McKern1

Connor McKern Mr. Price English 11 Period 1 12/17/12 Examining Transcendentalism through Popular Culture In todays culture there are many morals, thoughts, and ideas integrated into t things people listen to and watch. One of these ideas is called transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is an idealistic, philosophical and social movement that developed around 1836 in reaction to rationalism. Its members held progressive on feminine and communal living. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were central figures of this idea. Their idea is still alive today hidden in modern culture. Some examples of transcendental thought include nonconformity, self-reliance, free thought, and importance of nature. An example of nonconformity in modern culture is the song killing in the name by Rage against the Machine. In the song it says I wont do what you tell me which is stating that the artists will not conform and fall into peer pressure. The song is pretty much is stating that they wont do anything that they dont want to do. This shows nonconformity by pretty much telling the world that it will keep to what it has learned and its morals. Another example of self-reliance is the Discovery Chanels Man vs. Wild with Bear Grylls. His TV show demonstrates self-reliance because he goes out into the wild with only a knife and shows people how to survive in the wild. He shows how to use the things around to survive out in the wild and he relies on his own skills and talents while in the harsh wilderness. This could also work as an example of the importance of nature because without the nutrients that nature has provided he would have been dead way before the first episode aired.

McKern2

An instance of free thought is the freedom of speech in Americas constitution. Without the freedom of speech in America, the country would clearly not be a true free country and would be controlled more by the government instead of the people. This idea relates to free thought by allowing us to express ourselves and our thoughts through what we say or write. Anyone has the right to say what they want because of the freedom of speech in America. That is why so many people come to America so that they can have an opinion of their own that they can express. The final example of the importance of nature is in James Camerons Avatar. In this movie there is a big emphasis on nature and that every living thing is connected somehow to it. The native people believe that nature is living and they must become one with it to survive. This shows transcendentalist ideas by stating that we have to become one with nature to survive. Becoming one with nature was a big part in the movie as well as transcendentalist followers. All in all transcendentalism is mainly based on the four points of nonconformity, selfreliance, freedom of speech, and the importance of nature. Transcendentalism very sound when it comes to the morals of it but when it comes down to the oversoul it is where it gets a little shaky. The oversoul is a divine spirit supposed to pervade the universe and to encompass all human souls. Nobody knows for sure what is out there or if there is anything and it isnt really a good idea to overcommit to one religion or idea because there is so much more out there and as stated previously nobody really does know what is out there. But, it is our right as humans and sentient beings to pursue what we believe and always strive for better understanding and to reach our full potential as a species.