Thoreau

[BIGJake111]

Writing a paper about if i could live a simple life like Thoreau did or not. I am using my car as evidence that i could. How do i get the point about the cars simplicity and the purpose built sense of it across, this is my second time around and what my teacher originally critiqued was that. "if you drove a 92 dodge dart i could buy this a little more" "wait a sec you're talking about your minimalist car, and its a PORSCHE"

[qwerty]

You probably shouldn't write English papers about your car. It will come off conceited. Rather, you probably should let others brag for you at this stage of your life.

[BIGJake111]

the assignment required personal evidence. The paper is about how simple things can be the best things, the only simple thing in my life i particularly enjoy, is my car.

[Timco]

Originally Posted by BIGJake111

the assignment required personal evidence. The paper is about how simple things can be the best things, the only simple thing in my life i particularly enjoy, is my car.

Some of the best things in my life are:

Wife
Keeping chickens
Helping elderly neighbors in need free of charge
Our garden / yard in top shape
Feeding backyard birds, seeing new ones

The Porsche is great fun, but I pay for that. The other things are free of charge and what makes me.......me.

[BIGJake111]

My bidding point is the lack of excess. Money or physical value isn't something im going for with this essay, rather how a small car with 2 seats can be better than a large tank of an SUV. It is still the whole less is more, but not in a financial sense. Really wasn't looking to brag to the teacher as many of the tires on the jacked up trucks in the parking lot at my school are worth more than my car, much less the F250s and Rams they are attached to. I live among a large congregation of the modern hillbilly, but no one said they don't have some money floating around haha.

[jdlmodelt]

Originally Posted by BIGJake111

My bidding point is the lack of excess. Money or physical value isn't something im going for with this essay, rather how a small car with 2 seats can be better than a large tank of an SUV. It is still the whole less is more, but not in a financial sense. Really wasn't looking to brag to the teacher as many of the tires on the jacked up trucks in the parking lot at my school are worth more than my car, much less the F250s and Rams they are attached to. I live among a large congregation of the modern hillbilly, but no one said they don't have some money floating around haha.

This Lad has a point. I'm nearly 48 and I am surrounded by a bunch of hillbillies who want to race me off the red light and they spent a LOT more no their truck's that can't even pull as much as my 99 3/4 ton chevy since they are all built up for show instead of tow! I use my Chevy truck to haul cattle from y 5th generation cattle ranch and i use my Porsche to commute to my daily engineering job!

[BIGJake111]

Originally Posted by Timco

Some of the best things in my life are:

Wife

When i come across the right girl she most definitely will matter more to me than my car haha. I wouldn't be taking anyone's spot right now if i had a tonneau cover, if you know what i mean.

[nicecar]

hell I just want to put new struts on. Thor who? lol you guys are deeeeep

[BIGJake111]

Originally Posted by nicecar

hell I just want to put new struts on. Thor who? lol you guys are deeeeep

10th grade English, it sucks. I am so ready to be on in business or law school haha.

[RawleyD]

hehe.. Quite conceited, but you are a 16 year old teenager.

[Lobo1186]

Some think Thoreau's efforts to "live a simple life" were conceited. Maybe it is fitting.

[Stroked & Blown]

Originally Posted by Lobo1186

Some think Thoreau's efforts to "live a simple life" were conceited. Maybe it is fitting.

The house he lived in towards the end of his life certainly wasn't simple - it's 6,700 sq ft.

[RawleyD]

Reminds me of when Ceelo Green performed John Lennon's "Imagine" in gold jewlery and a fur coat. lol

I would change the focus of the paper. Using your P-car to compare to Thoreau's lifestyle is just a bit classless.

[The Radium King]

you could take the macro-environmental approach in your proof - your car is simple because it is used as opposed to new (ie, you impacted the planet less by recycling someone else's waste, rather than requiring that a whole bunch of new metal and plastic be bent into purpose to serve your base needs - and transportation is a base need in the suburban environment we have created for ourselves). also it is lighter so uses less fuel and requires less material to make. it will also last longer than a kia.

[BIGJake111]

good idea radium will likely fit that in

[Timco]

Originally Posted by The Radium King

you could take the macro-environmental approach in your proof - your car is simple because it is used as opposed to new (ie, you impacted the planet less by recycling someone else's waste, rather than requiring that a whole bunch of new metal and plastic be bent into purpose to serve your base needs - and transportation is a base need in the suburban environment we have created for ourselves). also it is lighter so uses less fuel and requires less material to make. it will also last longer than a kia.

My Box is far lighter than either other car and gets far worse gas mileage, due to driver pleasure.

It's a luxury car. No matter the context, you will look bad using that car in this context. This is where age can help you see what I didn't at your age.

Only hope is to make it into an obvious joke.

[Perfectlap]

There is nothing simple or plain about a Porsche or any sports car for that matter. It was the product of tens of thousands of hours of engineering, millions of dollars in development, it has a a Bentley phonebook-sized manual for its upkeep, it requires a level of competence to drive safely the way it was engineered to be driven, it requires amounts of money the average person does not have to maintain it, it is a rolling financial liability for most ordinary household budgets.

My unsolicited opinion is that this is not at all what the author had in mind. A simple pleasure is something that will always be ingrained in your memory, cost you next to nothing to experience, and puts everything back in perspective. Examples: star-gazing, running on the beach, washing your dog, drinking ice tea on a hot day. Put it this way, the simpler the pleasure more it speaks to your clarity of mind at that moment. Personally I think this is why so many have overly-complicated lives.

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by BIGJake111

Writing a paper about if i could live a simple life like Thoreau did or not. I am using my car as evidence that i could. How do i get the point about the cars simplicity and the purpose built sense of it across, this is my second time around and what my teacher originally critiqued was that. "if you drove a 92 dodge dart i could buy this a little more" "wait a sec you're talking about your minimalist car, and its a PORSCHE"

Jake, I agree with you all the way on this concept. You bought a car that is potentially depreciation proof, gets good gas mileage, & you endeavor to maintain it yourself. I describe the early 986 interiors as having everything you need & nothing you don't. They are quite simply the funnest device ever invented by man.

Apparently your teacher suffers with a common stereotype preconception about Porsche & their drivers, which you are duly bound to dispel. :dance:

[Perfectlap]

^ His teacher is not far from the mark. He may not know a Dart from a Porsche like Seinfeld's 73 RS, but he's right those were analog cars.
Athough not as tech driven as the most recent Porsches, these 986/987 are still part of the new school which are very disconnected, insulated cars with limited feedback and computer-assisted but-saving.

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

^ His teacher is not far from the mark. He may not know a Dart from a Porsche like Seinfeld's 73 RS, but he's right those were analog cars.
Athough not as tech driven as the most recent Porsches, these 986/987 are still part of the new school which are very disconnected, insulated cars with limited feedback and computer-assisted but-saving.

Dodge Dart is a generic "poor man's" car leading me to believe the teacher is fixated on price of entry. Jake's Box is a 2.5 which seem's primative to most 987 drivers & is pre-PSM.