Ralph Waldo Emerson's philosophy of self-reliance and individualism

¶ … Ralph Waldo Emerson and presents a theoretical letter to Emerson himself.

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Two of His Essays

Ralph Waldo Emerson, in his essay on self-reliance, very blatantly states his belief that people should be nonconformists. Of course, he qualifies this with the statement that non-conformists are often beaten down by the world, since the world loves conformity. However, Emerson is a big proponent of being reliant on only one's self. This means working hard, but making sure that this work is for one's own benefit. To Emerson, it is folly to rely on someone else for your upkeep. When a man is relying on himself, working for himself, and not conforming to the world at large, things are the best for him then, and he has the most freedom. Emerson also believes that a man should take care to provide for his own, but does not believe in miscellaneous charities, as the people who are benefiting from those charities have nothing to do with him. Again, this goes back to Emerson's belief in self-reliance.

In The American Scholar, Emerson continues with this theme of individuality. He voices a complaint that in his age of intellectualism, which placed a high value on being book-learned, that there was very little truly original thought being conducted. Instead, Emerson complains that books have become slave masters rather than agents of freedom, because those who place high value on books tend to take on the thinking of those books as their own. Books, then, Emerson states, are keeping people from thinking original thoughts of their own. The true freedom of mankind, Emerson states, lies in discovering the power of their own minds. Books are only for inspiration.

Dear Ralph Waldo Emerson,

I'd like to take the opportunity to discuss some things with you today. I find your ideas intriguing, but have some concerns with some of them, as well. If you would give me some of your time, I would be most grateful. Indeed, I hope for a response when you have heard what I have to say and ask you about. Your opinion means a lot and your answers would be most welcome.

First of all, I know that you are a Transcendentalist, and that this fundamentally means that you believe in the interconnectedness of all things. Nature is important to you in this interconnectedness. However, I wonder if you could enlighten me as to how evil and heartache can happen in a world so interconnected and in which matters of the soul are so ordered. Take the American Indians, for instance. They are being abysmally treated by our current society, in a manner most unfair considering their senior status on this continent. How can Transcendentalism explain their treatment today? It is an issue of much concern to me.