Transcendentalism And Its Impact On Society - 2407 Words

Margaret Fuller once said, â€Å"Men for the sake of getting a living forget to live.† In today’s society, a strong emphasis on material wealth exists, while the importance of happiness is underrated. America as a whole is twice as wealthy as it was fifty years ago, while the overall level of happiness has remained stagnant (Belic). Point in case, society must remove this focus on wealth, which is causing many to lead unfulfilled lives of quiet desperation. One can achieve a life of contentment by applying the ideology of Transcendentalism. Concepts of Transcendentalism, such as nonconformity, immersing oneself in nature, and spirituality, can guide an individual to self-fulfillment. Because of the prevalence of quiet desperation in industrialized societies, Transcendentalism is a much needed movement. In the early nineteenth century, the Transcendentalist movement blossomed. Centered on Ralph Waldo Emerson, the movement was essentially a critique of what their society had become. Through the industrial revolution, society moved its focus to industries, material possessions and profit, ultimately distancing itself from nature. Transcendentalists believed society was too quick to conform, and individuals did not think as individuals. Transcendentalism encouraged people to find â€Å"an original relation to the universe.† (Emerson 3), or their purpose in life, particularly through nature. With the intention of finding a sense of belonging, Transcendentalists Henry David Thoreau andShow MoreRelatedTranscendentalism And Its Impact On Society1311 Words   |  6 Pagesmore into the world of Transcendentalism. He was a husband a father and a teacher who created a wave through America that still has rippling effects today. Much more came out of this movement including his effect th at he had on his daughter who herself spread transcendental ideas through her writings. This man was Amos Bronson Alcott, and he was a reformer of society looking to abide by Transcendental beliefs. Alcott played one of the biggest roles in causing Transcendentalism to be still present todayRead MoreTranscendentalism And Its Impact On Society964 Words   |  4 PagesTranscendentalism began around 1836 in New England. The transcendentalist believed that society and its organized institutions were corrupting the purity of individuals. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was a famous transcendentalist that wrote â€Å"Where I Lived, and What I Lived For†. In this literature Thoreau argues that people need to simplify their lives and enjoy it. Transcendentalism played a big role back then and is a big deal even today as is it still relevant in our time period. In the literatureRead MoreTranscendentalism And Its Impact On Society1491 Words   |  6 PagesTranscendentalism can be seen in many ways, as a good thing or as a silent protest to the many things in society that thinkers found that conflicted with their identified ideology. The transcendentalists basically had this triangle where the basics of their beliefs were outlined, starting off with God at the top, the man in the left corner, and finally nature in the right corner, these could very well be the cornerstones of the transcendental belief system that they have in place. There were manyRead MoreTranscendentalism: The Basis of Morality Essay examples923 Words   |  4 Pages Although not looked upon as a widely popular topic in the 21st century, transcendentalism has played a role in everyones life. Action of the tenets and values of transcendentalist people vary. Religious traditions from each generation amplify the movement along with the social and political activity. Transcendentalist believe in the natural man. One who is self-reliant, uncorrupted and one with nature. God is in everything but nothing in particular. ...that great nature in which we rest Read MoreModern Youth Transcendentalism864 Words   |  3 Pages When the original founders of the transcendentalism wrote about their experiences, they had no idea what they would trigger. Thousands of American citizens would end up following their writings and findings looking for a better life and future. They inspired a multitude of individuals to be more than themselves and observe their surroundings. Throughout modern American society, the majority of youths attempt to follow a transcendental path in their everyday lives; however they find it difficultRead MoreThe Influence Of Calvinist Ideas On The Early Nineteenth Century900 Words   |  4 Pageson promise, the idea that an individual can self determine his or her own salvation and Calvinism prohibits individual moral growth. A new movement arose, beginning as a new church reform, the transcendentalism movement encouraged imagination and feeling, something that was new to man. Transcendentalism gave a new perspective to a different way of life, with a focus on self for the nineteenth cen tury. In the early nineteenth century a new movement emerged in America, this movement was howeverRead MoreComparing Romanticism And Transcendentalism902 Words   |  4 PagesTranscendentalism which means beyond thinking is philosophy and literature, belief higher reality that found in sense experience, it has a big impact from Romanticism and has a lot of similarity with The Romanticism that is one of the dominant styles of literature. The Transcendentalists place an emphasis on imagination, insight, and inspiration mainly because of the Romanticism Emphasis on intuition, imagination, and feelings. Authors changed and improved it into the Transcendentalism. TranscendentalismRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s The Masque Of The Red Death1300 Words   |  6 Pages The Anti-Transcendentalism movement was a time period in which some aspects of society were discontent with their way of life. This was an outbreak of various works of art, concerning the unjust society. This movement took action during the mid-eighteen hundreds in which Poe wrote his short story, Masque of the Red Death According to Edgar Allan Poe in his short story, â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† â€Å"No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous.† Even though plagues had been common throughoutRead MoreEssay on Bartleby the Scrivener1515 Words   |  7 Pagesresistance Bartleby exhibits traps him physically and psychologically by surrounding him with â€Å"walls† the narrator symbolically describes numerous times. The idea of transcendentalism arises from Bartleby’s civil disobedience. The notion of transcendentalism is expressed by Bartleby when he refuses to work and spreads the ideals of transcendentalism, yet he does not succeed in break ing free of society’s chains, instead he dies trying. In Melville’s story the use of repetition, symbolism, and imagery proveRead MoreThe Philosophy of Transcendentalism Essay1292 Words   |  6 Pages Transcendentalism was a philosophy that became influential during the 1800s. It was based on the belief that knowledge is not limited to and solely derived from experience and observation but from the truths seem through reason. In the United Sates, transcendentalism became both a philosophy and a literary, religious, and social movement. Emphasis was placed mainly on oneness with nature and God while making the possibility of social change a reality. Ralph Waldo Emerson was the leading American