Self-Reliance

Emerson's Self-Reliance explores the many facets of a man's capacity to rely on himself for survival from the spiritual to the material. This 19th-century article steadfastly affirms Emerson's lifetime commitment to individualism and exhorts people to follow their instincts and intuition rather than adhere to convention and false consistency. Emerson contends that self-reliance is a starting point for a more effective society not an aim in itself rather than advocating anti-society ideals.