Emerson

[poliphilo]

The big writers of the early 20th century fell into step behind a range of ideologies- Fascism, Communism, Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism- and they hated Emerson for telling them- when they were nowt but wee lads- that they should think for themselves.   My grand-dad was an Emersonian- which could be why it's taken me so long to come round to him- or up to his level. I was reading him aloud to Ailz yesterday, because those sentences ring like bronze and ask to be spoken and she asked why if received opinions are such bad things we should pay any mind to Emerson's?- And I couldn't think of an answer.

Comments

[theperfectfool.livejournal.com]

"if received opinions are such bad things we should pay any mind to Emerson's?"

Emerson would, I think, appreciate this thought.

I had to read Emerson back in high school as a 16 year old, but no one is prepared to understand him at that age. I think one needs to have lived a while longer and to have encountered a wide range of "true believers" of as many different schools as possible. Only then do the Emersonian arguments have their deepest and most effective resonance.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I agree.

I'm in my 60s and only now properly equipped to understand what he's saying.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Listening to someone's arguments about WHY a thing is or should be isn't the same as simply accepting that it's so because they said so.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I wish I'd thought of that :)

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Well, you shouldn't take MY word for it.

[artkouros.livejournal.com]

lol - The Buddha said it best, "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." I'm imagine this is what Emerson meant.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Emerson seems very close to Eastern thought.

I've just finished his essay on "Compensation". Although he doesn't use the word, it's the best account of karma I've ever read.