Ignorance In Self-Reliance, By Ralph Emerson

In “Self-Reliance,” by Ralph Emerson, Ralph stated that “envy is ignorance” and that “imitation is suicide.” What Emerson is saying by “envy is ignorance” and “imitation is suicide” is that between humans, the only thing we do is compare ourselves to others, in any and all matters. We compare ourselves to who has the highest grade, who is richer, who has the better status, who has the most power, who has the best family background, who is the smartest, or who is the strongest. Due to these comparisons, people convey what they do not have, and they will fail to realize what they do have, hence the ignorance part. People have to be themselves and should not wish to be like other people because you must create your own path to succeed.

Along that path, the only person you should rely on is just yourself. You cannot rely on your parents to continue to support you, you cannot rely on you friends to provide help, and you cannot rely on society to pave your path and guide you along the

To conform is to obey the rules, guidelines, or opinion of another person or a group due to their influence, power and pressure. An example of people conforming is the Spanish Inquisition. The Spanish Inquisition started in 1478 by King Ferdinand the Second and Queen Isabella and its purpose was to convert, evict, and kill all of the monarchs’ Jewish subject. Thousands of Jews were forced to conform to the monarchs’ edict in order to survive the inquisition. Another example is that during the Ming dynasty in China, many peasants were conforming to a new lifestyle of studies being the top priority for the family’s children. This was due to the civil exams, which had become even more intense after the expulsion of the Mongols, offered a raise in status. In fact, the exam was held every three years, lasted for at least three days, and always under the constant surveillance of official