"I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society"
- Henry David Thoreau
About this Quote
Henry David Thoreau's quote talks with the value of balance in life. He recommends that one must have a chair for seclusion, 2 for relationship, as well as 3 for society. This implies that a person ought to have a balance between time invested alone and time spent with others. The chair for privacy recommends that one ought to require time to be alone and reflect, while both chairs for relationship suggest that ought to cultivate purposeful connections with others. The third chair for society suggests that one should also participate in social tasks and also be a part of the larger community. Thoreau's quote is a tip that it is important to have a balance in between time spent alone as well as time spent with others in order to lead a meeting life.
"Having soon discovered to be great, I must appear so, and therefore studiously avoided mixing in society, and wrapped myself in mystery, devoting my time to fasting and prayer"
"Without culture, and the relative freedom it implies, society, even when perfect, is but a jungle. This is why any authentic creation is a gift to the future"