"Self-Reliance"
How does (and should) a person define his/her place in society? (what does Emerson mean by "society" anyhow?)
What are the two major barriers to self-reliance (in your own words)? Who is the "aboriginal Self," the "Trustee"? How does this concept modify the egotism of self-reliance?
What are the implications of self-reliance for business? for religion (prayers, creeds)? for travelling? for art? for property ownership and government?
Here are some of the key sentences marked in context. How would you put any of them in your own words?
"Speak your latent conviction, and it shall be the universal sense...."
"We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of that divine idea which each of us represents."
"Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members."
"Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.
""What I must do, is all that concerns me, not what the people think."
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statemens and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do."
"The centuries are conspirators against the sanity and authority of the soul."
"Life only avails, not the having lived. Power ceases in the instant of repose."
"Just as men's prayers are a disease of the will, so are their creeds a disease of the intellect."
"Travelling is a fool's paradise."
"In the Will work and acquire, and thou hast chained the wheel of Chance, and shalt sit thereafter out of fear from her rotations....Nothing can bring you peace but yourself."
According to Emerson a person's worth is self-estimated by the person's own contributions to how they perceive society, their philanthropy and general charitable contributions.
ReplyDeleteThe two barriers to self reliance are envy, which is the equivalent of ignorance. The second is conformity, which Emerson states destroys a person's mind and soul, the only things that allow people to truly be people.
To be continued.
-Michael, Marina, Megan, Tatiana.
People are separated into different defined sects in society based on several different factors:
ReplyDelete-the educated
-those who have different train of thoughts
-those who make a lasting impression/ those who don't
(EMERSON'S THOUGHTS)
-wealth
-skin color
-job
-cell phone
-gender
-religion
-ethnic background
-age
(OUR THOUGHTS)
ruby sage taylor fiona
Ksenia, Emily, Kim, and Corinne
ReplyDeleteA person defines themselves in society through independence. Their background and previous experiences help them define their identity and how they can break free from conformity and trust and rely on their own opinions
Two major barriers to self-reliance are dependency on others thoughts and thinking for yourself. The second barrier is the culture pressures that we all are influenced by.
1) Emerson's basic idea is that one should define it for themselves and not how society seeks to definite it for you. "Society" is most likely American; though the issues of race, gender, religion, etc. might affect other countries, Emerson wants Americans to be able to free themselves from their origins.
ReplyDelete2) The first is the intimidation of society and ideas similar to "peer pressure" that affect people. Self-reliance is also affected (hindered) by society’s requirement to be inclusive.
Jack and Hannah - INCOMPLETE
A person's place in society is based on a lot of things that we aren't always proud of. People are defined by their Gender, Age, Social Class, Race and Religion.
ReplyDeleteFear of consequence and fear of failure and fear of not being accepted are all barriers of relying on ones self.
People are using their own "-ness" to make it through obstacles in everyday tasks like these. People learn not to rely on othe opinions of others but to gather there own from that learning
~Atinuke, Jahmal, Cady, Merique