“What Thoreau was referring to in the quote:  "Why level downward to our dullest perception always, and praise that as common sense?" has been labelled ‘brain rot’ and is basically a suppression of one’s innate instincts for curiosity and wonder and instead resigning ourselves to the ‘unreflective’ habits we observe all around us -- habits of fitting in, getting by, chasing profits, chatting about the latest news.”