Individualism And Aphorism In Self-Reliance, By Ralph Emerson
In his essay “Self-Reliance”, Ralph Emerson stated, “Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist.” Through this statement, Emerson attempts to convey the message that in order to become an independent, developed adult, one must not simply conform to societal norms. Whether it be inciting social change, or creating some of the most successful men in history, Emerson’s aphorism very much applies to today’s society.
Without individualism and nonconformity, there is no change. Throughout history, it is rarely those who conform to society whose names we remember. Instead, it has been the individuals who challenge authority and break the norm who make the greatest impact. The principle Emerson set forth in his statement still continues today, with our news being filled with events that do not conform with what we are used to. These events include everything from the Black Lives Matter campaign for civil rights to Donald Trump’s …show more content…
For example, the Women's Suffrage Movement of the early 1900s was an event that sparked massive change, and it all started when certain individuals chose not to conform to society’s rules and rose up for the rights they thought they deserved. Ever since the development of the first cities around 2500 BCE, women have had a secondary role in society. For centuries, patriarchal society dominated the earth, with women having limited rights compared to men. In the United States this changed when a few women dedicated to social change rose up against the system that had been in place for thousands of years and fought for their rights as human beings. This sparked a movement that ended with the passage of the nineteenth amendment which granted suffrage to all, regardless of sex. Had women just conformed to what they were used to and never tried to get the right to vote, they would have continued to face oppression and the lives of women would likely never have
Without individualism and nonconformity, there is no change. Throughout history, it is rarely those who conform to society whose names we remember. Instead, it has been the individuals who challenge authority and break the norm who make the greatest impact. The principle Emerson set forth in his statement still continues today, with our news being filled with events that do not conform with what we are used to. These events include everything from the Black Lives Matter campaign for civil rights to Donald Trump’s …show more content…
For example, the Women's Suffrage Movement of the early 1900s was an event that sparked massive change, and it all started when certain individuals chose not to conform to society’s rules and rose up for the rights they thought they deserved. Ever since the development of the first cities around 2500 BCE, women have had a secondary role in society. For centuries, patriarchal society dominated the earth, with women having limited rights compared to men. In the United States this changed when a few women dedicated to social change rose up against the system that had been in place for thousands of years and fought for their rights as human beings. This sparked a movement that ended with the passage of the nineteenth amendment which granted suffrage to all, regardless of sex. Had women just conformed to what they were used to and never tried to get the right to vote, they would have continued to face oppression and the lives of women would likely never have