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Focuses on the philosophical movement that emphasized non-conformity and the inherent goodness of people and nature.
If every person on Earth ignored society's expectations and followed only their deepest intuition, would the world fall into chaos—or would we finally find harmony?
Quick Check
According to the concept of the Oversoul, where can a person find the 'divine'?
Answer
Within themselves and within nature, as all are interconnected parts of a single whole.
In his essay Self-Reliance, Emerson delivers a radical manifesto: 'Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.' He argues that society is in a 'conspiracy' against the manhood of every one of its members, demanding conformity instead of liberty. To Emerson, 'imitation is suicide.' If you ignore your unique talents to fit in, you effectively kill your true self. He famously dismissed the need for consistency, stating that 'a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.' This means you should be brave enough to contradict yourself today if you learn a new truth, rather than clinging to an old idea just to appear stable to others.
Imagine a student who is a gifted artist but is pressured by their family to study accounting for 'stability.' 1. The Conformist Path: The student chooses accounting, suppressing their intuition to please society. 2. The Emersonian Path: The student trusts their 'inner light,' pursues art, and accepts that they may be misunderstood by others. As Emerson said, 'To be great is to be misunderstood.'
Quick Check
Why does Emerson describe 'imitation' as 'suicide'?
Answer
Because when you imitate others, you kill your own unique identity and the divine spark within you.
While Emerson was the philosopher, Henry David Thoreau was the practitioner. In Walden, he uses vivid imagery to advocate for simplicity. He famously moved to a small cabin to 'live deliberately' and 'suck out all the marrow of life.' He viewed modern life as cluttered with 'superfluous' details that distract us from the truth. This philosophy extended to politics in Civil Disobedience. Thoreau argued that if a law is unjust (like those supporting slavery), an individual has a moral obligation to break it. He used the imagery of a 'machine' to describe the government, suggesting that if the machine requires you to be an agent of injustice, you must be a 'counter-friction' to stop it.
Thoreau used the term 'Spartan-like' to describe his ideal lifestyle.
1. Identify the Clutter: Thoreau noted that people spend their lives working to buy 'luxuries' they don't need.
2. Reduce to Essentials: He built his cabin for $\$28.12$ (in 1845 dollars) to prove that freedom is found in having fewer needs.
3. The Result: By minimizing labor, he maximized time for intellectual and spiritual growth.
Analyze the following scenario through a Thoreauvian lens: A citizen believes a new tax is being used to fund an unethical war. 1. Legal Recourse: The citizen could vote or petition, but Thoreau argues this is too slow. 2. Direct Action: The citizen refuses to pay the tax, accepting the consequence (jail) to maintain their moral integrity. 3. Impact: This 'peaceful revolution' forces the state to either change the law or imprison all its 'just' citizens.
Which term best describes the Transcendentalist belief that the divine exists within all things?
What does Emerson mean by 'a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds'?
Thoreau went to Walden Pond primarily to escape society because he hated all people.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to explain the 'Oversoul' to a friend using a metaphor other than a web (e.g., a river or a mirror).
Practice Activity
Identify one 'superfluous' thing in your daily routine (like an app or a habit) and remove it for 24 hours to practice Thoreau's 'simplicity'.