What Does Emerson Believe In Self-Reliance

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1. According to Emerson, genius means “to believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men” (19). Someone who is genius does not take other person’s work. A person who is able to produce original ideas is a genius. To Emerson, genius is not someone who is beyond intelligent, but an individual who believe in himself and does not depend on an existing work of others. 2. In second paragraph of “Self-Reliance”, Emerson discusses how “envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide” (20). Emerson believes someone who is envious or jealous of another person is lacking in knowledge. He believes that everyone in the universe is unique and that there is no reason for an individual to copy others. …show more content…

According to Emerson, “To be great is to be misunderstood” means that people who believe in only their thoughts and contradicts the society is often misunderstood because they create new ideas that the society does not approve of (25). It is important to believe what each individual believe in their “private heart,” but if everyone is only concerned about their opinions, the society will not be able to function well (19). As a member of the society, people need to cooperate and listen to each other as well. 8. In another word, “Envy is ignorance,” it means that having jealousy toward others is useless (20). It is true that people compare themselves to others when something seems better. However, people should “accept the place the divine providence has found for” each of the people (20). One should not envy others and try to imitate them. Everyone has a unique identity that shows individuals’ true self. Instead of wasting time criticizing own self, people should “trust thyself” and love oneself (20). 9. Emerson explains how “God will not have His work made manifest by cowards,” stating that God does not uses those who lack in courage and who are fearful in difficult situations (20). That is not true because God raises the weak and makes them strong. It is not about whether a person is a wimp or not, it is about individual’s faith. God does not abandon His children who are “cowards” long as they firmly believe in their heart and hold onto Him tightly

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