Daniel Williams

Self-Reliance

As Emerson wrote in his Self-Reliance, He who would gather immortal palms must not
be hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness. He defiantly excuses
societys moral standards. While this may seem foolhardy, he is instead pointing out that
progress should not be halted by the status quo. Dangerous yet imperative, change requires
complete disregard for values held high today.
Literature grasps at this concept in many dystopian societies: Both Anthem and The Lord
of the Flies depict a world where its inhabitants themselves had to determine what was good.
Equality, the protagonist of Anthem was raised in a world without emotion, however he soon
defied the laws to pursue pleasure. This novel shows the situation of oppressive rules, though
The Lord of the Flies shows the situation of exactly different settings. That novel, in contrast,
emphasizes the desire of order in the midst of chaos. Although they may be different, they are
remarkably the same in the sense that both protagonists determine for themselves what should be
goodness.
History, like literature, is full of stories of glorious victory. Such victory did not exist
without friction between goals and the established beliefs. For example, open-heart surgery used
to be a guaranteed death sentence in the 20th century. Regardless of this fact, surgeons practiced
and operated on children with Tetralogy of Fallot, a surely fatal childhood heart defect. Greeted
only by resistance and doubt, these brave surgeons performed anyway and inadvertently invented
the practice of open-heart surgery. Likewise, Martin Luther conflicted Papal beliefs with his
own seminal Theses. He may have been excommunicated for his religious rebellion, but his
beliefs forever changed the Christian religion. History is vast and abounding in successes and
failures alike, yet it only has interests for those willing to change the game.
In my own experiences, I too realize that following moral standards and ill-fitted
instruction will not make one great. Everyone, regardless of background or experience, was born
and will live in search of self-fulfillment. We may disillusion ourselves with selfless acts, but in
truth we do these because of their effect on us not others. If one does not feel good for helping
others, then one will not help whatsoever. A great writer once said, I am here to help others,
what the others are here for I have no clue, and he was right. Society wants us to be charitable
for the sake of good nature, but without pleasure or fulfillment who is charitable?
The truth is blatantly clear to those willing to see it. Pleasure, advancement, and
fulfillment are all tied to an inner rebellion. Rebellion against the societal establishments is
inevitable. We are taught at a rather young age to be different, to be revolutionary. But how can
one be revolutionary without revolution against the very institutions that want us to be great?