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Nonconformity

Nonconformity

"Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist." It is perhaps one of Ralph Waldo Emerson's most famous quotes. With this and the paragraph following it from Self-Reliance, Emerson summarizes almost the entirety of transcendentalism philosophy. He expresses the desire for free will and self discovery. Nonconformity, as he describes it, is an absolute necessity to truly live life to its fullest. Yet despite all of his rationale behind his thinking, he can not help but to contradict his own statements. For a man to truly be a nonconformist would mean for him to conform.
Emerson states that no man should conform to society. Rather than blindly accept the customs and dictations of others, he should follow his own judgments and intuitions; "Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of our own mind" (541). Emerson also clearly states his position as an anarchist and his disdain for the church. He asks, "What have I to do with the sacredness of traditions, if I live......


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Approximate Word Count: 682
Approximate Pages: 3 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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