Self-Compliance In The Works Of Socrates And Emerson

In their work on self-reliance, Socrates and Emerson similarly reference this idea and how standing up for one’s own beliefs will impact others. Socrates’ charges brought against him by accusers such as Meletus and Anytus are punishable by death, though he defends his lifestyle instead of his life. He refuses to surrender his original ideas and defends philosophy without changing his views even with the impending death sentence. In the same way, Emerson’s theme of self-reliance dictates that everyone should combat conformity. Likewise, my mother always taught me that believing in yourself is key to being independent and unique. Although many people assert that they rely on themselves, I claim that Socrates’ and Emerson’s beliefs about self-reliance are significant because believing in oneself and standing up for what is right can provoke thought and change. After being habitually imitated and misunderstood, Socrates proclaims that various people dispute him based on his ideas and how he expresses himself. In Socrates’ view,
There is another thing:-young men...often imitate
It may appear petty, but if this remains, accusations would fly around, none of which would be true. This is crucial because it goes with the argument that Emerson claims self-reliance is the cure. For example, during the Salem Witch Trials, people went around claiming that women were witches without any evidence or clear basis. The accusers, brainwashed into thinking they were correct, contributed to hundreds of deaths which could have been prevented if people thought for themselves. Likewise, Emerson also brings up this idea of imitation and how it is essentially plagiarism because they steal others’ thoughts and think of them as their own. Socrates and Emerson both imply that people are not relying on themselves for their own opinions, but they copy and paste others’ opinions and naively value