Emerson-Self-Reliance

FromSelfRelianceRalphWaldoEmersonThereisatimeineveryman'seducationwhenhearrivesattheconvictionthatenvyisignorance;thatimitationissuicide;thathemusttakehimselfforbetter,forworse,ashisportion;thatthoughthewideuniverseisfullofgood,nokernelofnourishingcorncancometohimbutthroughhistoilbestowedonthatplotofgroundwhichisgiventohimtotill.Thepowerwhichresidesinhimisnewinnature,andnonebutheknowswhatthatiswhichhecando,nordoesheknowuntilhehastried.Notfornothingoneface,onecharacter,onefact,makesmuchimpressiononhim,andanothernone.Thissculptureinthememoryisnotwithoutpreestablishedharmony.Theeyewasplacedwhereonerayshouldfall,thatitmighttestifyofthatparticularray.Webuthalfexpressourselves,andareashamedofthatdivineideawhicheachofusrepresents.Itmaybesafelytrustedasproportionateandofgoodissues,soitbefaithfullyimparted,butGodwillnothavehisworkmademanifestbycowards.Amanisrelievedandgaywhenhehasputhisheartintohisworkanddonehisbest;butwhathehassaidordoneotherwise,shallgivehimnopeace.Itisadeliverancewhichdoesnotdeliver.Intheattempthisgeniusdesertshim;nomusebefriends;noinvention,nohope.Trustthyself:everyheartvibratestothatironstring.Accepttheplacethedivineprovidencehasfoundforyou,thesocietyofyourcontemporaries,theconnectionofevents.Greatmenhavealwaysdoneso,andconfidedthemselveschildliketothegeniusoftheirage,betrayingtheirperceptionthattheabsolutelytrustworthywasseatedattheirheart,workingthroughtheirhands,predominatinginalltheirbeing.Andwearenowmen,andmustacceptinthehighestmindthesametranscendentdestiny;andnotminorsandinvalidsinaprotectedcorner,notcowardsfleeingbeforearevolution,butguides,redeemers,andbenefactors,obeyingtheAlmightyeffort,andadvancingonChaosandtheDark….Societyeverywhereisinconspiracyagainstthemanhoodofeveryoneofitsmembers.Societyisajoint-stockcompany,inwhichthemembersagree,forthebettersecuringofhisbreadtoeachshareholder,tosurrenderthelibertyandcultureoftheeater.Thevirtueinmostrequestisconformity.Self-relianceisitsaversion.Itlovesnotrealitiesandcreators,butnamesandcustoms.Whosowouldbeamanmustbeanonconformist.Hewhowouldgatherimmortalpalmsmustnotbehinderedbythenameofgoodness,butmustexploreifitbegoodness.Nothingisatlastsacredbuttheintegrityofyourownmind.Absolveyoutoyourself,andyoushallhavethesuffrageoftheworld….Afoolishconsistencyisthehobgoblinoflittleminds,adoredbylittlestatesmenandphilosophersanddivines.Withconsistencyagreatsoulhassimplynothingtodo.Hemayaswellconcernhimselfwithhisshadowonthewall.Speakwhatyouthinknowinhardwords,andto-morrowspeakwhatto-morrowthinksinhardwordsagain,thoughitcontradicteverythingyousaidto-day.—'Ah,soyoushallbesuretobemisunderstood.'—Isitsobad,then,tobemisunderstood?Pythagoraswasmisunderstood,andSocrates,andJesus,andLuther,andCopernicus,andGalileo,andNewton,andeverypureandwisespiritthatevertookflesh.Tobegreatistobemisunderstood.…