Emerson (from 'Self-Reliance')

'Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist.'

This is one of my favorite Emerson quotes and, like many quotes from him, it is attacked without an understanding of what he in fact means. I suppose this is a danger in pulling any quote from its context. The response to this quote is really sad and usually goes something like: "Yes, but people have to conform to some degree because if everyone just did what they wanted society would collapse."

The reason I find this reaction sad is because it is based on two absolutely horrific assumptions that I think people would reject if they knew they were assuming them. First, the reaction assumes nonconformity (i.e., freedom) means everyone disagrees with everyone else and ends up becoming ax murderers, thieves, or sex fiends. Second, the reaction assumes that the continuation of 'society' is a higher purpose than individual freedom or happiness. Both are absolutely false assumptions.

First, just because you disagree with people as a rule doesn't make you a nonconformist. Nor does being a criminal or habitual law breaker make you a nonconformist. I would argue that a society of nonconformists would find common ground on basic things like the sanctity of life or the value of cooperation because doing so is natural and leads to mutual benefit. As a result, society would not fall apart. If anything, society would be more cohesive because it would be based on things all people can agree on. It would also be open to people questioning themselves and each other rather than being forced to adhere to inflexible (and usually unnecessary) 'rules' imposed on all by a few.

Second, the perpetuation of a 'society' is not ever more important that the happiness of its individual members. Anyone who thinks it is should check out Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia, because this is where that idea is played out openly. It's not a pretty picture. I'm willing to say categorically that any society that might fall apart because people pursued what they wanted based on the integrity of their minds isn't a society worth saving.

Here's some context around Emerson's quote that clarifies his position: 'Whoso would be a man, must be a non-conformist. He...must not be hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness. Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.' So he's not tossing out 'the good' with conformity; he's saying we should always question what is 'good' and not just accept what a president, priest, or figure in authority says is good. We must question, argue, and if necessary defy the 'good', if it does not seem to be good to our minds. If something is good, it should be easy to convince people and get them to go along with it. It is also easy to defeat people who fight the 'good' by appealing to people's better judgement and self-interest. In contrast, people get ugly and violent when touting a 'good' when they don't know why it is 'good' or - worse - a 'good' they know isn't good and are fighting for just to conform or preserve 'society'.

Ralph Waldo Emerson - Great American Thinker

One of my favorite periods of literature - perhaps my absolute favorite - is early American literature (I should probably say 'early US literature'). I've always been fascinated with what people were like at the beginning of the nation. There was a lot of high idealism (utopians, transcendentalism, the Revolution) mixed with crushing inhumanity (i.e., Native Americans, the slave trade).

One of the best things about the period is Emerson and his essays. For me, they represent the best of the early American spirit: being a pioneer in act and/or thought, skeptical of authority, idealistic but very pragmatic, and self-reliant. There's a lot of wisdom in his words, and his transcendentalism has a lot of Zen to it. It is often that I think of my thick paperback of Emerson essays the same way Christians think of The Bible. It's where I go for fuel, and I always keep a copy of his writing in the nightstand next to my bed.

I love hardcover books and always get them for anything I like to read. However, I can't ever have a hardcover for Emerson's writings, because I just mark up the margins and underline things as I read too much! Part of this is to help clarify what I'm getting out of him, because he can write some pretty long, winding sentences. Part of it is that he is just so 'quotable'. All throughout his writing are phrases that you can pull out as rules to live by.

Anyway, I thought that in my blog I would every so often share some of my favorite Emerson nuggets. Sort of my way of proselytizing on behalf of good old Ralph.