Henry David Thoreau on Simplicity

Thoreau (1854) says that people “try to solve the problem of a livelihood by a formula more complicted than the problem itself”. What does that mean?

The problem of a livelihood is simply the problem of how to satisfy one's physical needs, how to respond to the necessities of life. Thoreau argues that the problem of a livelihood is much more straightforward than is commonly thought. Really, he thinks, it is a simple problem which admits of a simple solution. Accordingly, Thoreau's 'poor' are those who 'try to solve the problem of a livelihood by a formula more complicated than the problem itself,' that is those who supply an overcomplicated response to the problem of a livelihood.

Thoreau takes such overcomplication to be widespread. According to him, it is due to a number of factors including:

(1) moralism - a sense of guilt arises if we don't work hard
(2) lack of imagination - what else could we do?
(3) false needs - we mistake 'wants' for 'needs', and so become dominated by our own desires

I think an evolutionary psychologist would add 'striving for status' to this list.

According to Thoreau (1854) we commonly live as we do because we think we have no choice. Explain what he means by that.

Thoreau laments the predominance of so called 'false needs', which give rise to the impression that our existence is necessarily far more arduous than it in fact has to be. He takes people in general to work far too hard, far beyond the minimum effort required a modest and happy livelihood. Thoreau thinks that people suffer from an overinflated conception of what they need, coming to view many luxury or 'desired' items as outright necessities. As a result, they become locked into painful striving for these luxuries - for they feel obliged to possess them - and their lives are passed away in endless toil. People forget how relatively little effort is needed to live, and end up being dominated by their work. If they could see the error of their ways, they could choose to live much happier lives under the maxim of 'simplicity, simplicity, simplicity'.

References:
Thoreau, H. (1854) 'Economy' in Walden and Other Essays, [ URL = http://www.princeton.edu/~batke/thoreau/wa01_economy ]