Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Classic Essay by Emerson. Excerpted from Essays, First Series.

Self-Reliance

Patrick Book

Doesn't work for me. I'm a big fan of reliance, but I am among the least reliable people I know.

Courtney Gendreau

Wasn't horrible but it wasn't great either. I found it to be rather boring.

Dana Kraft

Short, but not particularly easy read. Certainly enjoyed it more than the last time I read it back in high school. A few of the issues that it raised for me:

- Makes me think about many of the things that I do or strive for to ensure that I am working for ME, and not to achieve a level of acceptance or to meet society's expectations. 
- When to fight and when to accept

Favorite quote (among many): "For every thing that is given, something is taken. Society acquires new arts, and loses old instincts."

A’ishah Kamaludin

Reliance - dependence on or trust in someone or something (Dictionary)

I struggle to understand the theme and the language of this book. Well, it was written on 1980s by a philosopher.

So, I have to be honest that I don't really get everything presented by the book but the main takeouts here for me are:-

1. in/uncomformity and following our own voice and instinct
2. infancy - the attribute contradictory to adulthood
3. how prayer affects our beliefs (something I can't wholly agree with) - but I can relate when Emerson said 'another sort of prayers are our regrets'
4. the rage for travelling is a symptom of a deeper unsoundness -totally a new insight to me.
"Travelling is a fool's paradise".

More quotes that slap my heart right from this book.

“To be great is to be misunderstood.” 

“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.” 

“You will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it.” 

“Society is a wave. The wave moves onward, but the water of which it is composed does not.” 

“A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere.” 

A tough but good read.

caro

Maureen

Ralph Emerson

A beautifully designed new edition of Ralph Waldo Emerson's most famous essay, "Self-Reliance," bringing his timeless classic to a contemporary audience.

Self-Reliance

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