This is an incredibly difficult question because I kind of agree with both sides. Both make points that I agree with, and that makes it very hard to choose a side.
One point that I really do agree with is the point that the transcendentalists make about all men being inherently good. Emerson says, "...the wide universe is full of good..." Self-Reliance is filled with these kind of allusions to the truth about man's true nature. I can truly relate with this point because I very passionately believe in both trust and that given the opportunity, more often than not people will do the right thing. I think that the poem at the very beginning of Self-Reliance really sums up my beliefs nicely. "Man is his own star; and the soul that can render an honest and a perfect man, commands all light, all influence, all fate..." This really shows the true beauty of humanity and shows that even if the world is not perfect, man can still shine like a star and do something that is kind and good.
Another point of Transcendentalism that I believe is the basic idea of self-reliance. Throughout both Emerson and Fuller's essays there is a clear belief that people need to learn to believe and rely on themselves. This point definitely rings a bell with me. I have always thought that people need to be prepared to live and be on their own. Everybody needs to be self-dependent to a certain degree in order to function in today's society where so many things need to be done by oneself.
Even through all these things about Transcendentalism that I think are excellent points, there is one thing that holds me back from completely agreeing with the ideas that it presents. That thing is the fact that Transcendentalists are very anti organized religion and I just cannot agree with that. Religion is a big portion of my life and I disagree wholeheartedly with their thought process about relying wholly on your "inner god." I believe that you should rely on yourself, but I also believe that church and gatherings of people with similar beliefs is one of the best things to do in order to grow closer to whatever God that you choose to worship. You are able to learn more about your own faith, and you are also able to get together with others for moments of prayer and accountability.
So, am I a transcendentalist? I have to say no. Through all of the points that I agree with, I cannot shake the feeling that my very ideas of faith counter with their ideas. This alone makes me say no.
I can also see both sides and although i lean towards transcendentalism i can understand the benefits of working together with people and sharing a common goal.
ReplyDeleteYou said that you believe man is inherently good, but then how do you account for the numerous atrocities(genocides, war, etc.) that have taken place throughout history and that are still taking place? If man is inherently good and "is his own star;" then why would someone even come up with the idea for these atrocities, let alone commit them?
ReplyDeleteI have to question your agreement with man's inner good, of the idea that "God is here within" (Emerson). As much as I like to see the good in people, I cannot believe that we are inherently good. We don't have to be taught from birth to run away from our parents; we don't have to be instructed to lie. We already know how and already want to. Yet we must be taught to do the right thing, to apologize, to tell the truth.
ReplyDeleteI firmly believe that we have darkness inside us, as Captain Ahab and Reverend Hooper represented, but that we have to ability to do good, that nothing we do is "too dark for the faith of the being whose love" outnumbers our evil (Emerson).