Transcendentalism

I think that what he said was true. To really appreciate nature you have to get in a place where you are away from society, a place where u can be alone to have the time to think. One part that I liked was the part where he said that few people can see nature and appreciate. I liked it because it was a true statement. It kind of reminds me of the other day when my mom asked me “Did you thank a tree today?” I said no, but what she was getting at was the fact that without things in nature we wouldn’t be living. We take many things in nature for granted. But the part where he talks about being a part of god was somewhat crazy in my book. In self reliance, Emerson basically says that you achieve greatness through accepting your fate. I think that many things contribute to greatness. Things like I mentioned in my 12 virtues. I really liked Thoreau’s philosophy on the government. He said that “government is best when it governs not at all”. As a liberal I agree, but I also think that government should help people when they are in need.
“Nature” is a good example of transcendentalism because it talks about coming closer to god by getting closer and appreciating nature. He states: “I become a transparent eyeball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the universal being circulate through me; I am part or parcel of god.” This is a direct example of what the transcendentalism because they believed god talks to people through their brain.
“Self reliance” is a good example of transcendentalism cause it talks about the importance of being an individual. He says to “accept the place the divine providence has found for you”, which basically means that god made you how you are and that you should accept it.
“Civil Disobedience” is a good example of transcendentalism because Thoreau begins by saying “that government is best when it governs least”. This is a good example because transcendentalists believed that people should listen to their instinct instead of following society.
I chose scenario #1. What I would do in this situation would be to go ahead and go to college and then after graduation I’d get married. If this happened to a transcendentalist they would follow their instinct. In self reliance Emerson says “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron spring” Which is basically saying that you should trust every decision that you make, because in listening to intuition you are listening to the voice of god.
The transcendentalists believed that to be able to connect with god you had to get away from society and among nature so that you could be yourself the way god made you.(“To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society.”) I picked this quote Because, in listening to your intuition you are listening to the voice of god. The man in the video is “alone in the wilderness” I have no idea if he’s a transcendentalist or what though. The man in the video also doesn’t stay in his little cabin the whole time. He spends a lot of time outside in the “wilderness” alone.