Individualism

Individualism

According to Oxford Dictionary, Individualism is the quality of being different from other people and doing things in oneâs own way. It is the belief that individual people in society should have the right to make their own decisions etc. rather than be controlled by the government.
Emerson begins his major work on individualism by asserting the importance of thinking for oneself rather than meekly accepting the ideas of the other people. He says, âTo believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men- that is genius.â
Emersonâs âSelf-Relianceâ teaches us to trust ourselves. Societyâs primary concern is creating wealth and status, while the individualâs concern is self-expression and fulfillment.
Emerson was an individualist and his âSelf-Relianceâ is an extreme statement of the individualistic point of view. To the modern reader the author may appear unmindful of social obligations when he says, âWhat I must do is all that concerns me not what the people think.â
But Emerson was not indifferent to society. He thought of society as composed of individuals. A primary obligation of the individual is to perfect his own life.
         âSelf-Relianceâ is a manifesto both of Emersonâs transcendentalism and of individualism. Transcendentalism implies faith in the Over-soul.
         Self-Reliance is obedience to the over-soul. It is actually God-Reliance. Emerson felt that man must surrender himself fully to the commands to the over-soul and act in accordance with the instincts and intuition of his soul.
         Emersonâs individualism is not dogmatism; for it simply means obedience to a higher law than the laws of society. It simply means that each should be true to his individual self, he will be guided and controlled by the over-soul and no law known to society.
         A self-reliant man is self-sufficient. He expresses different views on different occasions. He is therefore inconsistent but he is not ashamed of his inconsistency, rather in his case it is a virtue. In short, a self-reliant man is both non-conformist and inconsistent. He is fearless and he follows his own intuition.
         Society controls our freedom of action and it demands consistency and conformity. Emerson says, âNothing is sacred but the integrity of your own mindâ. He wants men to be mentally free. He should not be an imitator. He again says, âNothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principlesâ.
         Quotes related to Individualism-
Dr. Seuss says, âBe who you are and say what you feel,          because those who mind donât matter and those who matters          donât mindâ.
         Emerson says, âDo not follow where the path may lead.          Go, instead where there is no path and leave a trail.â