Emerson-self-reliance-and-nature

“Self-Reliance”wasfirstpublishedinhis1841collection,Essays:FirstSeries.ItcontainsthemostsolidstatementofoneofEmerson'srepeatingthemes,theneedforeachindividualtoavoidconformityandfalseconsistency,andfollowhisorherowninstinctsandideas.ThemeofSelf-RelianceBeyourself.Trustyourowninnervoice.ThemostimportantideasTheConfidenceTheIndependenceThePersonalityShowingnoSympathytothePoorTheconfidenceisanevidentideawhichEmersongaveinself-reliance.Hethoughtthattheconfidencewasaveryimportantvirtue.ThephilosophicalideawhichheexpressedinSelf-Reliancehaditsspecialpower.ItenlightenedmanypeopleandcateredtothespiritofoptimisminAmericaatthattime.Theauthorshowedtheideathatthemanshouldownthespiritofself-confidenceandtrytobethetruehimself.Forexample,EmersonsaidinSelf-reliance:“Letusneverbowandapologizemore.Agreatmaniscomingtoeatatmyhouse,Idonotwishtopleasehim;Iwishthatheshouldwishtopleaseme”.OnEmerson’ssaying,itisknownthathesupportedthemantobehimselfgenerouslyinspiteoftheotherpeople’ssocialstatus.Onceapersoncomestotheworld,heispossibletobethebestone.However,manypeoplearegenerallytimid,andtheyarenolongerupright,theyareafraidofsaying“Ithink”,butonlyquotemotto.Asamatteroffact,Emersonencouragedthepeopletoexpress“Ithink”,“Iam”bravelyanddirectly.Thesewordsclearlyprovethespiritofself-trust.Thereisapopularsayingthat“ifyouthinkyoucan,youcan”.Theconfidenceisthefirststeptomakesuccess.AndEmersonshowedthevaluableideainhisworks.ItisbelievedthatthereadersaremoreconfidentaftertheyfinishedSelf-reliance.“TheIndependence”iscloselyrelatedwiththespiritofself-reliance.Theauthormentioned“TheIndependence”everywhereintheworks.Emersonsupportedthemantobethetruehimselfindependently.Eachpersonshouldactaccordingtowhathethinks.AccordingtoEmerson'soriginalwords:“whatImustdoisallthatconcernsme,notwhatthepeoplethink”.Emersonthoughtthatthepeopleshouldn'tbeinfluencedbytheothers.Eachoneisthefirstwhoknowshimselfmuch.Itisknownthattheonlyrightistoconformtotheman'sownwill,namely,theonlywrongthingiswhatisagainsthisownwill.Emersonsupportedthatthepeopleinsistoncarryingthemselvesinthefaceofallopposition.Thetrueself-independenceisvoidofother'sencouragement;prizeisjustasanauxiliaryfunctionforachievementsThePersonalityThecorepointisthatamanshouldinsistthathisideabethebestone.Emersonsaid:“Nolawcanbescaredtomebutthatofmynature.Goodandbadarebutnamesveryreadilytransferabletothatorthis;theonlyrightiswhatisaftermyconstitution,theonlywrongwhatisagainstit.Amanistocarryhimselfinthepresenceofallopposition,asifeverythingweretitularandephemeralbutme.”Fromthewords,itisevidentthatamanshouldkeephimselfinspiteoftheothers’existence.Oncethedecisionhasbeenmade,itisuneasytochangeitorgiveitup.Emersongavethereadersaverytypicalexample:“Infancyconformstonobody,allconformstoit,sothatonebabycommonlymakesfourorfivesoutofadultswhopattleandplaytoit”.Itshowsthatifamanoftenkeepshisownpersonality,heisabletomaketheenvironmentdifferent.Theman'sinnerpowerislimitless;heisabletochangethewholeworldifhestandsonhisownfeetforever.Emersonalwayslivedinhisownworldandnevermixedwiththemanwhomhedidnotbelongto.MyopinionAsamateroffact,itistheman’sfaith,nottheenvironmentthatinfluencespeople’slives.Asuccessfulmanistheonewhodeeplytrustshisinnerpower.Heisneverinfluencedbytheenvironment.ShowingnoSympathytothePoorThispointofviewagreeswiththeconfidenceandindependence.Emersonindirectlyshowedthereasonwhythemanispoorandwhynosympathyshouldbeshowedtothepoor.FromSelf-Reliance,Emersonneversympathizedwiththepersonwhohadnorelationwithhim.Hejustdidwhatheshoulddo.Hesaid:“ExpectmenottoshowcauseswhyIseekorwhyIexcludecompany.Thenagain,donottellme,asagoodmandidtoday,ofmyobligationtoputallpoormeningoodsituations.Aretheymypoor?Itellyour,yourfoolishphilanthropist,thatIgrudgethedollar,thedime,thecent.IgivetosuchmenasdonotbelongtomeandwhomIdonotbelong.”Thispointofviewshowsthatifthesepoorpeopleareself-supported,theirlivingconditionswouldbebetter.Helpingthiskindofpeopleistodoharmtothemandmakethemmoreandmorepoor.Atmosttime,thepoorarelackofindependentconducts,optimisticattitudes,andadventurousspirits.Theyhavenoinnovativeabilities,becausetheyneverthinkthattheyshouldchallengelifeandmakeprogress.Therefore,inmanyaspects,thepoorarelaggedbehindofthesociety.InfluencesItexertsenlightenmentonreaderstobeconfidentandindependent.Itteachesmantotakeadvancingattitudestowardslife.Besides,theseideasenlightenfemale'slife.Itisalsoofgreathelpforindividuals’progressandacountry'sdevelopment.MythoughtsAttitudestowardsLifeTheattitudestowardslifehavetwochoices.Oneistodieandtheotheristolive.Emerson'sSelf-Relianceteachesmetofollowmyownthoughtsandtakeoptimisticattitudestowardslife.Everythinghastwosides,themostimportantisthatwhichsidethemanchoose.Amanshouldbeconfidenteveryday,andtheneachdayisbeautifulandwithoutworry.Emersonshowedinhisworksthateachmanshouldbeindependenttocopewithhisproblems,butnotalwaysseekforassistance.Themancanlearnfromtheotherpeople,butheshouldmakedecisionsbyhimself.Eachsuccessfulmanhashisownpersonali