By LEAH MONTEJANO
Staff Writer
Transcendentalism is a philosophy where an idealistic system of thought is based on belief in the creation of everything, the true goodness of humanity, and the power of insight over logic. Transcendentalists are strong believers in the power of an individual and this system is primarily concerned with the personal freedom of others. Non-conformity is the first tenet of transcendentalism, it represents the edge of the 6 other tenets. Non-conformity is the refusal to not live a life following the other tenets, it is a sense of individuality and the need for excitement and risk. Non-conformity is usually expressed in modern culture by expression in either style, attitude, or interest, usually with the purpose of showing their own originality.
Primarily popular with youth and young adults. Overall, the principle of non-conformity is the strive for individualism. Some examples of pop culture in Non-conformity are the popular movie ‘Fight Club’ from 1999 and Hardcore punk bands such as the Dead Kennedys and Adolescents. The second tenet of transcendentalism is Self-reliance. The tenet of self-reliance can be described as a state of mind where a person’s own thoughts, actions, or emotions are unaffected by other influences such as peer pressures, society, and the internet. By focusing on the well-being of yourself as a first priority, many of those who are considered to be self-reliant are responsible individuals capable of understanding and accepting themself and those around them for what they are.
A couple movies that represent the tenet of self-reliance are Good Will Hunting and Wall-E. Good Will Hunting shows this tenet because as the movie progresses, the audience finds out that our main character Will is all alone with a low-paying job, a magnificent brain, but no family to support him. Will lies to his love interest about having a large family with eight brothers but she soon figures out that he was lying to her, she confronts Will causing a sensitive confrontation which is where Will admits that when he was young his foster father was very abusive towards him. Good Will Hunting is a beautiful story about self-worth and finding direction with the guidance of friends.
The third tenet of Transcendentalism is free thought. Free thought is to say your own formed opinion despite what others think of it. It is a symbol of bravery with the message to never be afraid to stand up to your beliefs as long as they don’t hurt anyone else. Free thought is a very difficult and strong characteristic to have because sometimes saying what you think to another that opposes can start a conflict. Always be prepared for what free thoughts can lead to.
Protests and social media are perfect examples of free thought because they express their opinions publicly, though many may disagree with what they are saying or believe in.