LITERATURE - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson taught us about the presence of nature and something a little divine inside all of us.
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CREDITS
The script for the film was kindly produced for The School of Life by Dr David Greenham of the University of the West of England:
people.uwe.ac.uk/Pages/person....
Produced in collaboration with Reflective Films
www.reflectivefilms.co.uk #TheSchoolOfLife

[@DallasGreen123]

“I cannot remember the books I've read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

[@marilyntape9050]

DallasGreen123 me also

[@mickael4806]

DallasGreen123 well THAT is a wonderful thought!! I always feel mad about not remembering everything I read as if it was somehow wasted. But this metaphor makes so much sense. And when I read back some books that “made” me, it’s as if they were always there in me subconsciously guiding my actions and thoughts.

[@legitimatead3908]

@S&DH Good man!

[@anuradhainamdar8967]

Yes,your education in the end make you.

[@theoutlier66]

“They have made me” dad gummit

[@markmarsh27]

"In the work of a writer of genius, we discover our own neglected thoughts." .... Emerson's ability to express simple insights profoundly was some of the purest enlightenment in the history of language.

[@markyoung01maccom]

Mark Marsh wonderfully put!

[@darotm7628]

One of the greatest quotes ever

[@JustJJr]

Felicity at its finest

[@zzzzoot]

Self-Reliance is still one of the best things I've ever read.

[@billyky1700]

ThatKidOverThere As well is Nature

[@robertmorrisramos5288]

Yes I'm reading that now

[@88PLR]

Wait what book?

[@LunaLu-00]

"Everywhere Emerson looked, he saw people leading lives based on tradition and limited by the religious forms and social habits. No one could be themselves, because they were all too busy being what they were *supposed to be*."

[@charleswest6372]

Y I quit school.

[@channnn.]

My name is Emerson. RIP long lost twin brother.🙏

[@micosstar]

wowieeeeeeeee, that blew me away when i first read that part of Self Reliance as part of an english course at community college

[@IamOguguaIwuji]

❤

[@thenino7383]

@@charleswest6372nah u quit school cause you stupid

[@Spiral.Dynamics]

“I was simmering, simmering, simmering. Emerson brought me to a boil.” Walt Whitman

[@mikefelix6338]

I feel like this is what great art does to people

[@pigshitpoet]

" Beware when the great God lets loose a thinker on this planet." - Ralph Waldo Emerson US essayist & poet (1803 - 1882)

[@jackpot3541]

Self reliance literally changed my life from being a late 20’s living at my moms to having my own home couple years later an that was peak of the recession. It helped me alot since my parents divorced when i was 9 yrs old so it kind of guided me like my dad should’ve if he was present

[@adamjung6104]

Emerson, out of all the great thinkers has had the greatest impact on my life; I'm glad he had the same impact on yours.

[@tracesprite6078]

I'm so glad you've shaped your life into something that you're proud of.

[@JohnDoe-dl7ew]

Me, too. I feel you, brother. Hugs and fist bumps!

[@micosstar]

woohoo, glad that the freshmen english course at my community college did teach Emerson and his Self-Reliance from the get-go!

[@moanilsson3448]

As I was watching this video about Waldo Emerson I remembered and reread an essay written by my grandmother who has a phD in literature. The subject of her writing is the famous swedish author Fredrika Bremer who among other things fought for womens rights in the 1800s. She met Waldo Emerson while she was travelling between 1849 and 1851. She had read his writings and was so fascinated with them and the idea of the male voice behind them that she decided to meet him. They discussed religion, politics and other topics and she wrote in her book consisting of letters from her travels "Hemmen i den nya verlden" or "Homes in the New World" that Emerson had left a longlasting mark on her soul. She also included some translations of his works, which were the first swedish translations of Emerson ever, in her book. She described his writing as "athletic" and wrote about taking pleasure in watching his face, as if the two, from her point of view atleast, had some sort of romantic connection, although the line between friendship and romance was not as sharp in their times. She visited him on a few occasions while she was in America but they never sent eachother any letters after she went home to Sweden. For Emerson the relationship was likely just a footnote in his life but Fredrika Bremer said she would remember his noble personality that left a lasting mark on her soul and it might have been her friendship with Emerson that gave her the courage to publish her novel Hertha, considered to be the first swedish feminist novel.

[@sukottora]

What a fantastic story!

[@moanilsson3448]

@@sukottora Thank you. I am glad someone else found it as interesting as I did :)

[@Patricia-sn9ln]

👏👏

[@karakutny4458]

Wow! Brilliant!

[@waltero.8957]

More people should read Emerson, one of the greatest without a doubt, not just as a writer, but a thinker. His words are always with me, a great teacher of life. I'd love to see a video on Carl Jung, please!

[@adamjung6104]

My father's name is spelt with a K, not sure if he is noteworthy of a video ;)

[@abhishekjha4735]

@@adamjung6104 Every father is worthy enough.

[@Steve27775]

One of my favourite Emerson quotations: "Nature still solicits me. Overhead the sanctities of the stars shine forevermore, and to me also, pouring satire on the pompous business of the day which they close, and making the generations of men show slight and evanescent. A man is but a bug, the earth but a boat, a cockle, drifting under their old light."

[@DarkDruid7]

I'm so glad to have learned about Emerson in my 10th grade American Literature class. Such a profound writer.

[@joelfry4982]

Thank you for this refreshing look at Emerson. Emerson almost said, "Love is a pleasure that remains a wish. As the longing for love is satisfied, the wish for love increases." This basic sentiment is from the opening of one of his essays, but I find his poems to be much more full of life.

[@augestinepeter3682]

Emerson.

[@walkerblack47]

The most impactful teacher I ever had was writing his doctorate on Emerson when I was in high school. Remembering him, I watch this video now

[@h.i.m.3200]

Emerson's writings resonated with me so much when I was a teenager and I was feeling angsty and rebellious. I first read his one of his essays in school, and though I can't remember the title, it was something about society and how we conform to it. This brought everything back to me. Great feature. Now I gotta read more of this guy's work.

[@adamjung6104]

Sometimes I think about the quotes that are wrongly contributed to him and their impact on myself, which I later found out to be written by someone else. What is the value you place on their prose?

[@tonysantos6345]

I simply love Ralph Waldo Emerson! The best gift the US gave to the world.

[@brookgashe9368]

I agree. And i'm not American myself.

[@richq11]

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." ~Emerson

[@b00gi3]

And a foolish inconsistency will become president of the united states.

[@richq11]

@Jashandeep Singh I will most certainly check it out. Thank you!

[@valsammajoseph421]

“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.”

[@lianasahakyan5921]

“I am an endless seeker with no past at my back” - Thoreau

[@maximiliangindorf3881]

That was actually Emerson (in his essay Circles)

[@sondrasasser6404]

I've always believed that Emerson is one of the most underrated philosophers and essayists. His writing is profoundly eloquent and moving. A must-read for everyone.

[@chesslmc]

It gave me chills, and I feel more alive now. Thank you.

[@chocmilkshake24]

his philosophy reminded me of a poster i made back in high school. we were supposed to make a poster in psychology class depicting who we think we are. loads of ppl cut out their favorite things and just randomly stuck them on a poster. i divided my poster into 4 and had a silhouette in the middle with a white question mark where the head is. the 4 sections depicted the 4 seasons and each season represented a different side of my personality - the spring is sweet; the summer is happy and generous; the autumn cool and intelligent; and the winter cold and distant. the question mark in the middle showed that i wasn't sure who i was without the current society i lived in, but i knew that i could return to nature to be myself, and adapt to whatever environment i was in like the ever changing seasons. i didn't know that was somewhat in line with emerson's philosophy until i saw this video! im glad to know he had similar thoughts b/c i truly admired him.

[@channelx7761]

I hope you got the highest score possible. amazing ideas.

[@chocmilkshake24]

awww thanks!

[@MrUndersolo]

9 out of 10.

[@dianeaishamonday9125]

A++ from me!

[@chocmilkshake24]

@@dianeaishamonday9125 Thank you! :D

[@KatalinaKristina]

I love the symbolism. Literally, when he left the land of christianity and priesthood on Christmas Day it's like he left the lies in search of a more pagan route. Like back in kindergarten schools and adults forcibly teach you about christianity and that kinda like represents what he did when he successfully changed the way america saw its cultural and artistic possibilities. Cutting ties with what was originally accepted and used to. And yet after a great heartbreak and emptiness he ventured to a place he originally wanted to separate from or prove wrong, had like an epiphany that most spiritual people or practitioners get when they meditate. He also has that buddhist wisdom thing going on or any kind of wisdom really you get from studying all religions, cultures and traditions. He got in touch with nature. It's like he went back home. This lightens me up a bit. :)

[@lennon_richardson]

He went to Europe, the birthplace of Christmas and Center of Christianity.

[@bolivar1789]

I love what the Irish say: " The thing about the past is it's not the past". It is great to be always aware of the value of " here and now", but if you claim to have " no past in your back" you may be very mistaken. It is wonderful that looking at the cayman Emerson felt the animal "in himself"... But looking back at the history he could have felt the same way about the caveman too. I think we should just watch the wonderful lesson " What is history for" by this channel again. That approach to history seems much wiser to me. On that lesson we have learnt to see the history NOT as an " impertinence and injury" but as a source of "solutions and consolations". Don't get me wrong, I love Emerson. But " trusting nothing but our intuition" is a bit tricky too. I once read an article on a German psychology magazine about a surf photographer. It is a quite dangerous profession. He said he has to trust his intuition a lot: when a wave is coming, he has to "feel" whether he can take a picture upon that one or whether it is too risky. But he also says that his "intuition" in this case, isn't something mystical. It is the result of "experiencing" thousands of waves...That's why now, just when the wave is about to be born, he senses what kind of wave it will be and he can position himself accordingly, without risking his life. My point is that if "intuition" grows in us after a pile of " experiences" , then it is a good idea to be as "aware" as possible of those incidents, which would also include using our "rationality" as best as we can. I know, this doesn't sound very romantic. But it's a good thing. What I loved from this lesson is "the emphasis on the value of the ordinary". In his wonderful speech " Art as Therapy" Alain also talks about " the glamour of our fragile existence"... What a beautiful expression. Emerson says: "I am thankful for small mercies. I compared notes with one of my friends who expects everything of the universe and is disappointed when anything is less than the best, and I found that I begin at the other extreme, expecting nothing, and am always full of thanks for moderate goods." By the way congratulations on your one million students! This channel is really the most exciting and hopeful place I know on earth. Thank you so much once again.

[@koningkont]

everybody imitates something they like about a certain thing

[@feyzaflute]

Thanks! I always look for your comments under The School of Life videos.I miss your comments!Greetings from Turkey!

[@bolivar1789]

+Feyza Nur Sağlıksever Cok tesekkür ederim gercekten Feyza:-) Sevgiler!

[@lovyazid]

Very nicely written . I agree with you!

[@bolivar1789]

Thanks a lot for reading! Have a nice weekend:-)

[@yanivs5768]

"And now we rise And we are everywhere..." - From The Morning, Nick Drake.

[@MrUndersolo]

Glad they used his pic in this, too.

[@yashgupta4433]

great video overall.... key fact missing was about the origins of his pantheistic way of life that he got from vedic traditions... Emerson own word- "I owed a magnificent day to the Bhagavad-gita. It was the first of books; it was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the same questions which exercise us."

[@davegreenham6605]

+Yash Gupta Emerson didn't begin to read Eastern thought until after 1840, by which time most of his idea were in place. He certainly found there a way to further understand what he had already discovered.

[@adamjung6104]

Emerson allowed me to look outside of a one sided Christian belief that told me it had all the answers; I have been forever grateful.

[@onepandella5702]

How have I not heard about him until I read about him in my AP English class? Watching this, seeing the simple yet profound insights he had, listening to the originality of his words and how it still liberates writers today- Emerson is so important to American Literature. His ideas are simple yet still incredibly relevant to today. He's amazing.

[@rxscience9214]

WOOO A MILLION SUBSCRIBERS!! Congrats!! Here's to a million more!

[@Ashamedofmyself]

I first read Emerson during my American literature course at the University of Leiden. We read self-reliance, and one particular quote always stuck with me: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

[@devonashwa7977]

His words bring me to tears it’s so beautiful

[@rudolfteibtner4071]

To you who produced this and all the other videos: thank you. Thank you for expressing Emerson's central messages. In these ten minutes you managed to sum up the last session on Emerson at university and it was even very entertaining. Keep up the work!

[@count_bodies_like_sheep9296]

Ralph Waldo Emerson is up in my family tree..... he is my great, great, great, great, great, great uncle

[@halwarner3326]

Emerson is the American Shakespeare. This video is superb.

[@ee.es00]

Kind of. He was probably the greatest American writer of all time but didn't write plays like Shakespeare.

[@richardb6744]

literally describes why america is so great because of organic solidarity and solidarity with one self

[@ibodhidogma]

Excellent video- one the best, yet! Thank you. It should be noted that long before the Hippy Revolution, Emerson and Thoreau were reading Eastern philosophy, (especially the Bhagavad Gita), which must have certainly informed their pantheistic beliefs.

[@bradley8614]

Congratulations on reaching 1 million subscribers! This is honesty one of the best channels KZbin has to offer

[@naoh50]

I learn alot from you man. thanks! you changed the way I see the world.

[@akshaydevkarama3277]

Please do George Orwell!!

[@marcustulliuscicero9512]

Yeeessssss.

[@gtabigfan34]

Huray!!!

[@terribletallrus6520]

Yes. :D Though I've only done Animal Farm. xp Seems to be an interesting figure.

[@akshaydevkarama3277]

+Terrible Tallrus I suggest you read 1984

[@terribletallrus6520]

+Akshay Dev Karama Thanks for the suggestion, Akshay! Seems like a good read.

[@alejandroleal5066]

Let's celebrate 1,000,000 million subscribers with a Dostoyevsky video:))

[@shehry1shehry]

+The School of Life Do Thomas Mann!!! And Hermann Broch.

[@dapperd9300]

I disagree with you out of pure spite. The gross enthusiasm of your suggestion was a slap in the face. Well, actually no, the truth is I lied before. I really agree with you but I hate myself for doing so.

[@soukainaneddah4279]

yes pleaaase!

[@billional1052]

I plan on reading Dostoyevsky. Where should I star? Beginner

[@soukainaneddah4279]

Billional It's best to read his books in a chronological order. But that's just my opinion :)

[@GodWorksOut]

To me, Emerson is regarded as one of the greatest due to his inspiration of many; like Thoreau and Whitman, but he also penned Self Reliance and pioneered American transcendentalism.

[@xCristianAndres]

So you’re saying the ideas within self reliance are original to him? And how did he pioneer Transcendentalism? Was it through works like Nature?

[@stevenhageman8255]

A true revelation of art, that nuances have the loudest utterances. It is a humbling journey to try to master that idea- to write as honest and raw as the writers of that time did. I think we, still today, are just dancing around that idea; we have added our own flavor; however modern poetic writing is its best when it makes the ordinary bloom into the extraordinary.

[@mrgamerbg9577]

Congratulations on one million subscribers this channel really deserves it!

[@gr8life12]

finally I found my philosopher and congratulations to the school of life we reached over million subscribers our community is growing let's keep at it!

[@Vocalsalesmasteryjohnheart]

Love it! The Nick Drake picture was a niece touch!

[@paulheffron4836]

"The world makes way for the man who knows where he's going" My favorite Emerson quote.

[@macb6528]

Congrats on the 1 millions subs SoL! I've been with this channel since the mere thousands and seeing it grow has been a pleasure

[@Krisjennewein]

Excellent. Especially as the close, has focus on his incredibly broad influence. We live in an Emersonian world.

[@viktorberzinsky4781]

Emerson was one of the first great mystics as well as writers to come out of America. Reading his works was a philosophical revelation as much as a literary one.

[@xenhalis7447]

Beautiful. I am at loss of words. Thank you.

[@7ropz]

FINALLY!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

[@jonathanfunnell4167]

LOVE RALPH WALDO EMERSON WITH ALL MY HEART AND ALWAYS WILL

[@SkyFoxTale]

Haha this was on the AP united states history exam today. That exact opening quote.

[@MrNoScoper1999]

+Meijke Balay Your test score will now be terminated due to discussing the test.

[@SkyFoxTale]

toneh O_o my offense is rank

[@AnonymousLaughters1]

College Board is watching

[@kithadvocate4503]

Was it terminated

[@ayushgaidhani]

In a biography of Ralph Waldo Emerson, I read that his views were Highly influenced by the baghwat gita; he also considered it one of the greatest books that he ever read.

[@Danielle.flowerchild]

Ah wonderful! I'm a sort of pantheist as well. I didn't know much about this man, he spoke/wrote what I feel!

[@mothman84]

These short presentations are awesome! Thank you! :)

[@TurquoiseAbyss1440]

Thank you! It seems vital to use your own mind in an epoch where there are far fewer rules and dogmas to direct one's thinking. These videos are such a touchstone in daily life (The philosophical and literature ones especially).

[@angelinaduganNy]

You should do videos about John Muir and Walt Whitman.

[@Altmnop]

Shivers. Brilliant quotes Alain!

[@AltamiranoPhilosophy]

I've been waiting years for this video!! woke up and saw the notification on my phone, Im a little too excited to see this video, lets see how well you guys depict such an amazing character

[@matthewwroblewski8752]

Incredibly profound -- thank you, sir

[@CGMaat]

Thank you Alan . You are a master teacher. We have been following your philosophical lessons for a long time. I find these animations so uplifting and i send them to others for inspiration at these contained times. You are doing so very much for humanity! Socrates would be so proud of you.

[@sarahhensley5790]

It brings a tear to my eye to listen to Ralph Waldo Emerson's philosophy. He's incredibly Buddhist in thought, whether he realized it or not. We are all profound, we are all infinite, we are so much more than one may initially assume. I will definitely have to read more Emerson in the near future! Thank you, School of Life!

[@normanleach9587]

Sarah Hensley Hey Sarah... Thoreau use to borrow books from Emerson...alot of Eastern texts...You might have fun with Allen Watts, Shunryu Sazuki...

[@gtabigfan34]

Congratulations on 1000000 subscribers!!!

[@Abraxas948]

I love your guys' literature videos. These and your philosophy videos are always the best. You should really consider doing Hermann Hesse, Miguel de Cervantes, Thomas Mann, or Flannery O'Connor.

[@user-yw3gj4kf4p]

“What does Rome know of lizard and rat?” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

[@giorgimerabishvili8194]

Amazing! Thank You Very Much!

[@billpholde4816]

"How wearisome, Phrenologist, the grammarian, the religious or political fanatic, indeed, any possessed mortal whose sense of balance is lost by the exaggeration of a single topic." If you live within driving distance of Concord Massachusetts, or you happen to go there, plan a visit to Emerson's house - kept as a museum. It's like walking into his house while he was out for a few moments. A must-see for true Ralph fans.

[@josephfernando4867]

My all time favorite....cause I agree and understand everything he says...

[@carolingi1741]

Self-Relience was the most fascinating little book I’ve ever read

[@frankbloom2573]

Unbelievably crafted. This is some of the finest content on youtube

[@BballkingR]

The school of life shoutout for this amazing intelligential resource, it's up to us all to apply and experience. Brb..

[@dapperd9300]

Bob Neufeld breathes life into many of Emerson's transcendental writings via richly narrated audiobooks. He also does THE definitive narration of Dostoyevsky's Notes From The Underground.

[@brookgashe9368]

I was not expecting to see this comment in a thousand years. Bob did a breathtakingly amazing joy....indeed he breathed life into his work...indeed richly. Listened to it for over 4 years every night before going to be, now i would feel disappointed if emerson does not have the voice of his. His essays could not have been read any better. Have you seen any of Bob's video? if so could you suggest me?

[@dapperd9300]

@@brookgashe9368 Thousand years... that's funny for me because I'm a rare commenter. His and Ian Mckellen's Gandalf voices are so sagely that I used to have to do impression's of them. If Bob is somebody's grandpa, they are lucky, especially for story time. I haven't seen any of Bob's other stuff, sorry.

[@brookgashe9368]

@@dapperd9300 I wanna suggest you The Alchemist read by Jeremy iron...His voice is heavenly with a rich low formant...also could not have been read any better. Please tell me what you think after you finished listening to that.

[@dapperd9300]

@@brookgashe9368 It had been a long time since I'd read The Alchemist. It was nice to revisit it since it is a wise and mystical book. Jeremy Irons really vivified the characters. He was able to speak with regal confidence through some characters that brought about the air of wisdom. Another narration I like, Peter Kenny's voice for The Witcher books.

[@Pakattack17]

Truly inspiring. Thank you.. would love to see a video on Walt Whitman

[@rexdxiv]

Thank you! This is a great introduction to a giant! The School of life, well done!

[@ssiipp7848]

"There is no knowledge, that is not power"

[@gotf]

I wish you discussed "Experience". That essay changed my life.

[@peterjonas4971]

He praises not so much uniqueness but having conviction for one's own beliefs, whatever they are.

[@shaunpaulwallace]

I like this man. Americans should be proud of this mans views. Ideas.

[@sleepytraveler369]

I remember subscribing to this channel when it had 400,000 and now look at it! Congratulations SOL :D

[@SkormFlinxingGlock]

Really enjoying these literature entries.

[@williamjeffbuckleyjr.2648]

I love the nick drake cut out! Now that's some real deal stuff right there, man.

[@ronairgama7228]

I'm from Brazil. Thanks for every video.

[@vardaanvardhan9932]

Refreshing

[@edussoncompany9683]

He's one of my favorite writes

[@bahart9427]

Thanks sir. a divine voice u hav

[@garrettbouslough3647]

I love this channel so much. Thank-you thank-you thank-you so so so much!

[@mfcoom9485]

I have long waited for this one.

[@lindsayhengehold5341]

Love this writer!

[@victor256in]

My spiritual brother from another mother 😊

[@voranartsirisubsoontorn9010]

Thanks. Used to think of myself as introvert and outcast. Now an intellectual independent person.

[@DanielMiller-pk7qw]

He's amazing 👏!!

[@nicolasdelaforge7420]

The idea that each and everyone can become a 'uniquely significant human being' is brilliant and does make America stand out as a unique fascinating culture, though the idea is also found in England, an example is Mick Jagger, a uniquely brilliant individual. 'An original relation to the universe' also manifested as 'America'. But the Americans of 1850 were still 'English' - the properly American type developed in part by way of the Revolution but had to wait for high cultural events, like the 'Frontier 1850's to 1890's', the 'Civil War', 'Immigration', and the great poets, writers, composers and artists to come. It was a gradual change through time. Emerson was one of the great catalysts. The very first individualists, however, were a number of 1700's Frenchmen, but they were more constrained by notions of 'community'. The police kept files on them, as they seemed 'strange', sitting in cafes writing their own thoughts. They rejected 'hearsay' and the 'official version of history' which was the tradition, the social custom that most French people adhered to. In that 'no generation is better or more right than the current generation' became solely 'American'. An amazing culture was to bloom through the next century, whose energy seems to have been exhausted... Thus a 150 years of Emersonian greatness.

[@MrGAMERSVID]

CONGRATS ON THE MILLION!!!!

[@pitbull4ety666]

Congrats on the one million subscribers!!! 🎉🎉🙌😁

[@watsupchava3252]

+The School of Life that sounds great!

[@s0uris012]

+The School of Life 0:39 milton friedman jumpscare

[@yair1010]

+The School of Life Probably one of the best videos to date. Thank you, guys!

[@channelx7761]

+yair1010 I agree. This, the Basho and Melancholy videos are my favorites. I watch them all every so often.

[@perenphilos]

Such a great start to my day thank you : )

[@yuvrajsingh2034]

Beautiful

[@alemartin19]

A video on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow would be nice too

[@carinam78]

I love your videos

[@matonmongo]

Beautiful... thank you!

[@johndunnejnr]

Brilliant!