-Ralph Waldo Emerson
I think this quote is very relevant in today's and will probably stay that way forever. It's one of those rare, timeless ideas (I know, cliché word choice, but it fit) that makes sense and people
can relate to in any time period. It is human nature to be uncomfortable with or unsure of oneself, and it is expected that people will hold back and only show the part of themselves that is
"socially acceptable" or "normal". People are conditioned to make sure they don't do anything that would make them stand out too much. If we don't take chances, we don't get consequences, good or bad. We as a society (for the most part, at least) are just not willing to take that risk.
This is rather sad, in my opinion.
I know I personally fall under the category of "guilty of not being true to myself" in some situations (but then again, who isn't?), but for the most part, I try my hardest to just be, well, me. I can't stand it when people are fake. There are a lot of people who completely change their personalities in different social situations, which is fine, as long as it's not just a forced facade worn for the purpose of being accepted. You could very well have certain parts of your personality relate to certain people more than others and shine through in those circumstances, for instance. If so, lovely. I just don't like it when people deliberately try to act a certain way in order to be accepted. What's the point in being accepted if it's not for who you truly are? Then you'd have to keep up the false act you originally introduced; it just seems like a waste of time and energy.
I think a big part of Emerson's Self-Reliance is self-consciousness. Not necessarily in a negative sense, however, though that's the connotation the term is almost always labeled with. To be self-conscious could mean, quite literally, conscious of oneself. As in, aware of who you truly are, and comfortable with it. Self-consciousness (in the Emersonian sense, of course) sounds good to me.
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