During the 19th century, led by Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and other talented writers, the idea of Transcendentalism exploded in America. The founders of transcendentalism encourage people to go into nature and discover the good found inside nature. Due to the encouragement of going into nature and live self-reliant, Americans started to live independently. Nature served as the counselor of Americans, and it teaches them lessons. Those who learned the lessons evaluated into another dimension and contributed to the society. But how did nature teach American?
The might of nature is beyond description, “Nature is full of genius, full of divinity, so that not a snowflake escapes its fashioning hand.” Nature is formidable which it can act as a good guide for all people if we have the determination to accept its coaching. Through living a simple life in the wilding alone for days, it is possible to gain feedback from nature. Nature can a be the good instructor that provoked us of thinking these meaningful life truths that we will need of step by step. The fickle of nature teaches us the importance of adaptability instincts. The miracle inside nature compels us to believe that everything live, even us, live and server for a purpose. The power of nature taught people can not control everything. The consequence happens to those who do not bend before nature teaches us to be flexible. The fortuitous meeting in nature instructed us to be on our own. The surviving inside nature forces us to make our own decisions and take the aftermath alone teaches us to be self-reliant or we face death. When “thinking of our life in nature”, we will also be pondering on questions such as “who are we! Where are we! “ By following the steps given by nature, all humans learn skills like how to be self-independent. These skills are important for both independent and social.
On one hand, if we are not an independent thinker, instead, we are only a hard-working people, then “ it is not enough to be industrious; so are the ants. What are you industrious about? “We humans will have no difference from ants or any other animals who just work hard.” This will make us being just like the other unintellectual species, and we will not be standing out from them. On the other hand, those being an independent thinker will be able to “ hear beyond the range of sound, see beyond the range of sight.” They are able to understand the surface of all things as all the others do, but also, their independent thinking granted them the methods to penetrate deeply from the appearance into the core of many things. Furthermore, independent thinking can help one to penetrate and smash the idea of inherent the badness of people and fatalism of Calvinism. Thus becoming passionate and an expert to express oneself. The ability of independent thinking can be acquired through both living in nature and meditatively searching one’s soul. But, most importantly, it is significant to believe in that people is the dominator of their own.
Society also demands independent thinkers, “ The fate of the country does not depend on how you vote at the polls— the worst man is as strong as the best at that game; it does not depend on what kind of paper you drop into the ballot box once a year, but on what kind of man you drop from your chamber into the street every morning. “ The actions that all humans act on the public and private space will be accumulated and decides the country’s fate. Thus it is necessary for all of us to be and act like self-reliant in order for the better destiny of our country. Moreover, “ The law will never make men free; it is men who have got to make the law free”, we have to strive for better content insides the law. However, if “a fool gets to make a law, every other fool will mind it”, this will tear apart the society instead of uniting it. Therefore, a society full of independent thinkers can avoid the aforementioned situation instead, they will despise on authority and traditions, but depending on their own experience to construct the society. Once every individual in society is solid, strong, and independent, it is certain the society will become an ethical perfect utopian.
In conclusion, the limitation of focus inside nature simplify ones’ life and enable people to go into deeper discovery of everything thus receiving the most experience and gain out of it. This process of nature breeds independent thinker that can contribute to society.
