bradsaptblog

If I were to be brutally honest, which our recent class discussions would warrent, I have absolutely no idea what Emerson was trying to say in the "Experience Essay." It was so long that it just ended up becoming way too confusing. I could not gather a common theme, perhaps I am just not smart enough to gather his thesis, and for that I apologize.

The second reading was a little most understandable. The most interesting aspect of that essay was Emerson's obvious disdain of the federal government. As we have seen in his past writings, he is very much an advocate for the individual, and I gathered from "Politics" that he feels the more powerful the government, the less powerful and free the individual. He says the following:

Hence, the less government we have, the better, -- the fewer laws, and the less confided power. The antidote to this abuse of formal Government, is, the influence of private character, the growth of the Individual; the appearance of the principal to supersede the proxy; the appearance of the wise man, of whom the existing government, is, it must be owned, but a shabby imitation.

I believe he feels like laws constrict people, and even make us more evil on the whole. He is also very critical of political parties, and he realizes, even in 1844, how many simple toe the party line regardless of what repercussions their acts might involve. This portion gives good insight for people today to realize that the polarization that we see now is nothing new to our democracy. He says, "From neither party, when in power, has the world any benefit to expect in science, art, or humanity, at all commensurate with the resources of our nation."

-Brad