"Emerson's-Guns-Are-So-Massive-That-He-Couldn't-Fit-Through-the-Door-So-He-Had-To-Write-His-Book-Alone-in-the-Forest"

Self-Reliance

"Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind" --Emerson, "Self-Reliance"



This quote is basically a summary of the whole essay, because it tells how making and pursuing your own choices are more important than friends or what other people think or believe. Your own mind is the ultimate judge of all the various things you encounter, and Emerson urges readers to treat it as just that; and not subjugate it to the opinions of other people.

This quote however is not saying that we should all just sit down on that proverbial rock, like a taoist, and do nothing; it is saying that you should do what you want to do--and put as much passion as you want into it.



To paraphrase the ideas Emerson wrote about:

It is your life, and your choices; at the end of your days, you will regret it if you have spent your life living for someone else. (Try to see beyond your own nose!) Take some time to really think about why you are living the life you are living; and if you're happy with those choices.



I'm pretty big on making choices for myself; it sounds like a dumb concept but I find that, subconsciously, people are often held back from true happiness or fulfillment by what people would think. Take a step back and live life for youurself; as Emerson suggests, begin by choosing for yourself.

It's easy to turn your mind off and blindly follow established norms; and if you do so, at the end of the day you will be no worse off than the majority of the people out there. But dare to break out of those norms--trust your own active mind--and you will be great. Thinking for yourself establishes your values ("Do your work, and you shall reinforce yourself"), and teaches you to think critically. It's not easy; but the philosophy of thoughtful action, defining yourself and the things around you as you go, will allow you to gain more knowledge than those who blindly follow, or even those who sit arouund reading obscurely worded books (take Emerson for example...). In other words, get out there and make yourself. In other words, STOP READING THIS.





(This next part is for myself; if this were an essay like Emerson's, I would not hope most readers would read this. I'd rather they stop sitting on that proverbial rock and gt out and make a name for themselves. But regardless:)

Dare to make yourself even better; never stop striving. If you want something, it takes self-reliance to make it happen. There's something I like to call an "inner fire" that exists within every sentient being. When an animal is in dire trouble, their inner fire is what gets them through hard times and cold winters and allows them to persevere. But animals only use that for survival; humans can use this to create a burning desire to accomplish anything in the world. That is personally what I take from Emerson's quote; by breaking free from opressive norms, any given person can ignite their tenacity and ingenuity to accomplish great things.

In theory, this works flawlessly. A human's inner fire is the most powerful and most adaptable tool we possess; but keeping that fire lit is one of the hardest tasks of great men. What was it that kept Julius Caesar away for years fighting the Gauls in order to make a name for himself back in Rome? And what brought us away from earth and into the void of space? Neither of these happened on a whim; both took years of keeping determination alive. I think it is appropriate to say that great accomplishments consist of "one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration (--Ben Franklin)".