Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The American Scholar

"Each philosopher, each bard, each actor, has only done for me, as by a delegate, what one day I can do for myself."

In this quotation, Emerson points out that while you can read as many books and try to take in as much information as you possibly can, it cannot become tangible until you take from those ideas and truly make it your own. There is a tendency to abuse the power of a book through simply imitating everything it says, but by detaching from that dependency of mimicking, it allows the reader to gain a unique perspective on what they study by connecting it to their own experiences. He emphasizes that one must create and be active in their education to get a hold on forming their own beliefs and opinions otherwise you are not free.

1 comment:

  1. Good. E.g. authorities - - bards, actors, etc. - - don't rule over us but only supply us the means to the end, the means to greater self-knowledge or knowledge. Like that relationship with "Shakespearizers" he talks about.

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