I'm not sure Thoreau is such a great example of an adult. As [1] argues The real Thoreau was, in the fullest sense of the word, self-obsessed: narcissisti

I'm not sure Thoreau is such a great example of an adult. As [1] argues The real Thoreau was, in the fullest sense of the word, self-obsessed: narcissistic, fanatical about self-control, adamant that he required nothing beyond himself to understand and thrive in the world. [..] “Walden” is less a cornerstone work of environmental literature than the original cabin porn: a fantasy about rustic life divorced from the reality of living in the woods, and, especially, a fantasy about escaping the entanglements and responsibilities of living among other people. Much of which, as many here argue, is essential to 'being an adult'. [1] http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/10/19/pond-scum http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/10/19/pond-scum