That's a good idea Platt, let's ignore the actual words used here and
inject our own favourite quote.
[Platt said]
> >From Emerson comes my favorite quote: "To be yourself in a world that is
> >constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."
>
> So much for the value of "collective consciousness."
>
In that sense Platt, you are the embodiment of your own interpretation
of that one Emerson quote. Roughly - "Ignore everyone else, ignorance
is bliss".
Great quote, lousy intepretation.
Whereas in fact Arlo points out Emerson also said
"The continual effort to raise himself above himself, to work a pitch
above his last
height, betrays itself in a man's relations. . .. A man's growth is
seen in the successive choirs of his mends. For every mend whom he
loses for truth, he gains a better" ("Circles" 299).
As Arlo summarised
"I think Emerson does provide us with a vision of personal renewal
that recognizes the innate complexity of the relationship between
self-realization and democratic life."
It's the "relations" between the individual and the collective. In
fact it was this chapter that prompted the exchange with Granger I
posted on here a couple of weeks ago, asking about views on Emerson.
Hope others are prompted to read him.
Ian
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