Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:05 am
http://www.youmeworks.com/self_reliance_translated.html
^^Translated into modern-day English. Still well-written, but much more readable. Here is the original version: http://www.youmeworks.com/selfreliance.html
I found this a while ago, but sort of forgot about it. I shouldn't have, and I'm glad I've re-discovered it. It's truly one of my favorite pieces of writing. I really endorse what Emerson's thesis, self-reliance. Here are some aspects of his argument that come to mind:
individuality
open-mindedness
being the black sheep
discarding failed ideas
avoiding conformity
self-knowledge
action rather than talk
solitary
resilient to the opinions of others
originality
living authentically
living in the present
anti-materialistic
cause-and-effect (vs luck)
technology does not improve lives
If it hasn't struck you already, these topics all relate to ERE. It would be a stretch to say the essay encompasses all aspects of ERE, but it's not hard to draw comparisons.
Any thoughts on the essay? Does Emerson go too far with his ideas of self-reliance? I don't think so, but some disagree.
First, it's not about being self-centered. Nor is he criticizing against inter-dependence, which is a fundamental part of life. Rather, he has harsh words for dependence.
Dependence on the opinions of others, on technology, on your vehicle, on the government, on your job, on your spouse on your parents, on your television, on societal values and so on. The solution lies in independence:
independence of thought
financially independent
independent action, regardless of what others think
independent of vehicles (bike instead)
independent of the health care system (prevention versus cure)
independent of economic cycles (FI)
autonomous action
and so on.
That's the relations I made to ERE, anyways.
^^Translated into modern-day English. Still well-written, but much more readable. Here is the original version: http://www.youmeworks.com/selfreliance.html
I found this a while ago, but sort of forgot about it. I shouldn't have, and I'm glad I've re-discovered it. It's truly one of my favorite pieces of writing. I really endorse what Emerson's thesis, self-reliance. Here are some aspects of his argument that come to mind:
individuality
open-mindedness
being the black sheep
discarding failed ideas
avoiding conformity
self-knowledge
action rather than talk
solitary
resilient to the opinions of others
originality
living authentically
living in the present
anti-materialistic
cause-and-effect (vs luck)
technology does not improve lives
If it hasn't struck you already, these topics all relate to ERE. It would be a stretch to say the essay encompasses all aspects of ERE, but it's not hard to draw comparisons.
Any thoughts on the essay? Does Emerson go too far with his ideas of self-reliance? I don't think so, but some disagree.
First, it's not about being self-centered. Nor is he criticizing against inter-dependence, which is a fundamental part of life. Rather, he has harsh words for dependence.
Dependence on the opinions of others, on technology, on your vehicle, on the government, on your job, on your spouse on your parents, on your television, on societal values and so on. The solution lies in independence:
independence of thought
financially independent
independent action, regardless of what others think
independent of vehicles (bike instead)
independent of the health care system (prevention versus cure)
independent of economic cycles (FI)
autonomous action
and so on.
That's the relations I made to ERE, anyways.