Stepping Away From The Feather Bed of Civilization

In a world that equates progress with luxury, comfort, and convenience, the words of Robert Louis Stevenson and Henry David Thoreau ring with a rebellious clarity. 

Their journeys—Stevenson’s 12-day trek through the rugged Cévennes mountains with a stubborn donkey named Modestine, and Thoreau’s solitary retreat into the woods—offer a powerful antidote to the gilded cage of modern life. They remind us that stepping away from the "feather bed of civilization" can awaken a deeper, more resilient way of being. 

For those of us yearning for simplicity, their stories are a call to rediscover the raw, unfiltered joy of living close to nature.

In Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes (1879), Stevenson captures the essence of his journey: 

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move; to feel the needs and hitches of our life more clearly; to come down off this feather-bed of civilization, and find the globe granite underfoot and strewn with cutting flints. Alas, as we get up in life, and are more preoccupied with our affairs, even a holiday is a thing that must be worked for. To hold a pack upon a pack-saddle against a gale out of the freezing north is no high industry, but it is one that serves to occupy and compose the mind. And when the present is so exacting who can annoy himself about the future?” 

His 200km solo hike through the barren hills of south-central France wasn’t about reaching a destination but about embracing the act of living itself. Stevenson faced the elements, the locals’ suspicions, and his own limitations. He was mistaken for a peddler, warned of wolves and robbers, and yet was still enthusiastic about the freedom in the simplicity of the open road.

Stevenson’s journey was a deliberate step away from the comforts of society. His words resonate with anyone who’s ever felt suffocated by the demands of modern life. 

For Stevenson, the answer was to leave behind the feather bed and embrace the rugged simplicity of the outdoors.

Henry David Thoreau, in his own retreat to Walden Pond, found a similar truth. 

“I love Nature partly because she is not man, but a retreat from him. In her midst I can be glad with an entire gladness. If this world were all man, I could not stretch myself, I should lose all hope.” 

Thoreau’s time in the woods wasn’t just an escape - it was a rebellion against the constraints of a society that demanded conformity. Nature, to him, was freedom—a place where “a different kind of right prevails.” Stripped of human institutions, he discovered a life that was simple, unobstructed, and profoundly joyful. Thoreau’s solitude in the forest allowed him to confront the raw, inconvenient facts of existence. Far from the anesthetizing comforts of civilization, he found resilience in simplicity. 

His life at Walden was a testament to the idea that less can be more—that stripping away the trappings of modernity can reveal a deeper, more authentic way of living.

Today, we’re told that progress means faster technology, bigger homes, and endless convenience. 

But at what cost? 

The pursuit of luxury has left us enslaved to our desires, and vulnerable to those who profit from our dependence. 

As I reflect on the state of our world, I see little evidence of true evolution. Instead, I see a society that’s grown soft, demoralized, and disconnected from the natural world that sustains us. We’ve traded resilience for comfort, freedom for convenience, and in doing so, we’ve lost something vital. Stevenson and Thoreau challenge us to question this narrative. They remind us that nature isn’t just a place to visit—it’s where we live, our greatest teacher. 

To step away from the hyper-complexity of modern life, even for a little while, is to rediscover our capacity for joy, strength, and clarity. It’s a chance to feel the ground beneath our feet, to face the “needs and hitches” of life head-on, and to find contentment in the simplicity of the present moment. For those of us drawn to simple living, Stevenson and Thoreau offer a roadmap. Their journeys weren’t about escaping reality but about embracing it in its rawest form. 

Whether it’s a hike through the mountains with only a sleeping bag and a stubborn donkey or a quiet retreat to a cabin in the woods, the act of simplifying forces us to confront what truly matters. 

It’s not about renouncing everything but about choosing what adds value to our lives and letting go of the rest.

Here are a few ways to channel their wisdom into your own simple living practice: 1. Step Outside Regularly: You don’t need a 200km trek to reconnect with nature. A walk in a local park, a night under the stars, or even a moment of stillness in your backyard can ground you in the present. 2. Embrace Inconvenience: Like Stevenson wrestling with his donkey, or Thoreau chopping wood, lean into the challenges of a simpler life. Cooking from scratch, growing your own food, or fixing something instead of replacing it builds resilience. 3. Question “Progress”: Before chasing the next shiny gadget or lifestyle upgrade, ask yourself: Does this bring me closer to freedom or further from it? Simplicity often lies in saying no to what doesn’t serve you. 4. Find Joy in the Raw Moments: As Thoreau found “entire gladness” in nature, seek out the unfiltered beauty in your surroundings—the crunch of leaves, the smell of an early summer morning, the quiet of a starlit night. In the end, the choice to live simply is a quiet rebellion against a world that wants us comfortable, compliant, and dependent. 

Stevenson and Thoreau show us that true freedom lies not in accumulating more but in needing less. 

By stepping away from the feather bed of civilization, we can rediscover the granite underfoot, the cutting flints, and the joy of a life unencumbered by excess. In conclusion, I invite you to take a step, however small, toward simplicity. Leave the gilded cage behind, even for a moment, and let nature be your teacher.

Where will that next step take you? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or tell us about someone you know who’s traded comfort for freedom, and let's celebrate the raw, resilient joy of living simply.