Who Is Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self-Reliance?

In today’s society, it is very easy to allow ourselves to conform to the expectations and thoughts of the people we look up to or spend our time with. However, in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay, “Self-Reliance,” he goes into great detail about his belief that it is very important for people to formulate their opinions according to their own minds, rather than with the influence of those around them. This concept is one that is hard for us to comprehend because, of course, everything we know has been told to us in one way or another by someone else. Therefore, every opinion we have has been influenced by those same people, right? To an extent, yes, but as Emerson discusses in his essay, while we may gain our basic sets of information from others,
In my case, one of the biggest of these moments was when I began to hear more and more about the topic of homosexuality. I knew what it was and I knew that it was an issue in our country because these people were denied certain rights, such as marriage, but at the time, I did not truly understand that there were people who believed that homosexuals were “bad people.” However, at a certain point, I began to realize that my parents, due to their age and their upbringings, were not completely comfortable with the idea of homosexuality and gay marriage. I then began to learn that the religion of Christianity, the religion I had spent my entire life living by, also saw homosexuality as a negative thing. However, despite my background and the beliefs of those around me, I have adhered to Emerson’s belief that we should not let those around us alter our opinions, and have allowed myself to decide on my own that I support
A very important part of my life is my relationship with God, and because of this many are surprised to hear my supportive stance on the issue of gay marriage. Much like the way conversation on the topic tends to go with my parents, I often feel unwilling or even sometimes genuinely unable to speak my mind around others at my church simply because so many other Christians feel very strongly against homosexuality. It can sometimes be hard to know that something you believe in so strongly offends so many people around you. However, as Emerson states in his essay: “it is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude” (p. 71). These words express my feelings on the matter perfectly because I often struggle to hold to my opinion on gay equality when I am with those who feel negatively towards it. At the same time, I completely agree with Emerson’s words because I think it is extremely important to stand up for what you believe in, whether the people surrounding you agree or not. Much like the situation with my parents, even though my entire life has been built on my pastor and others at my church occasionally telling me that they believe homosexuality is a sin and that God frowns upon it, I have still made my own decision