On this planet, the physiology and psychology of men is universal, why not their ideologies? Nature created physical boundaries like mountains, oceans, plateaus etc. to divide human beings: we ourselves created mental boundaries like race, country, religion, region, caste, sect, language etc. for satisfying our own petty desires and vested interests.
It’s all our moral responsibility to disseminate knowledge and ideologies, no matter these discriminations of boundaries, for the welfare of mankind. Nowadays parents are overlooking the duty of moulding their children within craze of development and private space. They must not make their children the puppets of technology or the carbon copies of their role models. They must tend space to spot their inherent talents, refine them for creating their own brand and stand as role model to themselves. Teach “Reverence Thyself – Create Yourself” ideology to them as emphasized by R.W.Emerson, in his essay Self Reliance.
“The purpose of life is to grasp who you’re and where you’re going”, as per an anonymous quote. The young generation must realize this dictum and that they should dig themselves and extract their inner treasure to form their own destiny.
Self Reliance is an 1841 essay written by an American philosopher and author R.W.Emerson, which possesses an everlasting impact on youth, no matter time and place. It contains the foremost prominent statement of one of Emerson’s persistent themes: the necessity for every individual to avoid conformity and false consistency and follow his or her own instincts and concepts. Emerson wrote on individuality, personal responsibility and nonconformity, which are of relevance even today.
“Don’t be afraid to create” is Ralph Waldo Emerson’s life- changing advice on trusting your instincts.
Self Reliance, which is taken into account Emerson’s most influential piece of labour, makes its magic like an inspiring song that can influence an individual realize his or her own potential in creating his or her own brand.
In spite of everything, the world’s greatest thinkers and leaders have the courage to pay attention to their conscience and to follow their convictions, without limiting themselves excessively about the traditions and what others might think. At the time , he wrote this essay, he wasn’t yet considered as master of American literature. He was just a normal man. His ideologies hadn’t stood the test of your time. Yet he understood and preached widely on the importance of holding convictions about personal potential , so as to motivate young Americans of that period.
Every person possesses a reason to believe in his or her own ideas, he explains, because every one of the folks has a novel bent of mind, with which she or he is able to make miracles.
Self Reliance evinces us that the method of making our own brand leads to getting it’s own reward. We are able to feel relieved and happy in life , he says, only we pour out our hearts into our work and contribute our greatest. Anything less will give us no peace.
Emerson condemns that men don’t even try and establish their own opinion because they blindly believe the thoughts of the bulk or they conform to the need of the society because their opinion differs from the common beliefs. They do not have enough courage and self-confidence to specify their opinion since they’re afraid that other men could look down at them because they do not have the similar opinion. This turns them into only one, tiny, unimportant a part of billions of individuals, whose thoughts are basically equal, but precisely the aspect of being different from everybody else, being an individual, being special and having his own personality is what an individual’s being is all about and is important for having success.
His famous quotes are TRUST THYSELF and IMITATION IS LIKE SUICIDE. By these statements he wants to inform that at any point of time in life, every individual feels guilty of imitation and realizes the requirement of exploring, harnessing and establishing his or her own potential, which results in ultimate happiness.
One can find similar ideas with Swami Vivekananda, the noble monk of India. some of his statements are:
You can’t believe God until you think in yourself.
All the power is within you. You can do anything and everything.
Take up one idea, devote yourself to it, struggle on in patience, and the sun will rise for you.
Dalai Lama, the Buddhist monk quotes that “ With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.” The life and success of the scientist Stephen Hawking is an allegory for self-confidence.
All the successful and outstanding people within the world hear their inner voice and strongly believe their innate abilities. The whole progress within the world owes plenty to their contribution only.
Hence, it’s the duty of the young to explore their bestowed talents and devote these talents for the betterment of their lives and society, by creating their own brand.
Dr. K. Sarojadevi
Professor of English, Rise Krishna Sai Prakasam Group of Institutions, Ongole, A.P.
[email protected]
About the Author
The author of the poem is Dr. K. Sarojadevi, a Professor of English from Andhra Pradesh. Besides being a poet, she is a content writer, columnist, editor, translator, academician and research supervisor. She presented and published research papers at national and international conferences and journals. She authored two books entitled Ethical intimations in the select Inter-war American Fiction and Vocabulary for Verbal Ability. She is serving the Research India Foundation as an executive board member of Research India Resource Support Centre.
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