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One of the main concerns transcendentalists had in regards to society was the invasion of technology into the lives of its citizens. They warned that technology would incorporate itself into the very fabric of society. Unfortunately, they may have been correct about that point. As this picture demonstrates, all too often American families sit at the same table, together, ignoring each other while they are engrossed in their electronic devices.

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My bed and room are cluttered and full of items that are not needed. If minimalists like Thoreau were still alive, I'm sure they would object to the myriad electronic gadgets and apparent useless devices in my room. A transcendental fanatic might even consider obliterating the room.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-GMvnwMkmQ
The character in this film is a modern day transcendentalist who enjoys living away from society and at one with nature. She has learned to identify plants, animals and rocks that are beneficial to her in her pilgrimage to find divinity. Harmony with her surroundings is her primary goal in keeping with transcendentalist thought.

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"The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right."
- Thoreau

Thoreau demonstrates his transcendental view of self-reliance by him being the sole deciding factor in the course for his own life.  Not only does he believe that he should follow his own instincts, but he also feels that it is his inherent right to do so.

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"Self-trust is the first secret of success."
- Emerson

According to Emerson, for people to be successful, they need to hone in on their unique abilities and strengths.  Once that is known, people can trust in themselves, knowing they will succeed.  Self-trust and self-confidence are critical to ones betterment in life.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
- Emerson

Emerson believes that people should create their own future and that you should not take a path that anyone else had already taken. All people should seek to improve themselves by blazing their own trails. Society should be what determines a person's path in life; instead individuals should strive to leave a better way for others.

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“I swear the earth shall surely be complete to him or her who shall be complete,
The earth remains jagged and broken only to him or her who remains jagged and broken.”
―  Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman believes, like many transcendentalists, that to become complete, and whole, is to become one with nature. Anyone who does not do so is broken and lacks the ability to see the true beauty of the world.

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Les Stroud is the producer, camera man and director of his TV show Survivorman. He delights to explore the wild and challenges himself to survive by sucking the marrow out of life and taking advantage of every situation nature presents.  He enjoys being alone in nature - and with nature - and his harmonica.

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"It's My Life"
— Bon Jovi
It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive

In "It's My Life," John Bon Jovi sngs about how he will not let society dictate what he must do any longer. He is going to live how he desires, establishing his own rules, making every second count. He doesn't want to go through the same motions as everyone else in society who seems to be shackled to mindless rules and droning procedures. Instead, he will set himself free and do what he wants, when he wants.

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Bon Jovi - It's My Life (Official Music Video)

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“What a Wonderful World”
- Louis  Armstrong
I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world

“What a Wonderful World,” sung by Louis Armstrong, is one of the most well-known songs about the beauty of nature. It reminds everyone of the peaceful, tranquil character of nature. This song reminds us that once in a while it's good to take time to just experience nature as the transcendentalists did. The beauty of the wilderness often lures people away from society in an effort to go off the grid. Louis Armstrong's song lends itself to transcendentalist thought..

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Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World (Lyrics)

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All true transcendentalists despised chains of any kind, including slavery. They spent most of their lives trying to break free of social chains. They spoke against slavery because of the grotesque living conditions slaves had to endure. They wanted freedom for many people similar to the ones in in this picture. Emerson's essay, "Civil Disobedience" created the environment for individuals to speak out against social prejudices and the injustices that assimilate into people's views of right and wrong.

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"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay"
- Otis Redding

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watchin' the tide, roll away
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time

Otis Redding sang "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay", a song about being alone watching everything that is happening around him. He is watching nature progress through the tide as it recedes. Becoming complacent like Henry Thoreau, he simply wastes his time watching it happen. According to the lyrics, he believes simply sitting and watching is truly where he should be, not helping anyone else but himself.

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Otis Redding - (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay (Official Music Video)

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https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/famed-walden-pond-which-inspired-henry-david-thoreau-being-killed-n863381
Society has corrupted the safe haven of Thoreau's Walden Pond. The article describes a setting in which people come to this once tranquil pond and urinate in it.  The government is angry and distressed at this apparent rude behavior. However, I believe that Thoreau would be somewhat proud of the people because no mater how you  look at this situation, they are in fact in nature, listening to nature and following their instincts by answering nature's call without judgment.

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This box expresses depression because of how alone the Amazon cube appears. This is how society sees people who are lonely. Thoreau and Emerson would not agree with that assessment because they believe that individuals could only be truly free and happy when they were alone. Others only created distractions and changes to the environment.

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Walt Whitman is a well-known transcendentalist who believes in self-reliance. He wants to use his poem ‘Song of Myself’ to foster uniqueness and individuality by encouraging people to forge their own paths. Whitman uses repetition of words and phrases to convey that loneliness is really bliss. According to Whitman, humans should acknowledge their strengths and make efforts to improve them.
https://interestingliterature.com/2018/11/06/song-of-myself-a-poem-by-walt-whitman/

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https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/technology/07brain.html
Thoreau and Emerson would be disappointed in people today if they read this article. They believed that technology would destroy society, and people would not be able to do much on their own. This article proves their suspicions that people today are glued to their smart phones, unable to even use the bathroom without texting.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elrTpoY6AYQ&list=PL6tbjWrYSpvH_Z7lC2CRrdmsSkbr72V7d&index=3
Thoreau believes that there are ways to fix an unjust society and its laws. In his essay "Civil Disobedience," he explained that it is commendable to fight against society rules which limit freedom. Citizens should dedicate their lives to defend the defenseless from the prejudices of others. For example, MLK fought and won against many white supremacists and won because he openly defied the racist culture.