Transcendentalism

Transcendentalism is an idea that focuses on the good things in life. A main element in Transcendentalism is nature. Nature is the most important thing in the world because it is what the world is made up of. Everything Transcendentalists believe in is based on things found in nature. Anything unnatural, or man-made, is considered ruined by man. Another big focus in Transcendentalism is God. God ties into nature because He created everything in it. Another key part of Transcendentalism is stressing to people that they should be themselves. People are too caught up in being like everyone else. Transcendentalism makes a point to change that way of thinking. Transcendentalists do not care about writing about facts and things based on reason. They choose to write about intuition and imagination. Ralph Waldo Emerson is known today as a great philosopher and leader of the Transcendentalist movement. His views are considered extremely radical to many people. Emerson believes that all things are connected to God. He, like many other Transcendentalists, believes that people are too consumed in material possessions. Through his essays, Emerson advises people to be self-reliant. By doing this, he wants to encourage people to learn how to be individuals. Emerson goes farther than blaming society for creating standards that cause each person to give up his or her individuality. He criticizes the American Government, too. He believes that the Government is an obstacle for productivity and achievements for Americans. It seems as though Emerson is urging the people to create a better government. Henry David Thoreau, a student of Emerson, once wrote, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away”. This means that every single person “hears a different drummer”. Unfortunately, instead of dancing to it, he or she falls into line with everyone else. This