Ralph Waldo Emerson And Self Reliance

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Ralph Waldo Emerson was born on May 25, 1803 and is famously known as an American writer and poet who influenced the transcendentalism movement in the 19th century. Through Emerson’s work he depicted a main idea of self reliance. Emerson’s beliefs revealed we are losing originality by conforming to society and not realizing a true genius. Emerson uses these examples to help us realize people should be their own individual.
What does Emerson mean by self reliance? “For Emerson, however, the concept of self-reliance refers more significantly to the commitment to intelligent and imaginative independence and freedom whereby one has the courage and enthusiasm to think and to express one’s own thoughts, ideas and dreams rather than a fearful or careful …show more content…
Emerson believed even the brightest people always had something new to learn. “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” (Emerson 194). If we believe Emerson’s values and trust our own thoughts, we can all be geniuses. “So often, a passing thought or idea is privately dismissed as impossible, crazy or ridiculous, and the flash of insight which it contains is extinguished. Sometimes, however, this same idea emerges from someone else, an artist, an inventor, a poet or a philosopher, and, regretfully, we realize that our original idea was of value, had we had the courage to own it” (O’Dwyer 106). We often think our ideas are wrong and are afraid to have our own opinion. “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string” (Emerson 195). Emerson strongly encouraged people to believe in themselves because people tend to end up thinking like everyone else. Often many people are not able to trust their opinion in many situations. “We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of that divine idea which each of us represents” (Emerson 195).The main idea Emerson is trying to point out is you should not be ashamed of your outlook on things. In modern times most people want to fit in with the popular idea but Emerson’s beliefs show having your own mind, makes you an individual. Emerson stated, “Envy …show more content…
Works Cited
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “from self reliance”. Literature Georgia Treasures American Literature. Ed. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: Glencoe, 2011. 194-195.
Holmes, Andrew. Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self-Reliance : A Modern-Day Interpretation of a Self-Help Classic. Infinite Ideas, 2010. Infinite Success Series. EBSCOhost, proxygsu-helb.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=436999&site=eds-live&scope=site.
Kathleen, O’Dwyer. "Emerson’s Argument for Self-Reliance as a Significant Factor in a Flourishing Life." Journal of Philosophy of Life, Vol 2, Iss 1, Pp 102-110 (2012), no. 1, 2012, p. 102. EBSCOhost,
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