Two Examples Of Transcendentalism

601 Words2 Pages

In the 1800s, a philosophy known as transcendentalism arose in early America. This philosophy soon developed into the transcendentalist movement. Followers of this movement sought a spiritual and individualistic lifestyle. Two of the most recognized and influential believers of this movement, or transcendentalists, were Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Emerson and Thoreau held significant values about transcendentalism, and believed in questioning the government and politics, assessing nature and its qualities, and focusing on the importance of the individual. A fairly new system of government and politics was a huge outcome of America’s hunger to grow. As people began to shift into a democratic lifestyle, Emerson and Thoreau began …show more content…

In Emerson’s Self-Reliance, he communicates that when a man believes in his own conscience and heart, he is genius. The idea of not conforming to society, yet sticking to personal ideas and practices, was popular among transcendentalists, and influenced heavily by Emerson and Thoreau. Due to those ideas, transcendentalists were and still are stereotyped as “hippies.” However, unlike the hippies of the 1960s, these people did not simply reject society; instead, they formulated ways to influence the nation into a greater and alternative culture. Doing this exact thing is becoming more popular among today’s world, and Emerson and Thoreau’s standing impact on free thinkers could be part of the cause. Those who choose to believe in themselves and rely on their own spirit could be considered the transcendentalists of today. Transcendentalism was conceivably one of the most important movements in American history. It was an influential philosophy, brought to life by thinkers like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Though this movement’s prime was during the 1800s, its way of thinking can still be influential today. With powerful morals and spiritualistic views, people in today’s society could easily grasp onto transcendentalism and move toward a more free-minded lifestyle, just like Emerson and Thoreau wanted their society to

Open Document