Self Reliance, By Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self Reliance”, an 1841 essay, reveals the theme of individualism. He encourages each individual to evade conformity and follow their own ideas. Emerson’s concept of self reliance refers to the freedom and courage one might have to be able to express oneself rather than simply tell a “traditional truth” to please others. Emerson focuses on the benefits one can achieve when thinking for oneself, rather than solely relying on the opinion of others.
The courage one needs to be their own self is found within. Emerson states “you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it” (Perkins, ?). He explains that even though man’s intuition is to express their individualism, they try to suppress their desire in order to fit in with the culture they are submersed in. In today’s culture, conforming to the ideas of others is extremely common. Emerson’s main message is to trust oneself and have all their own experiences, while living life to its fullest. Emerson even expounds that only man can know right and wrong within himself and argues that the only way to be a “man” is to follow your own conscience.
One of the largest reasons people conform is due to the fear of social embarrassment as well as objection. Society expects everyone to simply conform without question and to not indulge in their own desires. Emerson says “We are like children who repeat by rote the sentences of granddames and tutors” (Perkins, ). A second reason people choose to deny their individualism is because of what they know from the past. They feel if they differ from what others have done in the past, many will judge them. Many choose the easy way, submission, but little chooses to follow their own