Self-Reliance, By Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many have tried to define how human nature is individual. Transcendentalism showed the world how humanity was not living at their best, but were instead trapped from becoming their true selves. In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Self-Reliance, individualism, and self-trust are imperative, but perfect self-reliance is only found after breaking through the barriers of society. First, self-trust is the key to truth. Non conformity is required for self-trust. If a person has self-trust, they also have to face inconsistency. Emerson thought that it was difficult for many to trust themselves and disobey what they did in the past. Humanity should “speak what you think now in hard words again…though it contradict everything you said” because to do this gains self-trust (424). Emerson thinks all the celebrated role models are misunderstood, for “to be great is to be misunderstood” (424). All the important people of the past spoke exactly what they knew to be the truth, staying upfront with the world. To go against the norms of society, humanity must know exactly what they mean and not change what they say because “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men,—that is genius” (420). Emerson spoke with absolute certainty that what he was saying was the truth. He considered individualism, a controversial American value, the pinnacle of humanity. In the imagery, “under all these screens I have difficulty to detect the precise man you are,” Emerson shows the world how dead ideas from others can cover up a person’s true nature (423). Emerson also speaks in absolutes. He
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Throughout his life Emerson believed that humanity needed to change from their conformist, consistent ways and turn to themselves. He knew God made nature true; therefore, everyone should be their own
Throughout his life Emerson believed that humanity needed to change from their conformist, consistent ways and turn to themselves. He knew God made nature true; therefore, everyone should be their own