Thoreau's Egoism

Thoreau's Egoism

I wonder what we make of Thoreau's egoism which is especially explicit in the last lines of the novel. He is constantly talking about how his life style is the correct one, and that if all the poor followed his model they would be much better off. For all his apparent "radicalism", his egotistical conservatism towards the poor (especially in regards to the "inherited Irish poverty") is appalling.