Entry 34: Theme of Self- Reliance

Emerson believes that everyone has a unique talent and that it takes different way of bring it out and it can only be done so personally. Self-reliance is not the same as selfishness and Emerson believes so too. Self-reliance is depending on yourself to do things and to be independent where as selfishness if you take advantages of other for the benefactor of yourself. Having self-reliance you can also be helpful to others instead of using others and not helping them. Emerson uses figures of speech such as "Society is a joint-stock company" which expresses his view of society being bad for people. He believes that society leads to conspiracy and that it only brings out the worst in people. Unlike nature which he believes to be very beneficial to people and society is only taking people away from nature. Emerson believes that self-reliance is good and that society makes people to dependent on each other. I myself believe that self-reliance is good however the perceptive that Emerson and I have are very different. I think self-reliance as being independent yet i believe society is good because it bring about teamwork. Therefore I say both being independent and being a team player is good.