Thoreau's message isn't necessarily to go live in the woods; granted, that is what he did, and he found the experience quite fulfilling. Rather, his main messages center around the themes of simplifying your life, recognizing what is most important--which is not material goods or comforts, and in relying on oneself to be a moral, physical and emotional guide. He feels that too many of us are too busy doing trivial things, and feels that "our lives are frittered away by detail." He thinks that we really need to analyze what we spend our time doing, and whether or not they are truly meaningful. If it isn't, cut it from our lives and live more simply and meaningfully.
Thoreau also believed that we put too much care and concern in what the world or others think of us, when the only person that really mattered was us. He wanted us to stop worrying about fashion, culture, and what society dictated as right and wrong, and rather listen to our own hearts and consciences. This school of thought was strongly supported by many individualists, a school of thought that Thoreau, and his mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, belonged to.
I hope that those thoughts helped; good luck!
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