...his readers to follow their own desires and goals, instead of what other people expected of them. Emerson insisted in becoming in a person becoming in tune with their own voice, and not the voices of others. This is something that I have experienced first-hand in my life. I decided I wanted to marry young at nineteen years old, and many people told me that I was making the wrong decision, that I would never finish school, and that I would never be able to pursue my dreams. I insisted in following my own wants, and have now been happily married for five years. Neither marriage nor having children have ever become an impediment in continuing my studies, and I am glad that I didn’t listen to what people had to say. I have found myself to be self-reliant with my career, because becoming a teacher is something I have always wanted to...
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...Sanaya Williams PH-221 Professor Bradley Final Paper- Ralph Waldo Emerson Self-Reliance “Self- Reliance” is considered one of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s best-known essays. The essay was first published in 1841 in his collection, Essays: First Series. This essay contains the most thorough statement of Emerson’s emphasis on the need for individuals to avoid conformity and false consistency, and instead follow their own instincts and ideas. This essay shows Emerson’s ways for making and translating classical philosophy and turning it to comprehensible language, and signifying its relevance to everyday life. It is broken into three sections: the value of and barriers to self-reliance, self-reliance and the individual, and self-reliance and society. The Value of and Barriers to Self-Reliance was my favorite section. Emerson began his essay with the assertion, “To believe in your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men.” This one statement summed up what I thought self-reliance was which was the reliance upon one’s own thoughts and ideas. In this section Emerson argues that people such as Plato are held at the highest regard simply because they spoke what they thought. Plato did not rely on the words of someone else, books, or tradition. Emerson explained that another barrier for self-reliance is the fear of our own consistency. A quote that went along with his example would be “a reverence for our past act for computing out...
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...In the “Response to Emerson’s Self-Reliance” written by Miss Joy Zhou, Zhou explains how Emerson’s philosophy changed her life dramatically. Right from the start, Zhou exemplifies that “Self-Reliance” “is the most important factor in my past and future life”. (Zhou). This clearly demonstrates that she was impacted by the views of the Transcendentalist Emerson. Throughout her response, she anecdotally describes her life in high school after she graduated. Zhou ties in Emerson’s self-reliance beliefs by stating that, “I knew that I was trying my best for myself, to satisfy myself. I had confidence in myself.” (Zhou). These lines indeed allows the audience to understand that her goal in life was to strive to do the things that she wanted to do...
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...“Self-Reliance” Imagine someone in this world today who doesn’t have self-reliance. Self-reliance is very important to a man or woman’s confidence. The difference between being self-reliant and not self-reliant can also be the difference between someone who makes a difference in this world versus someone who is a bystander. Even a person who doesn’t make a huge difference in this world can live a less stressful life by being self-reliant. The opposite of this is someone who conforms to everyone else’s behaviors and doesn’t have a strong opinion or impact of this or her own. In order to live a successful life one needs to be self-reliant. Along with these self-reliance a person will also live with inner peace and happiness, trusting his or her self.of self-reliance. Emerson makes some very good points about non-conformity and the negatives that can come with it. In Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” essay, he believes that self-reliance is the unbreakable trust in one’s own intuitions. He states this when he says, “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” (3). He believes that if a person believes that his or her belief is true for everyone, then that person is self-reliant, and in his eyes, that makes this person a genius. Emerson also believes that it can be hard to be self-reliant because of today’s world and the harsh society that it harbors. An example of this is when he says, “For non-conformity...
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...paragraph Emerson said that people’s destiny was to accept that the divine creator is within us, also that the universe is full of decency and it’s all powerful. There can also be a power found within that we ourselves don’t even know about. 3. Explain what Emerson believes about society as a whole. (Paragraph 3) Emerson believed that a society as a whole is instilling in the belief against the strong and powerful inner nature of virtue and non-conformity. 4. What is self-reliance an aversion to? (Paragraph 3) Self-reliance is an aversion to conformity. 5. What is a person's most sacred possession? (Paragraph 4) A person’s most sacred possession is the integrity of one’s mind according to Emerson. 6. Do you think there is a difference between self-reliance and selfishness? Explain your answer. I believe that there is a different between self-reliance and selfishness because relying on your own abilities and judgment. Selfishness is when someone is only concerned about one’s self and no one else’s. Also selfishness can be when one is not showing care to anyone else and only to themselves. 7. Highlighted in green, you will find some of the figures of speech Emerson uses to make comparisons between two unlike things. For example, he likens planting corn to man's daily struggle to live in the world. (Paragraph 1). What...
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...RALPH EMERSON’S SELF RELIANCE, HIS TIME VS. PRESENT Sylvia L. Koch Everest University Online Abstract This paper is in response to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay entitled “Self Reliance”. The only source for this paper is the essay itself as the rest is in my own words, with the exception of examples of APA formatting observed on Owl Perdue Online Writing Lab. After reading Mr. Emerson’s essay titled “Self Reliance”, more than a couple of times mind you, I believe that I understand just what he meant to express through this writing. It was difficult for me to understand the first couple of times because his vocabulary and mine are of different times. As different as our words so are the societies in which we live. He, being from a time where society (in general) were as polite as people were ever in time; To me, in a time where too many people express their “individualism”, to the extreme but in a way that I do not believe Emerson had imagined or hoped for. When Emerson stated his opinion on thinking for oneself rather than conforming to the opinions of society, trusting oneself, and the importance of acting independently for oneself rather than for the praise of society I think he meant that through conformity, or just following others, a person is really making no actual contributions or change to society, they are just along for the ride. I believe he is absolutely right about that, I think people should always trust themselves to say what they really...
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...relying on others for help. Always depending on others causes an individual to lack self-reliance and self-sufficiency. I can shamefully admit that, as a child, I was extremely dependent on everyone around me for everything I did. I was most dependent on my family, including my mom, dad, sister, and cousins. From age ten to twelve I became extremely needy that I started to develop severe laziness. I was so lazy that one day I had asked my cousin to make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, to which she replied no and demanded I make it myself. The only response my sluggish mind could utter was, “But I do not know how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” which was an absolute lie. It was as if I began to view my family as my servants. Rarely would I do anything for myself. All I had to say was “I want this” and it would become mine. I was given money, clothes, toys, and food whenever I wanted. I developed into an incompetent child. When I turned thirteen years old, my parents started to act stricter and enforced more rules. This was a turning point in my life because I finally understood that I could not be successful in life by relying on anyone else but myself. From that moment on, I focused all my energy on transforming myself into an independent individual. Personally, I believe a person who is independent portrays characteristic traits such as self-determination, self-sufficient, and self-reliant. In order to change myself from a lazy, reliant person into a young lady...
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...Cynthia Dunn April 28, 2012 Self- Reliance AML 2000-17 Instructor Wiggs Virtues are in the popular estimate rather the exception than the rule (Bryant, 2008). Emerson describe as some pieces of individual characters or donations paying fine in favors daily in front of a big no imaginary parade, that we as men our work is finished when we said we sorry to a busy living world, as no valid or no senses pay high price. Emerson said that our virtues are hatred and offences to god. He (Emerson) does not need favor, but just to live. In conclusion he said that our life is for itself and not for a spectacle, so as some exceptions were given by the biggest Virtuosos like Beethoven or Chopin to the public in big spectacle with their music as composers, rather than the rule given by their music professors. A foolish consistency is a hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines (Bryant, 2008). Foolish is a person or action lacking good sense, judgment, unwise, now hobgoblins are little hairy men, friendly but troublesome creatures. Emerson describe a great man has simply nothing to do when his action are in consistency that he may as well concern himself with his reflex ion on a wall, that he speak his mind now with strong word, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow will have in mind with strong word again, and thoughts it challenge everything you said today. In conclusion people had a misconception on Pythagoras, and Socrates, and Jesus...
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...KEYS TO PERSONAL LEADERSHIP - initiative and selfreliance Mr. Ronay’s history encompasses 35 years of leadership as a CEO, consultant, founder, trainer, and coach in technology, life style, leadership, change management, and disruptive businesses domestically and internationally. He has devoted much energy to public service and volunteer organizations. Written for the Aug Austin Software Council newsletter.. June, 2001 The ability to lead is a peculiar combination of human characteristics equal to, if not more important than the ability to discover, to invent, and to create. Invention results from the experiment with the unknown; leadership, by contrast, grows out of experience with what is already known. The Austin Software Council was birthed as an experiment to forge solidity of experience in networking and awareness building helping to drive our technology community toward greater leadership capabilities. --------------------------- Contrary to the cliché genuinely nice guys most often finish first or very near it because they are leaders. Historically, for me, grade school was a command and control environment, a carrot and stick behavior modification routine filled with rules, sin, prayers, shame, guilt, fear and not much on leadership. High school had less of the same although the Army military academy I attended sprinkled in military precepts of leadership. College, the Air Force and a pilot career left more in my bag of leadership skills. Most behaviors were highly...
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...Is Self-sustainability good? “Self-sustainability is a quality of one’s independence, survivability applies to the future maintainability of one’s self-sustainability and indeed one’s existence” (157). Its purpose is not to wait for the opportunity to knock at one’s door but to create opportunities for their self by doing hard-labor and acquiring the qualities that are necessary to survive in life. It can also keep you waiting for the right opportunity, but keeping on making important preparations so that one is not found wanting when the opportunity comes. For us students it means continuing regular studies and making other preparations to do well on the examination, interview or group discussion. Self-sustainable people are the makers and masters of their destiny. They never blame fate, circumstances or find fault with systems or society. They make their own tools and use them with great skill and concentration, focusing on their goal. Their success, achievement and creation bear the stamp of their personality. They are original in their ideas, innovative in their approach and become the torch-bearers for others. They are always able to achieve their objectives because they are resolute, single-minded and self-disciplined. They know their relative strengths and weaknesses and use their energies in such a manner that their weaknesses are not exposed to others. Since they execute their plans themselves, they have some margin to manipulate things in that way. Self-sustainability...
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...Individuals simply relying on others suppresses the individual from knowing who they are. Children who grow without doing anything for themselves feel lost once their source of reliance no longer lifts them up. Children are meant to stand on their own and walk their own paths. In the essay Self-Reliance, Emerson discusses the importance of the individual’s mindset. Emerson suggests that the individual is to stand firm in the path he/she creates instead of simply following the paths of others. Emerson uses the symbolism of grass and roses to represent how each life is not determined by anything but the rose or grass itself. Emerson states, “(Roses) make no reference to former roses or to better ones; they are for what they are,” (279). Nature, such as grass and roses, doesn’t determine the course of their life based off of other plants. Nature simply focuses on the course that would benefit its own system rather than imitating other plants. Emerson suggests the same of the individual. The individual...
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...figures in the movement of Transcendentalism was Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson’s essay “Self Reliance” explains his beliefs of individualism, human purpose, the use of nature and social responsibility. Although I don’t believe we will ever have a true understanding of our purpose on earth, I feel that we all need to believe in something in order to feel that we are productive additions to society and hold purpose. In modern day society examples of self reliance, which is close to my heart pertains myself and my brother. I as a single mother faced struggles in order to provide my daughter with the essentials of survival. I worked consistently to provide her with a different upbringing than I had to try and prevent history from repeating itself. I guided her in the direction of fulfilling her education and always told her to be herself. While raising her I am also attending school to further my education which is another example of self reliance. My last example within my own life is my brother whom is gay. The struggles that he has had to face I would not wish for anyone. The hatred and ridicule that he has gone through, only to continue to be him-self and hold his head up proud is admirable. It takes a very strong individual to stay true to your-self while constantly being knocked to the ground and for that I hold the highest respect and admiration to my brothers and the gay community. In Emerson’s “Self Reliance” the quote “There is a time in every man's education when he arrives...
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...Transcendentalism Essay The transcendentalism era is a religious movement that started in the 1800s. Transcendentalist such as Margaret Fuller edited “The dial” and Henry david thoreau wrote “Civil disobedience”. Ralph Waldo Emerson; one belief of a transcendentalist; is believing that everyone is naturally good. He also believed that a person’s power is limitless. He wrote both of “Nature”, and “Self-Reliance”. Ralph Waldo Emerson a transcendentalist who believed that people should be independent is why he led the transcendentalist club and relates his theme to the hunger games movie. (“Guided Notes”) Ralph Emerson is a transcendentalist who wrote the essay “self-reliance”. The theme of “Self-Reliance” is being able to rely on yourself or...
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...In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” his main idea is that it's important for an individual to stay true to their own beliefs and ideas, and that individuals should learn to trust themselves and speak their mind. Emerson’s insight can be related to Herman Hesse’s novel, Siddhartha. In the novel, Siddhartha chooses not to follow teachers, and go his own way. In both works, Siddhartha and “Self-Reliance” it's evident that the best path that you can take is your own, and that true success comes after accepting your own ideas, and your own ideas only. These ideas are evident in Siddhartha when Siddhartha departs from the Samanas and, when Siddhartha leaves his worldly life to follow his own path to enlightenment. The theme of Siddhartha is similar to the theme of “self reliance”, both discuss the idea of following ones own path. This is proven in Siddhartha's actions. The first time this theme is shown is when Siddhartha departs from the Samanas and decides not to go with Buddha even though he agrees with his teachings. Siddhartha...
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...Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were both born in Massachusetts in the early 19th century. Emerson was born in Boston in 1803 and Thoreau was born in Concord in 1817. Both are writers and proponents of Transcendentalism--the belief that man, by studying nature and examining self, can transcend his humanity and become one with God. Both used literary devices in their works (essays), metaphors and have similar themes. Both Thoreau and Emerson used the theme: trust yourself, know yourself, be yourself; slow down and "simplify, simplify, simplify"; examine nature to find truths about yourself; human ingenuity will always show itself; trust self before government; man is inherently good. These two men believe that nature is what forces us not to depend on others' ideas but to develop our own. Nature is ever changing so we must keep searching for explanations about human life. They feel that nature is the key to knowing all. In Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”, social responsibility is important. Similar to “Self-Reliance”, Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” shares the same philosophical ideas. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Self Reliance” and Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Resistance to Civil Government (“Civil Disobedience”), both transcendentalist thinkers speak about being individual and what reforms and changes need to be made in our society Social responsibility is often encouraged and is used to...
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