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1. What is the most important lesson we can learn about individualism from Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”? Find at least one quote that supports your claim. Explain your reasoning.

2. What is the most important lesson we can learn about nature from Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”? Find at least one quote that supports your claim. Explain your reasoning.

3. What is the most important lesson we can learn about passive resistance of institutions from Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”? Find at least one quote that supports your claim. Explain your reasoning.

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"What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think... It is the harder, because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better  than you know it; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness  the independence of solitude. " (Emerson, paragraph 9).

Emerson is saying that I need to worry about what I think, not what others think of me. Emerson also acknowledges that it is a tricky and difficult task. This is because there will always be people who will tell you what to do and how to do it. You should live your life the way that you want to live it. This quote connects to nonconformity because Emerson goes on to explain that the person who can think independently in a large crowd and not be influenced by others.

"It's My Life" by Bon Jovi is an awesome example of what this quote means, and how it connects back to nonconformity. Bon Jovi sings "I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd/ You're gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud..." which is a great way to say that the singer isn't going to conform to the crowd, because he is going to use his voice. Throughout the song, the singer creates anxiety by telling the listener that "It's my life, it's now or never/ I ain't gonna live forever/ I just want to live while I'm alive" which is reiterating the fact that it's important to be who you are while you can. Not conforming to what others expect of you is part of the keys to happiness. The lyrics also acknowledge that the road to that happiness is hard, but if you don't conform you can create opportunities for yourself.

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"Do not think the youth has no force, because he cannot speak to you and me. Hark! in  the next room his voice is sufficiently clear and emphatic. It seems he knows how to speak to his  contemporaries. Bashful or bold, then, he will know how to make us seniors very unnecessary." (Emerson, paragraph 4)

Emerson is saying don't think people who are young don't have strength because he is not allowed in adult conversations. Young people can communicate effectively and are more caring that the older generations. Whether the youth reluctantly or excitedly replace us, they will have ideas that make ours outdated. You need to think freely, because you have the ability to see things that others before you haven't. The young have the ability to speak the truth whether it's nice or not. The entire purpose of free thought is to express opinions and not care what other people think.

Greta Thunberg is a great example of this tenant and this quote. Thunberg started when she was 15 years old speaking out against climate change. Everyone has their own thoughts and comments on the matter, but when she was 15 she skipped school sparking protests across Sweden. She even attracted the attention of a lot of critics. Thunberg was extremely young when she started experiencing massive backlash on social media in response to her protests. Although it was probably really hard, Thunberg was able to stand her ground for what she cares for.

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"Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood." (Emerson, paragraph 14)

Emerson makes the claim that there have been many people in history that were not widely accepted in their time. Galileo made observations of the moon, Jupiter, and Venus that religious figures in his time didn't like. He was put on house arrest for speaking out about these topics. He continued to live his life only believing what he observed. In this quote, Emerson says "and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh." which he means that people who dedicate their lives to speaking the truth of the observations they see in the world are great. This shows us self-reliance in relying on your own knowledge and what you know and understand the world to be.

Squidward is the perfect fictional character to take a look at with this tenant. As a child, he looks like a Debbie-Downer. Squidward is constantly taking digs at Spongebob for seemingly no reason. Squidward is always so angry as a character, but as you grow you realize he has a right to be. Spongebob stole Squidward's home and destroyed it, Spongebob and Patrick put him in a full body cast, and generally just ruined Squidward's inner peace. Maybe we didn't understand why Squidward was so mean to Spongebob as kids, but we can definitely relate to it now.

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"Nature suffers nothing to remain in her kingdoms which cannot help itself." (Emerson, paragraph 27)

Where do you see that today? Explain how it connects to your quote.

This quote shows us that Nature is important, because we need to be able to help ourselves to survive. This quote is essentially saying survival of the fittest. It's important to respect the earth to help ourselves survive as well. If we aren't able to fend for ourselves, why should we be able to survive?

Where do you see this tenant in movies, tv shows, sports storylines, youtubers, ect? How does it connect back to the tenant?

I picked Disney's Wall-E because it shows a dystopian future where humans are at the point where they can't walk. A robot captain has taken over and knocked every human out of their chairs so they can't stop him. Their only hope is the captain being able to stand on his own. The humans win, and go back to save a junk covered earth with a plant. If the captain hadn't been able to help himself, they never would have been able to walk again. The humans helped themselves, which is a perfect example of how we need to help ourselves by taking a walk or being in nature.

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"The other terror that scares us from self-trust is our consistency; a reverence for our past act or  word, because the eyes of others have no other data for computing our orbit than our past acts, and  we are loath to disappoint them." (Emerson, paragraph 12)

People have a hard time trusting in themselves because society is rooted in tradition. When we meet someone new, we tend to conform to traditions and societal niceties. Humans feel others will judge them based on what they already know about the world, so they tend to conform to not offend anyone. Emerson is saying be confident in who you are, even if you are worried about disappointing society. You should do this because people already have ideas about who you are, so you can only shatter their expectations.

Elle Woods in Legally Blonde is a perfect example of self confidence and believing that you can do anything. Throughout the attached scene, Elle Woods, a young law student, is put in a position where she becomes her client's lawyer. She has never tried a Jury case before, and this is her first real court case she has seen. Although the audience, jury, and prosecuting team ridicule her, Elle persists through her questioning. She slowly gains confidence in herself, even though everyone around her is underestimating her. Elle does not give up until she gains her thought process and is able to convict the criminal. Elle is discredited by professors, the judge, and the audience numerous times in this film even though she is the one who notices all the clues to solve the case.

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Legally Blonde (2001) - Elle Wins! Scene  (11/11) | Movieclips