Comparing Individualism In Civil Disobedience And Henry David Thoreau's

Philosophers are those who shape the minds of society, which is why there is no doubt that two of the greatest thinkers are still relevant in today's world. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau came up with a philosophy known as Transcendentalism. This states that if people accept their flaws and differences and aren't afraid to stand out from society, then they resemble greatness. As demonstrated in their writings, Walden and Civil Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau, and Self-Reliance, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, both of these writers emphasize the importance of individualism, intuition, and nonconformity. The ideas that these two men addressed are still constantly being adapted in real life situations all over the world today, even though

In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau expressed his own views on the government and how he feels about it when he says, “That government is best which governs least.” This quote expresses how some people today feel about government due to new presidential elections. Both republicans and democrats have had mixed feelings about Donald Trump for both the good and bad. Like Thoreau believed that government places too many restrictions on society, and that government isn't suitable for the power that they are given, so are some anti Donald trump activists. Recently, there have been many riots or civil rights movements, such as the women's march, that have been protesting against Trump and the way that he treats and talks about women. Many women spoke out and expressed their individual opinions just as Thoreau did about government and the restrictions he feels government has on society. They are showing non conformity because each woman is standing out from the rest of society who doesn't have the same views as them. These women aren't ashamed of themselves or what they are doing because they're so proud of what they believe in and what they stand for. Women also believe that because of certain laws that are part of government, that they can't accomplish everything they set their minds to because they feel like they are limited in certain areas of life. Thoreau expressed similar views by saying, "People has done all that has been accomplished and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had not sometimes gone in its way." This quote expresses similar views from both Thoreau and his perspective on government, as well as the women from present day who are using Thoreau's writings and relating to them. Other than Civil Disobedience, Thoreau also wrote, Walden which is an essay that describes the connection that he made