Emerson And Transcendentalism

Transcendentalism was an American literary, political, and philosophical movement of the early nineteenth century, centered on Ralph Waldo Emerson. Transcendentalists believed that people were at their best when they were truly “self-reliant,” and they believed that government and religion corrupted the purity of the individual. In his essay “Self-Reliance” Emerson writes, “We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of what divine idea which each of us represents” (2). Emerson uses this quote to show how people do not truly express themselves fully. Each person is put on earth by God to share his or her special gift with the world. The fear of embarrassment and rejection distracts people from expressing who they really are and what they represent. Not being comfortable with themselves and who they are makes a people act differently then they normally would, just for
All people have expressed different attitudes and ideas around their friends, family, teammates, and coaches. Emerson asserts that the idea of being great is to be misunderstood, to take risks, to be a nonconformist, and to trust thyself. A modern day figure of nonconformity would be Martin Luther King, Jr., a famous civil rights activist and Baptist minister in the mid-twentieth century. For example, King expressed his views on racism in America to the whole world and did not think twice about other people’s opinions on his view. In contrast, Hollywood actors and actresses often indulge themselves in material goods and drugs to try to find happiness within. Two prime examples are Amy Winehouse and Robin Williams; both used illegal drugs to suppress the pain they felt because of their lack of happiness in their materialistic lives. Not “stopping to smell the roses,” Winehouse and Williams rushed through the journey mainly focusing on the end not enjoying the