Emerson's Self Reliance
Emerson's Self- Reliance
In the following sample of evidence, Emerson emphasizes the importance of an individual to look within themselves and follow their intuitions as opposed to conforming to the norms in society.
Familiar as the voice of the mind is to each, the highest merit we ascribe to Moses, Plato, and Milton, is that they set at naught books and traditions, and spoke not what men wrote but what they thought. A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light, which flashes across his mind from within, more than the luster of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he dismisses without out own rejected thoughts: they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty. Great works of art have no more affecting lesson for us than this. (550-551)
Emerson makes a reference to the prominent figures in history to bring about the point that the great men were actually successful as they considered their intuitions and profound feelings rather than tracing the norms of their society. Furthermore, the great innovators of the past are praised for expressing their intuitions and original philosophies that have been passed down in time as the widely accepted ideals. By way of comparison, Emerson states the importance for an individual to be able to detect the "gleam of light" that is the pure intuition unaffected by others as it lies within one's self. By being aware of personal feelings and emotions one can seek the truth in their life. On the contrary however, people tend to be skeptical about their inner feelings and allow society to influence the way they perceive issues. Specifically, the "luster of the firmament of bards and sages" refers to the role- models of the past that had been made into bright lights in the sky that people look up to as their guides instead of focusing on their personal thought. People should use their intuitions as guides rather than accepting morals and philosophies that had already been...
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