Practical Application and Nature

¶ … Emerson, he believed resistance to conformity and exploration of self, led to a kind of self-reliance that permeated the inner workings and imaginings of the human soul. What began as a simple analysis of self-explored concepts, took on the form of universal philosophy. This essay will examine Emerson's work, "Self-Reliance" in a way that will not only analyze themes, but also provide a closer look into the context surrounding Emerson at the time as well as possible meanings behind the text.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote an 1841 essay titled "Self-Reliance". An American essayist and transcendentalist philosopher, Emerson provides his most thorough statement of one of his ongoing themes: the avoidance of false consistency and conformity. Meaning, Emerson preached for people to follow their own ideas and instincts instead of relying on society's imposed rules and standards. His famous quote, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines" (Bloom, 2009, p. 44), demonstrates how Emerson attempted to examine the self, by criticizing the attempts of the many to follow along. Such interpretations led to Emerson's foundation of universal reliance that furthers one's self-identity and maturity, his main philosophy.

Philosophy

Idealism perfectly describes Emerson's writing. His way of thinking did not take into consideration practicality or feasibility. Like a child chasing a ball in a lush, green meadow, Emerson's thoughts in "Self-Reliance" were that of destroying the chains that bound the individual in pursuit of a higher meaning. While many declare the essay a true work of rugged individualism and libertarianism, many misunderstand the true message behind it. This is because of the lack of consistency and clarity with which Emerson describes self-reliance, which will be explored in this essay.

To be self-reliant is to see oneself as a creator. To understand that one's own actions, one's own choices have a profound effect not just one the self, but on everyone, on the world. "Self-Reliance" teaches the reader (if the reader understands), that the answers are not in the rules of society, but exploration of the rules of within. So many people believe they have no internal moral compass, and that they must obey the rules of the government, of religion, to truly exist as a person, much less form an identity. "That identity makes us all one, and reduces to nothing great intervals on our customary scale. We talk of deviations from natural life, as if artificial life were not also natural" (Emerson & Whelan, 1991, p. 177). Emerson does not believe that to be the case.

To Emerson, the totality of the universe, comes from the act of acknowledging the power of the self. While universality exists, humans bleed, they feel, they live, the power of the individual amidst such universality is also important to recognize. Therefore, according to Emerson, to understand and witness a human's full potential, one must be alone with him or herself, and truly see what thoughts, what inclinations arise. To understand one's self, is to understand the universe. Emerson outlines this in his four exercises for accomplishing self-reliance.

The first exercise, where people misunderstood believe it is a pursuit of individualism, is nonconformity. By devoting one's self to individuality, it is allowing the person to tap into passion, to the rich and often complex feelings of self-compassion and in some ways, self-love. People when they conform, relinquish the self. The self an integral part of the person. It is where emotions form and reactions occur.

Compassion is a sort prevailing theme in these exercises. First it evolves from nonconformity and expresses itself as self-compassion. Then it arises in the second exercise as 'selflessness'. What Emerson tries to explain in his essay, is that compassion, love, these feelings arise not from being told how to feel, but from feeling these emotions and knowing they originate from the self, not from standards and principles. One cannot know that unless one experiences solitude.

Emerson mentioned the Church and how these thoughts that arose in him may be seen by others as 'down below' thoughts. However, he questioned the need to respect and honor the standards imposed by the Church. He believed he lived wholly from within not because of sermons he listened to, but because he himself felt it, experienced it. Denying one's self the ability to disseminate from imposed thought and individual thought, that is the purpose of the first exercise. It is not pursuit of individuality, but rather, pursuit of a better understanding and awareness of the self.

When looking at transcendentalism, religion is deeply rooted in its origins. " . . . transcendentalism is, from start to finish, a religious movement. A third contrast between Romanticism and Transcendentalism is the time frame. The latter did not come into being until well after European Romanticism was beyond its peak" (Wilkens & Padgett, 2010, p. 29). As mentioned, the second exercise suggests a person becomes universal via application of selfless action as well as denunciation of materialistic habits. This is a common theme in religion. Selfless behavior followed by a pursuit of spirituality rather than material goods. However, this is where Emerson's need for solitude conflicts with the action of selflessness. If one wishes to achieve universality, one must be selfless. However, how can one be and act selflessly if priority is placed on solitude? If relationships generate mirrors that confuse the self of identity, then how can this second exercise be performed? So, the exercise then becomes a means of 'letting go' both in materially and regarding connections with others.

When Emerson stated the individual must be selfless, in general he referred to society as being self-serving. He wanted readers to do the opposite of what society wanted. If society wants people to be selfish and conserve traditions, Emerson urged to release these desires and instead declare the truth behind the individual. He shared that people should not hide their tastes or aversions. That people: friends and family, must accept the person as he or she is.

To be selfless in this case, is to let go of social entanglement and express compassion, again to the self, not others. He declared that the act of cutting ties from those that cannot accept the true self, his true self, is not a selfish act, but a selfless act to the self. This can be confusing because it does not seem like it would be truly selfless, nor does it demonstrate practicality. In fact, most of his ideas, especially concerning slavery appeared confusing and lacking a practical political foundation. " . . . Emerson's principle has utility only as a tool for criticizing and purifying the reform movements themselves, not in providing a basis for practical politics" (Robinson, 2009, p. 47). So, if his theories are seen as a critique, rather than practical application, this can be why people misunderstand his claims and the meaning behind the text. Maybe, he believed his thoughts could be applied in a realistic or practical sense. When understanding Emerson's mentality at the time, Transcendentalism and its effect on his way of thinking, everything became a way to pursue one's own purpose in life. To set limits and boundaries with others, in a way, form ultimatum's, it allows the self to expand and grow. That does not seem like something that can be realistically carried, rather simply theoretically examined and critiqued.

This may seem potentially detrimental as humans rely on each other. However, for someone like Emerson, who valued pursuit of the self and finding meaning in the self, this was his way to be kind to himself and continue his life's mission. Emerson seems to want to cut or distance the self from society. The first exercise mentioned solitude and then the second exercise suggests an ultimatum of acceptance that can lead to solitude. The third exercise furthers this by cutting through the veil of construct and ignorance perpetuated by a society that desires to control people.

Here is where Emerson asks the reader to seek out youth in relation to boundless creativity and imagination. He likened youth to belief in the impossible and a sort of carefree attitude towards external events and interpretations. Emerson suggested youth means no walls becomes solid. Anything can be achieved should the spirit of youth be incorporated in one's beliefs and actions.

Youthful imagination thus becomes a catalyst for advancement towards discovery of the higher self. Such care-free selfish existence can appeal to the intellectual and philosophical temperament because it invites curiosity and reduction of self-imposed limitations. Emerson believed connecting with the idea of youth is the most potent way to achieve self-reliance. In a way, he is correct in believing this.

Adults Place so much attention to what they cannot do or what they assume they cannot do, that the restrictions and limitations create further burden down the road. As children, there is an eternal optimism and innocence that leads to removal of walls, nonexistence of burdens, and generates a kind of motivation that is seldom seen as these children become adults. The almost 'deadening' of the self as the person ages, is what Emerson wished to escape from as he suggested this third exercise. To him, it was necessary to not simply let go of others, but also let go of impossibility.

Thus, the exercise begs the reader for radical inward malleability in each day and through criticisms. To keep the mind open and to keep thinking flexible is what is the essence of youth. Such thinking can be positive towards encouraging self-awareness and thus self-reliance. Emerson believed growth and development stood at the precipice of self-evolution. To have curiosity and creativity is to have the keys to the path that leads to the True Self.

The fourth and last exercise Emerson suggested to his readers is achieving self-reliance via the momentum of the multiverse. This is where Emerson's passion for nature comes to play and offers the most confusing element of his concept of self-reliance. Here, Emerson suggested principle and genius go hand in hand through observance of the laws of nature. Furthermore, if one chooses a principle, and fully lives I out, this can lead to genius, a better understand of nature, and thus a mastery of self-knowledge.

A good way of interpreting this is planting a seed in the earth. The seed in time becomes a tree that then provides shade, lumber, or a home for various living things. If humans pursue their potential to the fullest, it is as if they are the seed that becomes the tree. This wraps up the philosophy ingrained within "Self-Reliance". The pursuit of the self is key, along with boundless enthusiasm from youth and reaching one's potential, free from influences of society and of familial or friendly connection.

Religion

Religion and specifically, Christianity, played a key role in how thinkers like Emerson developed their philosophies. That is because transcendentalism's origins were in American Christianity. Young men in the 1830's that trained for the Unitarian ministry scoffed at the idea that spirituality came from purely the use of the senses. Rather, they began to believe it came from introspection and self-reflection. By looking inward, the individual could develop spiritual principles that could then serve as the person's foundation for understanding the world. This became a person's 'intuition' or 'conscience'. Intuition according to transcendentalism, could lead to connection with the spiritual world.

To further the connection to the spiritual world and thus gain enlightenment, one must relinquish life through the senses. Meaning, relinquishment of material possessions and societal connections. This was seen in Thoreau's two-year experiment that result in his beliefs of simplification. To transcend and reach a height of new spirituality, these thinkers believed one must rise above the concerns and care of the ordinary, lower sphere. Emerson termed this 'Oversoul'.

Because transcendentalism exemplified the notion that 'all men are created equal', it invited all people from every walk-in life, to attempt to elevate themselves and their thinking. Ironic that much of "Self-Reliance" has a Transcendentalist tone that originated from Christianity and examination of the life of Jesus Christ. It here where it seems hypocritical to denounce religion, yet be part of a movement and way of thinking with roots in religion and desire for enhanced and increased spirituality.

Class

Class in the traditional sense, is not covered in great detail in "Self-Reliance". People that read the essay see the distinctions Emerson made between people. Some people he deemed noble, and worthy of attention. Whereas others he considered part of the 'flock' and consistent of the mindset the 'cultivated classes' possessed regarding interactions with people different from them. In a way, his brief discussion of class harkens back to transcendentalism in the way that 'all men are created equal' and to rise above such a mundane aspect of society such as class, is to continue the journey of the self.

Emerson stated that no greater men existed or exist. A singular equality permeates through the ages from the first to the last age. Although he recognized the significance of Socrates and Phocion, he was quick to mention the lack of these people to invigorate men. Simply, these men and these ages were only a costume for the period, rather than a spark for true enlightenment. Class to Emerson thus became a means of identifying one's potential, going back to the exercises, and becoming the kind of person that inspires and creates, rather than thinks and interprets.

Such thinking leads one to potentially see Emerson as someone with an inflated ego. To think one does not have class or belong to a class because he or she is not a founder of a sect, does not invigorate, this suggests there is extreme need for greatness. Can every person achieve greatness? According to Emerson, if one can fulfill one's potential, then yes, it is possible.

Exploring his purported inflated one, should examine the main influence in his life that led to some of his concepts and perspective. Aunt Mary acted as a mentor to Emerson, propelling him to ignore his family calling and pursue his desires in life.

Aunt Mary's powerful role as a mentor of character, indeed as a prophet of character, would remain with him throughout his life. Her letters and spiritual diaries, with their torrents of thoughts that struck so forcefully she often had no time to waste on complete sentence and complete spelling, proved to be an important influence on the development of Emerson's own journals (York & Spaulding, 2008, p. 13).

When someone like Aunt Mary, gives no care in the world to how she writes and expresses herself, this can lead someone to think, 'my voice is important, more important than the need for conventionality and conformity'. This can lead to a sense of inflated ego, because there is a disregard for whether someone understands the person or if the information presented makes sense. Such an influence could decidedly create a lack of caring in Emerson to be practical, to show clarity and to communicate well his ideas.

Man, Child

The exercise Emerson described that asked for people to channel their youth is a great way to open discussion in this section. People often misinterpret life as a constant need to satisfy someone else's ideals. From meeting the demands of family, friends, the Church, the Government, people feel stifled and restricted by the rules that seemingly govern their lives. Emerson asked readers to remove themselves from the confines and restraints of society and go back to when they were young and had endless optimism over the things they could accomplish. By removing that lens of ineffectuality, one can see past the walls built by life experiences and societal pressures to find not only the True Self, but also a means of achieving Self-Reliance.

Youth and self-reliance are seen in paragraphs 33-50 where he criticized the urban, educated youths. To him, he saw the opposite of what youth was meant to deliver, and saw an unacceptable timidity that loomed over the heads of these young and lackluster thinkers. Emerson already having been angry with the perceived lack of original thinkers, saw that these youths were liken to a farm lad, entrepreneurial, but lacking the kind of bucolic lie Emerson favored. Emerson believed people can revise their behaviors accordingly. "Emerson infers is that imperfections of behavior or character are not innate, but that man has the natural ability to scrutinize his conduct and to revise it accordingly" (Redling, 2016, p. 181). In these paragraphs, Emerson emphasizes four social arenas where these youths would be needed if they learned to become self-reliant individuals: religion (fearing creativity), culture (devaluing individualism), the arts (imitation), and society (false value of progress). He continues with explaining the urge to travel as a symptoms of America's failed educational system.

Since the arts teach to imitate, according to Emerson, traveling is to experience others' artwork instead of creating art. Here, Emerson urged young scholars to break away from European literary traditions. Ultimately, his stance on youth and the state of youth in his time seem to contradict and generate an air of inconsistency that made up a large part of his thinking.

Nature

Emerson wrote another essay titled "Nature" anonymously published in 1836. Here, he used a quote from Plotinus to introduce his essay. Which, in a way appears contradictory to what he mentioned earlier. He stated to create art, one must not imitate. Yet here is his work being introduced via a quote from someone else. The quote says that nature is an imitation of wisdom or an image, the soul's last thing. That nature is doing, not knowing. Emerson used this quote to suggest nature has no personality of its own. Nature simply is, is a series of actions and reactions and thus is not a main and consistent part of the self. Rather, it is the environment for the self to react and to progress.

However, if nature is in this way, then why is nature described in "Self-Reliance" as a way of reaching one's potential? Why then are Transcendentalists like Thoreau observing nature if it is simply a mechanism of action? This is where the text seems odd because his "Nature" essay contradicts what he said in this essay concerning nature and the significance of nature.

Emerson himself is perhaps most contradictory when he ventures definitions of nature, as he does on almost every page. In 'The Method of Nature' he claims that 'nature' is the memory of the mind. That which once existed already in the mind in solution: now, it has been precipitated, and the bright sediment is the world'. Emerson offers a contradictory account of nature only three paragraphs later: 'Its smoothness if the smoothness of the pitch of the cataract' (Brown, 1997, p. 183).

Life and Existence

There is mention in "Self-Reliance of the 'Over-Soul'. "The Over-Soul" is Emerson's ninth essay published in Emerson's Essays. This essay provides the best overview of Emerson's faith. In the essay, he described the belief he had in God and how God lives in every person, something the individual can communicate with, without need for religion or Church. This goes well with what he had said in "Self-Reliance. The need for religion is false in that one can find divinity within the self. However, going back to nature, he contradicted himself here by saying one must focus on the soul, where in other essays, he stated one must participate in nature. If humanity can be found through nature, and faith comes from the exploration, then what is he trying to say about the soul and nature? This is a key reason why people misunderstand Emerson.

Emotions

Regarding emotions, the introspective and self-reflective stance Emerson displayed in "Self-Reliance" denoted a need for Emerson to rely on the self because society moves on like a wave, not caring about the individual. There is a wisdom in the way Emerson saw problems and society as whole. People overall, do not change. The problems faced today were the same faced in earlier times. One of the biggest problems and the reason for self-reliance according to Emerson, is because humans as a whole, are very needy.

Neediness leads to disappointment and a life full of bitterness and resentment. That is why it was so important to Emerson to cultivate self-reliance within the self. If one is self-reliant, if one is okay with solitude, and alienating one's self from people that do not accept the person as is, then it can lead to happiness. Happiness creates a higher quality of life and motivates people to pursue their potentiality.

Emerson sought to become self-reliant so he could be emotionally strong and in some ways, happy. Without the fear of failure, the need for other's approval, the need to conform to society, what is left is a kind of freedom that is rarely witnessed or experienced. It feels like Emerson wanted to construct a means of bridging the gap to the self to feel self-fulfilled. By placing the power of becoming happy on one's own actions rather than others, it grants the person a power and a feeling that cannot be compared.

Culture

The culture in which Emerson group up in used sound to convey thought. Oral traditions, speaking to groups, preaching, these things made up a large part of the culture of the time. Emerson attempts to draw in that aspect of then, American culture, by alluding to the voice throughout almost fifty percent of the essay's paragraphs. When unpacking these references, what surfaces is an implicit rhetorical theory of voice and sound derived from what people of the time conceived of sound. The allusions to sound reveal Emerson's conceptualization of essence of voice that provides depth to Emerson's concept of oratorical exchanges and self-reliance.

Going back to the use of sound, during that time in New England, Congregational Church developed into a huge movement combining literature, philosophy, and religion. Here is where transcendentalism began and along with it, the further development of American intellect. The desire for church reformation and in turn further progression of individual spirituality led to concepts of the importance of the self in spiritual life. Emerson represented the peak of that movement through his essays and especially through "Self-Reliance".

Through the culture of oral traditions and public speaking, Emerson invited people to create ideas and to develop the identity of the self and then share it with people in similar fashion as Jesus did during His ministry. Thus, the culture represented in New England in the early 19th century was clearly shown through the examination of the self in "Self-Reliance". From this came an evolution of the culture with Emerson as its leader. This rebirth of culture is the main reason the essay became so popular. It invited people to share what they were too afraid to share. It also asked people to share it in a way that helps people connect and build new traditions.

War & Peace

Much like Emerson asked for the reader to reform the existing culture into something more progressive and less imitative, Emerson believed culture could function as a means of modulating violence. How? He sought to transcend all the lower plane of existence allowing the higher Self to emerge. The Soul that Emerson believed can be cultivated from introspection and self-reflection has no enemies, and scoffs at the notion of violence to force others to think and be the same way. War Emerson believed, is abhorrent to all right reason. He felt violence, a byproduct of war, halted human progress.

The focus of "Self-Reliance" is human progress. Emerson wanted to show that looking inward would erase the need for dominance and power over others. This would lead to a desire for peace and an aversion to war. Spiritual oneness, in some ways, promotes relinquishment of power and pursuit of power in favor of wisdom and creativity. Emerson also viewed violence and cruelty as juvenile, stating the mature spirit renounces these things in pursuit of personal growth and development.