Warning: Use of undefined constant referer - assumed 'referer' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 102

Warning: Use of undefined constant host - assumed 'host' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 105

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 106

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 109
Emerson's “Self-Reliance”: Optimistic But Unrealistic For The 21st Century - Example Papers

Emerson's “Self-Reliance”: Optimistic But Unrealistic For The 21st Century

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s transcendental view of the world depicted in “
Self-Reliance” is optimistic but unrealistic for the 21st Century. If we
all were to follow our own intuitions and thoughts I think we would find
ourselves in a world of anarchy.
The essay, “Self-Reliance:, starts out very optimistic. Emerson
says: “to believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you
in your private heart is true for all men-that is true genius.” I believe
that what Emerson is trying to say is to stand up for what you believe in
and have faith that being true to your heart is the same for everyone. He
goes on to say that: “Familiar as the voice of the mind is to each the
highest merit ...

Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers

think we need to put things into perspective and realize that kids
aren’t going to stay kids forever. They will grow up to be adults and we
have to teach them now to make good decisions because they will be running
the world in the near future.
The unrealistic side to Emerson’s philosophy is that now-a-days we
all want to be appreciated. We don’t look towards the future and what our
actions now will lead to. We think about the present. Emerson says that
Pythagoras, Socrates, Jesus, Luther, Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton were
all misunderstood. And every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh was
misunderstood. These men weren’t appreciated during their time. They were
thought of as lunatics but stood tall in their convictions.
In our 21st century people tend to follow others in their examples.
We want to be accepted and included in groups. We are afraid to follow
what is in our heart for fear that it is different than everyone else’s.
We are sometimes afraid of change. ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.

Already a member? Login

CITE THIS PAGE:

APA
MLA
Chicago
Turabian

Emerson's “Self-Reliance”: Optimistic But Unrealistic For The 21st Century. (2007, September 2). Retrieved January 22, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Emersons-Self-Reliance-Optimistic-But-Unrealistic/70545

"Emerson's “Self-Reliance”: Optimistic But Unrealistic For The 21st Century." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 2 Sep. 2007. Web. 22 Jan. 2025. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Emersons-Self-Reliance-Optimistic-But-Unrealistic/70545>

"Emerson's “Self-Reliance”: Optimistic But Unrealistic For The 21st Century." Essayworld.com. September 2, 2007. Accessed January 22, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Emersons-Self-Reliance-Optimistic-But-Unrealistic/70545.

JOIN NOW

Join today and get instant access to this and 50,000+ other essays

PAPER DETAILS

Added: 9/2/2007 10:50:43 AM
Category: English
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 843
Pages: 4

Save |

Report

SHARE THIS PAPER

SAVED ESSAYS

Save and find your favorite essays easier