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"The Bean-Field" & "The Village" 10/12

1. Thoreau describes the village of Concord as "a great news room". Given his comments on the next couple of pages, how much news does Thoreau seem to think we need?


Thoreau may find Concord "a great news room", but he feels that constantly hearing the news as those who loiter in the streets do "would be painful to hear" since the streets are brimming with news of people and places and rumors and trifles. Thoreau feels that enough information is that which is useful, and too much would be finding out things that have no influence or use in your own life. He also prefers to receive information on his own terms, hence why he frequents the village on occasion, so he will not be bombarded by mindless blather constantly.

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