Emerson's Influence On Society

In Emerson's essay Self-Reliance, he argues that people trust their own intuitions instead of depending on society to dictate their lives. His argument is impractical because today people change with impacts on their lives, some under the influence of what society is putting into their minds. People follow what they think is “popular” or that they think would be acceptable in general. According to Tastes, Castes and Culture: the Influence of Society on Preferences by Ernst Fehr and Karla Hoff, “changes in behaviour are explained exclusively in terms of changes in the set of feasible alternatives”. There are lots of ways one can change themselves, meaning there are many alternatives to just one way. They will change their behavior as a result …show more content…
The Article PERSONAL FREEDOM AND THE DICTATES OF SOCIETY by Jeff Bouchard points out that “While we are developing as individuals, we are also unconsciously developing personal locations with the framework of society.”. We teach our younger generations that they can be their own individuals and live for themselves. Along the years they are not only living their own lives, but they are also being dictated by society all at the same time. They are told they need to do this to do that and this to qualify to be this. These are all based on standards of society on how the average person lives their life. It is almost like being trapped in a world you cannot escape. The article PERSONAL FREEDOM AND THE DICTATES OF SOCIETY by Jeff Bouchard states that “Freedom results when one no longer agrees to blindly participate in the consciousness that society has prescribed for him”. A person is not free until they decide to stop following what society says, even if they do not notice that they are. Everyone is being dictated by society, one way or another. Whether they know they are or they do not. They cannot truly be free from the dictation until they learn to trust their instincts as an individual. Being free is to dictate one's own freedom instead of being …show more content…
When one goes to school or to their job, they are told they need to accomplish what they are currently in. Whether it may be, school, college, or even a place in a profession or job. Individuals are always being told they need to finish one thing to get the higher rank. This is all in the way of living we are told to live. It is all Societies chants, they chant into our ears so, then we start to feel there is no escape. Every member of our young generation is told they need to do excellent or average in school and go to college in order to have a decent life with roofs under their heads. The irony of the matter is that they do not need to have all this or do all this in order to live. One is not required to attend college or a university. The reason for this because there are many other alternatives. Many alternatives such as classes outside of college, even the entertainment industry. Many artists never finished school and are very successful today due to using the things they are good at to entertain. Freedom is an excellent and important concept. In order for one to be free of societies chants, they would need to be in a free state of mind. If one does not feel pressured by society, they will not follow in what society has to say. They will live following their own path in their own state of mind, feeling free. Any person can be more of an individual. They can also be free of thoughts of