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"We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor."
- Henry David Thoreau

This image connects to the quote's idea of elevating his life by the conscious endeavor, for he is elevating his being through meditation.

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"I saw the fences half consumed, their ends lost in the middle of the prairie, and some worldly miser with a surveyor looking after his bounds, while heaven had taken place around him, and he did not see the angels going to and fro, but was looking for an old post-hole in the midst of paradise."
-Henry David Thoreau

This picture depicts a situation similar to the quote, with the beauty of nature being juxtaposed with the fence, symbolizing humans being trapped in society, unable to break free.

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"In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrows. Nature says, — he is my creature, and maugre all his impertinent griefs, he shall be glad with me. Not the sun or the summer alone, but every hour and season yields its tribute of delight; for every hour and change corresponds to and authorizes a different state of the mind, from breathless noon to grimmest midnight."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

This image exemplifies the quote's description of beauty as forever changing yet always with meaning, thus prompting individuals to search for that meaning.

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"The world thus exists to the soul to satisfy the desire of beauty. This element I call an ultimate end. No reason can be asked or given why the soul seeks beauty. Beauty, in its largest and profoundest sense, is one expression for the universe. God is the all-fair. Truth, and goodness, and beauty, are but different faces of the same All. But beauty in nature is not ultimate. It is the herald of inward and eternal beauty, and is not alone a solid and satisfactory good. It must stand as a part, and not as yet the last or highest expression of the final cause of Nature."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

This picture is an image of a lake that truly encapsulates the beauty of nature, which will prompt one to reflect upon their own inner beauty and work to elevate it.

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"Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist. He who would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness. Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

This picture exemplifies the quote's ideas of self-reliance, for the man who accomplishes this great feat of pushing a boulder can only rely on himself for guidance and strength.

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This poem connects to transcendentalism's tenets of rejecting traditional establishment and seeking truth. Walt Whitman in this poem questions his existence among the human race, wondering what his purpose is in life, with "cities fill'd with the foolish." He then goes on to answer this question, saying that humans exist to "contribute a verse" to the ever moving cog of life, thus showing his desire to seek out the truth and follow his own path towards greatness.

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Carpe Diem is Latin for "Seize the Day" and was said by the English teacher John Keating, conveying the transcendentalist tenets of individualism and the search for truth.

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I want my verse to this song of life to be to program artificial intelligence that can help automate and solve many of society’s problems. AI is becoming more and more advanced every day and is used to automate many menial tasks that used to be performed by humans. And soon, AI will be able to solve many difficult tasks that would be difficult for humans to solve themselves. AI will be able to solve problems such as overpopulation spread of disease, energy use, wildlife degradation, and even poverty. This idea of AI helping the world sounds very incredible to me and has inspired me to pursue a career in machine learning.

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Life and its intertwining fields of emotions and sensations

Such ideals are all a part of the divine’s many creations

A simpler life stemming from acceptance of the good of man

All propagating from the divines all empowering plan

I was born in a castle locked away from the truth

But I have been introduced to the light

I have been taught to fight

Influenced to do what’s right

And in life avoid spite

Culminating into my separating from society and walls

But now I have left these walls behind

To venture forth alone through space and time

My mind is my compass surely leading me to greatness.

No longer can I heed the thoughts of the faithless.

If ever feel lost, I stare at the sky

How could I be lost in this grand paradise?

And just to think I believed society’s lies.

When I stare up at the stars, with a twinkle in my eye.

I am reminded that I am alive

I am alive.

This photo of a man climbing over this wall symbolizes an individual breaking out from society's constraints, and transcending into a higher being.

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"Come As You Are" by Nirvana encapsulates the transcendentalist tenets of individualism and rejection of the traditional establishment.

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Nirvana - Come As You Are (Official Music Video)

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This post encapsulates the transcendentalist tenets of returning to nature and simplicity.

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This creek helped me realize the relentless continuance of life, prompting me to pursue my passions before my time runs out.

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On this drive I recognized the beauty of the earth, prompting me to explore and elevate my inner beauty.

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On this hike I experienced a return to nature and simplicity, furthering my path towards transcendence.

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This is an image of popular culture, which prohibits people from expressing individuality and simplicity which are core tenets of transcendentalism.

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Transcendentalism encourages people to embrace nature so that they will gain independence and simplicity in their lives, thus allowing them to contribute more uniqueness and creativity to society.

“Nature” asserts that to appreciate nature, one must learn to have a “spirit of infancy even into the era of manhood”
-Emerson

"Living much out of doors, in the sun and wind, will no doubt produce a certain roughness of character—will cause a thicker cuticle to grow over some of the finer qualities of our nature"
-Thoreau

“the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”
-Emerson

“Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine.”
-Thoreau

“He who would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness.”
-Emerson

“Yet such as these even are commonly esteemed good citizens. Others- as most legislators, politicians, lawyers, ministers, and office-holders- serve the state chiefly with their heads; and, as they rarely make any moral distinctions, they are as likely to serve the devil, without intending it, as God”
-Thoreau

This image is a photograph of Henry David Thoreau, an American Naturalist, and staunch supporter of transcendentalism.