Question

In at least 100 words, analyze Emerson's ideas about self-reliance in the context of today’s technology, pop culture, and social media. Would Emerson have been happy with the progress or would he have seen it as a loss for humanity? Use modern examples and details from the passage to support your response.

Answer 1

Throughout Emerson's writing, he explains his ideas on the importance of indivisuality. Emerson explains that society tends to have a negative effect on the growth of each individual’s independent spirit. When Emerson is writing about his ideas on travel and personal development though it is an unexpected opinion. Emerson elaborates about how traveling is just a temporary escape and wherever you choose to go, there will be more of the same kind of people with the same kind of problems. He encourages readers to hold on to their identity, or who they are, while they are away and he convinces the readers that wherever they end up is only a "fool's paradise," it won't actually fix anything like you assume it will.