeans6148???? Shut up pls

[@miareed5957]

10:55

[@squidy4131]

11:03

[@elcu6256]

8:58

[@nathantaylor2255]

Based

[@TropicalRegicide]

Here from the 🌺🌺 🅱️oogaloo 🌺🌺

[@JordanArno-l7x]

Lee Charles Taylor Jennifer Robinson Sandra

[@solidangel2006]

42:40

[@theblackhole05]

wow vote andrew yang. he really speaks on this. i really feel like we might need a new world order. this system has been dying since its conception

[@hunden8404]

Andrew Yang represents big government. Ron Paul is who you’re looking for...

[@BetsyWillie-t8f]

Young Michelle Wilson Barbara Walker Sandra

[@harishkumargujudhur8200]

Says 'rights' without saying 'responsibility'. Not the Peterson approach. 'dogs'. I wouldn't subscribe to this thinking, of stripping thus those who protect of dignity. His hundreds of thousands of merchants more concerned about agriculture certainly isn't Thoreau giving an accurate description, and merely supposing of each of these thousands of merchants to be more concerned so. should look into that.

[@daviddawson1718]

Peterson? Jordan would give his right nut to listen to HDT for a few minutes. When he talks about his friends those guys are Ralf Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, et al

[@daviddawson1718]

@@harishkumargujudhur8200 your replies are well thought out, and while we might not completely agree, I can certainly respect your point of view.

[@davidteurn7103]

17:00

[@__MR.MAN___]

This guy sounds like the one dude that always gets annoyingly political regardless of the scenario, and yet wonders why noone talks to him...

[@cypress1337]

#ClimateBrawl #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency

[@matthewfox1561]

What if this was just a shit post lol😂

[@harishkumargujudhur8200]

The Mexican war wasn't really 'unjust', and it was actually a democrat who declared it, and it was actually a respect of the independence of the Texan people, who had claimed independence. On top of that, the US had refused an annexation request from the Texans after its independence. The Mexicans messed up, so they got their due. Some men probably didn't want this fight, which may their choice, which can at least be respected in being a choice. However, that goes against the US when it's so close to home. Any sensible country could have known if there was just such a hearty state, all independent, between it, and some unruly government.

[@daviddawson1718]

HDT was not familiar with that conflict, and I agree he was inaccurate about it.

[@kristinakane7968]

Interesting, how did the Mexicans "mess up?"

[@perspective7204]

The United States sent an army into Mexican territory to provoke a confrontation. How would have the U.S. reacted if Mexico had sent an army to oversee the Mississipi River? It would have responded with war. The United States invaded Mexico and thereafter declared war. Polk lied to Congress and was censored for it. The war was based on a lie and on Polk's greed. Abraham Lincoln saw through Polk's lies and fought him on it. As did Thoreau and countless other men and women of the time.

[@LorenaTamayoXikana]

The "Texan" people were fighting for their independence to own slaves. Mexico had outlawed slavery and they saw that as infringing on their own rights.

[@harishkumargujudhur8200]

@@LorenaTamayoXikana I see. Should check that.

[@harishkumargujudhur8200]

If not for his disrespect for soldiers, for the economy, for the people who have allegiance, among other things, he would have been more right.

[@harishkumargujudhur8200]

Nope, he' had more on his plates to get the efforts in earning money, and giving those efforts to someone right.

[@harishkumargujudhur8200]

Thoreau is contradictory. He goes prude against merchants, but then starts praising free trade at the very end.

[@daviddawson1718]

@@harishkumargujudhur8200 try again, you don't have it yet. I'll tell you later if you can't figure it out.

[@daviddawson1718]

@@harishkumargujudhur8200 I like your last sentence especially. Do what is right ...it reminds me of Kant and his categorical imperative. In a different format (better, fuller communication) we might not be that far apart.

[@daviddawson1718]

@@harishkumargujudhur8200 I would very much enjoy this discussion with you in a more private forum. I wager we will not regret that conversation.

[@katieskorner8164]

Thoreau is a fool. If we had not Laws, but each person, individualy follows his own sense of what is acceptable, and what it not, is a recipe for chaos and discord. One man may think its acceptable to beat his wife to a pulp in the street because she did not wear the proper shoes, while another man may find himself propelled to intervene, because he himself, believes such behavior is NOT acceptable. Perhaps a man believe's Slavery, the owning of People, is acceptable and walks his slave down the road on a chain. Another man who believes this is horrific, will want to intervene. ... What have they to gauge their ability to act accordingly, if it is to their own self imposed governance they chose to obide?

[@wankle1234]

Cathleen W you misunderstand the point of the essay. Yes he does advocate for you to violate a law you think is unjust, but also to except its consequences. To only say what your convictions are and to not act on them is the same as not having conviction.

[@kuddlykoala896]

Katies Korner You are a fool.

[@metalshaman2069]

Such an old sentiment. Have more faith in your species.

[@lawrenceworrell591]

I question how this person got a wife and how that person got a slave in the first place.

[@DavidDiaz-yw2rd]

wankle1234 this is not true. Henry disobeys the government and goes to jail. “Under a government which imprisons any unjustly,” he asserted, “the true place for a just man is also a prison.” “Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.”

[@TheMangoAnglo_onTwitter]

8 years and 162,000 views is very telling.

[@LazyPerezoso]

40:30

[@adrianmartinez3755]

23:35

[@andrewglessner9355]

18:42

[@msaunders9014]

34:00

[@mayorga971]

12:30

[@nicholasm4974]

21:23

[@nicholasm4974]

28:43 pg 949

[@literally_a_crow]

12:56

[@kodokushiii]

16:06

[@thelight7035]

KODOKU ! 🙏 thanks

[@caitlynnliquigan2067]

25:31