Comparing Individualism In Henry David Thoreau And Ralph Waldo Emerson

A common question asked various times is what is more important: my own ideas or those imposed by society? The idea of individualism in literature became a trend during the age of Enlightenment of 1685-1815. A similar trend emerged in the United States, it was referred to as the Transcendentalist movement. Two main writers of this movement that encouraged the self over society were: Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. In his essay arguing the importance of self-reliance, Emerson makes encourages the individual. Individuality is more important than conforming to society’s expectations as seen through the historical examples of Nelson Mandela and women abolitionists, but at times you have to follow certain expectations mandated by society

Laws can be considered preventative or retributory. It is important to follow laws, although you may disagree with many of them since these are in place for necessary reasons. The idea of placing your beliefs in front of those of society is true in the majority of cases. However, when concerning safety it is more desirable option to follow what is mandated by society. Most countries have laws that prohibit driving under the influence of alcohol. Societies place these laws to prevent accidents that would harm the driver and the victim itself. Governments place punishments if you are caught going against this law. Gun laws in the United States is a controversial issue since there have been many incidents concerning weapons, however this right is protected by the Constitution in the 2nd Amendment. Due to the increased number of shootings, the United States is becoming stricter with these laws. The new policies that are implemented by the United States have received criticism from their citizens. However, citizens should try and grasp why these laws were placed and respect them so that they can be safer. Laws are complicated because people are always trying to find ways to avoid them, “Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.” Greek philosopher Plato made the observation. Most of the people that go against laws are criminals and they receive punishment that is appropriate to their