“Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. -‘AH, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood. ‘-Is it so bad then to be misunderstood? “(pg. 129)This concept viewed by Ralph Waldo Emerson makes the point that self reliance creates individuality. As one goes through life proving hers or his ideas to the world relying on her judgments resources, and abilities whether they are right or wrong they prove your point. Some of us are strong enough to stand our ideas others give up their ideas too quickly.
By doing one or another we prove our worth to the world. What is more important we prove our worth to ourselves. By dealing with other people, we interfere with their lives whether we want to or not. Rely on yourself in dealing with other people. By relying on yourself don’t forget about other peolewho wont rely on you or on themselves who build the wall around themselves. Because they are afraid to be misunderstood and they are also afraid to show their own colors therefore lose their individuality by poor self reliance. Self reliance can destroy as well as create.
In “Dead Men’s Path” by Chinna Achebe the character Michael Obi decided to go against the community by trying to destroy their old traditions and by using his judgments and his believes but that destroyed him. Proving your points can destroy you if the sense of justice and reason is misled. Similarily Antigone Creon listened only to himself and by that he destroyed people who were close to him. Personally, I stand behind the ideas that I believe in. But sometimes, being stubborn as I am, I create problems by trying to prove my point of view.
When I argue with my father I could always agree with him, but that would not be me. Therefore, trying to prove my point of view using self reliance I might create a problem. I also build a wall around myself when I am afraid to get hurt. In today’s big world it is very easy to lose your individuality. Most of the time you are just a name without a face. When someone takes away you’re name you are left with nothing. “I have been called sway sue suey suzy tissue ha-chiew. ” “It’s in the name” by Kitty Tsui shows what it is like to lose your name because someone those not know how to prounance it.
I had been called Drunker, Drucker, Drooker and many others. Every time I walk into a classroom I wait for the new teacher to just destroy my indiviulaty. It is not like they mean to do it it is just my name that they all seem to not know how to pronounce. “Each with a name. each with a face, blood, bone, breath. ” “It’s in the name. ” Each person should have th privlidge of having their name said correctly. am who I am for better or for worse express myself using self reliance in dealing with other people misunderstood or not. Self reliance creates my individuality.
