The 128 most classic philosophical essays in the world

Chapter 74 On Self-Help

[United States] Emerson

Trust thyself: every heart quiveres to that iron string, to take its place in divine providence.

What is useful is life, not having lived.Force ceases to exist when it is at rest; it exists in the moment of transition from an old state to a new one, in the swell of the bay, in the projection to the goal.It is a fact hated by the world, but a fact of the formation of the soul; for it forever debases the past, turns all riches into poverty, all honor into disgrace, confounds saints with villains, pushes both Jesus and Judas to the side.So why are we still blah blah blah blah?Because the soul is there, there is power. It is not self-confidence, but force.Talking about helping others is a poor superficial way of talking.Let's talk about the dependent thing, because it works and exists.When I am in charge of myself, I am most obedient.Who can do this but yourself?Although he is effortless, we must rely on mental gravity to turn around him.When we speak of eminent virtue, we think of it as pompous.We do not see that virtue is the "peak," nor do we see that a person or group of people, so long as they are adaptable and permeable to principles, will surely conquer and control all cities, countries, kings, officials or Poets, because they don't have that ability.

Trust thyself: every heart quiveres to that iron string, to take its place in divine providence.Accept the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events.Great men have always done this, and entrusted themselves, like a child, to the genius of his age, to show themselves: in their hearts, in their hearts, at work by their hands, in the play a leading role in their existence.We are all adults now, and must accept that same transcendent destiny in our highest hearts; we are not toddlers and sick men hiding in safe corners, nor cowards fleeing before a revolution, we are leaders, saviors, It is the benefactor who obeys the efforts of the Almighty and advances towards chaos and darkness.

Heart mark notes
In Emerson's view, the spiritual law of man is to believe in his own mind, "there is nothing sacred except the perfection of man's own mind."God gave man a left hand and a right hand, so that man could help himself.

Maybe your own strength is so small, but as long as you muster up the courage to face failure, at least you have already succeeded in half in the process of fighting against difficulties. "It is better to ask yourself than to ask others." Others can only give you temporary help, who can accompany you forever?Blind people don't rely on others to guide their way all their lives, they will grope forward with bamboo poles; people who have lost their hands don't all rely on others to bring food to their mouths. They still carry their brilliant lives with their own feet.Therefore, we must learn to help ourselves and be our own saviors.

(End of this chapter)