Self-Reliance - Definition and Overview

Self-Reliance is an essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

In the essay he formulates his philosophy of self-reliance an essential part of which is to trust in one's present thoughts and impressions rather than those of other people or of one's past self. This culminates in the quote: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

He stresses originality, believing in one's own genius and living from within. From this springs the quote: "Envy is ignorance, imitation is suicide."

External links

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Self-Reliance

• Text of essay (http://www.emersoncentral.com/selfreliance.htm)