In the world of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "nothing is more simple than greatness, to be simple is to be great". Emerson believed in simplifying life, he believed that the less possessions a person had the less they had to worry about. He developed a new and creative way of philosophy titled transcendentalism. Transcendentalism dealt with finding joy in nature, simplicity, and individualism.
Simplicity is the state of being simple, uncomplicated, or uncompounded. Simplifying life cuts back on stress and worries. What's the point in owning 50 pairs of shoes, when all that is really needed is 1 good pair that can be worn every day? Simplifying life cuts back on unnecessary items, there fore cutting back on stress. Today people are more materialistic then ever. They need everything and will buy anything. People forget that man makes possessions, possessions don't make the man.
To be an individual means to strike off on ones own path.
Ralph Waldo Emerson Español: Ralph Waldo Emerson....
English: Charcoal portrait of Ralph Waldo Emerson ...
English: Image of American philosopher/poet Ralph ...To not follow in the footsteps of others, there's no fun in doing what everybody else does. Transcendentalism urges people to take their destiny by the hand and follow it wherever it should lead them, for they will receive true enlightenment and fulfillment in life. If everybody just did the same thing the world would be a very boring place, everyone was created different for a reason. Emerson and Thoreau lived in a very traditional sort of society, however, the times have changed. Today so much more is accepted people are no longer afraid to be individuals. If a person wants to dye their hair pink, pierce their face 17 times and get 45 tattoos, nobody really cares. Now day's people can express their individual personalities without fear.
Thoreau felt that a man could only really find himself by looking to nature, and the...