On Self-Reliance pt.5
Quotes I found interesting/important:
"It is easy to see that a greater self-reliance must work a revolution in all the offices and relations of men; in their religion; in their education; in their pursuits; their modes of living; their association; in their property; in their speculative views"
"The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet. He is supported on crutches, but lacks so much support of muscle."
They measure their esteem of each other by what each has, and not by what each is. But a cultivated man becomes ashamed of his property, out of new respect for his nature. Especially he hates what he has, if he see that it is accidental, — came to him by inheritance, or gift, or crime; then he feels that it is not having; it does not belong to him, has no root in him, and merely lies there, because no revolution or no robber takes it away.
Summary of thoughts:
Emerson talks about how we need to rely on ourselves and to trust ourselves/judgement. Everyday in society we rely on gov. and other things to help control our lives but it only shows how we want self-reliance. We can't compare ourselves to others. Life is life we can never reassure a perfect or better life that we compare to our neighbors. However we never gain anything by luck and our "winnings" aren't just by the chance of luck but by the effort of our life. Everything we want or everything we want/wish to be can not be given to us on a silver plater neither can we gain it all on just pure luck. We gain everything we need in life by our effort and we can only put our utmost effort if we are staying true to ourselves that we trust ourselves, rely on ourselves. Life is a roller coaster, it will hit you with ups and downs, but in the words of Emerson "Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles." The principles that makes us the unique individual selves in life can make all the difference.
"It is easy to see that a greater self-reliance must work a revolution in all the offices and relations of men; in their religion; in their education; in their pursuits; their modes of living; their association; in their property; in their speculative views"
"The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet. He is supported on crutches, but lacks so much support of muscle."
They measure their esteem of each other by what each has, and not by what each is. But a cultivated man becomes ashamed of his property, out of new respect for his nature. Especially he hates what he has, if he see that it is accidental, — came to him by inheritance, or gift, or crime; then he feels that it is not having; it does not belong to him, has no root in him, and merely lies there, because no revolution or no robber takes it away.
Summary of thoughts:
Emerson talks about how we need to rely on ourselves and to trust ourselves/judgement. Everyday in society we rely on gov. and other things to help control our lives but it only shows how we want self-reliance. We can't compare ourselves to others. Life is life we can never reassure a perfect or better life that we compare to our neighbors. However we never gain anything by luck and our "winnings" aren't just by the chance of luck but by the effort of our life. Everything we want or everything we want/wish to be can not be given to us on a silver plater neither can we gain it all on just pure luck. We gain everything we need in life by our effort and we can only put our utmost effort if we are staying true to ourselves that we trust ourselves, rely on ourselves. Life is a roller coaster, it will hit you with ups and downs, but in the words of Emerson "Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles." The principles that makes us the unique individual selves in life can make all the difference.
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