Non Conformist

2.5 Nonconformist Essay

Webster's Dictionary states that nonconformity is, "failure or refusal to conform, as with established customs, attitudes, or ideas." and a nonconformist is "a person who refuses to conform, as to established customs, attitudes, or ideas." The similarity in these two definitions or this idea of "not conforming" to society was the driving force behind the works of two 19th century authors, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Emerson and Thoreau, both wrote about nonconformity in their essays "Self-Reliance" and "Walden" respectively. In these essays the reader is forced to examine his life and ask questions like "Am I really happy living with society?" and make a choice about whether to change and create their own ideas like Emerson and Thoreau or continue conforming and not live life to the fullest.

One of the points both authors make is the serious problem of becoming a conformist and the problems that come with it. Emerson, in "Self-Reliance" states saying that one should "Trust thyself", and throughout their life find the place "divine providence has found for you." He then in the same lines elaborates and says that you have to follow life in the way that divine providence found for you, instead of falling prey to the thoughts and ideas of a "society of your contemporaries, the connection of events." (Emerson, 8-10) Thoreau in "Walden" talks about how he left society to find himself and his destiny in the woods, this is an example of the above quote from Emerson. Thoreau writes ". Instead of three meals a day, if it be necessary eat but one; instead of a hundred dishes, five; and reduce other things in proportion. . . .Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life? We are determined to be starved before we are hungry.", about life in modern society.(Thoreau, 61-66) Thoreau is stating that modern society is a fast moving and distracting place. Society distracts a man from what is really important, such as finding one's God given purpose, by throwing pointless unnecessary tasks such as eating three meals a day at him. The point that Emerson and Thoreau make is that conforming to modern society renders man's life nothing but a blur of choices and distractions, taking away from him his right to self happiness.

"Self-Reliance" and "Walden" show that by becoming detached from the pointless life society creates for us; a person can better himself or herself by simply having time to examine their life. One of the easiest ways to provide more time for reflection is provided in "Walden" where Thoreau states that the key is "simplicity, simplicity, simplicity." (Thoreau 53-54) Continuing with motif of simplicity Thoreau discusses people who choose to live by the "know" rather