Emersonian Individualism
Emerson's "transcendentalism" is essentially a romantic individualism, a philosophy of life for a new people who had overthrown their colonial governors and set about conquering a new continent by their own lights. Though Emerson is not a technical philosopher, the tendency of his thought is toward idealist metaphysics in which soul and intuition, or inspiration, are central. The new American experiment needed every idea within its reach. Taking a practical and democratic, yet poetic interest in all of nature and in individuals of every walk of life, Emerson stresses the potential for genius and creativity in all people. It is a source of creative insight within which Emerson identifies as divine. His praise for Plato can easily be found in his work. He says that "Mind is the only reality of which men and all other natures are better or worse reflectors." For Emerson, "intuition" is a poetic faculty of seeing things creatively. Nothing is possible within our distinctively human world without such creative insight and interpretation. Therefore, Emerson calls for us to always be prepared to listen to this voice within instead of conforming to societal pressures. The theme of Self-Reliance is an elaboration of this idealist the
" This is his explanation of how people are seduced into ignoring their own insights and convictions, their own "culture," in order to better profit by their intercourse with society. Yet an empirical and scientific emphasis is needed to counter balance the stress upon creativity. Man should control society instead of allowing society to control him. Emerson's great emphasis upon nonconformity and integrity shows that this Over-soul creates a world through individuals rather than through the commerce of groups. For it suggests that romantic individualism arises from uncritical use of creative insight. " Emerson believes in living in the present and not in the past. Communications between alternative viewpoints is crucial if we are to put ourselves in a position for deciding between alternatives in an intelligent manner. to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater. Creative interpretation is not to be discouraged, and each person's genius should be developed as far as possible. "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblins of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. His writing also suggests a critical attitude toward the apparent excesses of Emerson's individualism. The Trustee is man, himself, when he trusts his own intuition. Self-reliance does not allow men to claim that they know God and use archaic terminology because in this way men revert to the past for authority. Otherwise, there will be no possibility of tests between such alternatives. This is the central meaning of American liberalism, and the critique of mere conformity is an important part of this.
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Acceptance Essays
