After discussing transcendentalism
in class, and reading writings by authors who hold different viewpoints on the
subject, I don’t feel that I am completely on board with the whole movement of
transcendentalism, but I am also not completely against it either.
The one aspect of transcendentalism
that I would tend to agree with is the thought that conformity isn’t always
good, and you should be your own person and think for yourself. Ralph Waldo
Emerson writes in his Self-Reliance:
“I hope in these days we have heard the last of conformity and consistency.”
Many of the transcendentalist authors held similar views on conformity, which I
think to a point is a good thing to think—that every one person should be an
individual, and that he or she should not simply conform to fit with the rest
of society.
I do believe that transcendentalism
does have some drawbacks, and does fall short in some cases as well. I think
that the “we” should trump the “I “in everyday life, and that self-centeredness
is a dangerous thing. If all people were self-centered and set their focus
solely on themselves, I think that a lot of good would be lost in the world. I
tend to agree with what Benjamin Anastas said when writing about the flaws of
Emerson’s Self-Reliance: “The larger problem with the essay, and its more
lasting legacy as a cornerstone of the American identity, has been Emerson’s
tacit endorsement of a radically self-centered worldview.” I feel Anastas has a
completely valid point. Henry David Thoreau, another transcendentalist author
wrote about the fact that he “paid no poll-tax for six years”. Actions such as
this I feel are self-centered, and paying taxes is part of being a citizen of
the country. If everyone had these thoughts, I feel our country would be dysfunctional.
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