Immanuel Kant “What is Enlightenment?”

In Kant’s essay, he discusses the reasons why there are deficiencies of enlightenment and some methods that people need to elevate enlightenment. Kant hopes people have the courage to seek truth for themselves, not just follow the opinions of authorities. He thinks the real enlightenment is when people are free enough to think and act by themselves, people no longer need to rely on other people or authorities’ opinions to judge and understand things.

I strongly agree with Kan’s standpoint. Nowadays, lots of people like an easeful life, without too much undulation and challenging. People would like to follow the prescribed order; therefore, lack of creativity and imagination are becoming a universal phenomenon in our everyday life. It just likes the story I have heard, when the teacher asked kids “what does the moon look like?” One kid answered: like a banana. But the teacher told him it’s a wrong answer, the right answer should be a ship. Why must ship to be the only correct answer? Moon could be looked like an eyebrow, a sickle, a ladder, it could be anything. The answer should be varied and creative. We don’t need to always follow what people have said. As Kant mentioned, we should learn how to express ourselves openly in public. We have to realize that when we are getting used to relying on other people, and follow what people tell us to do. It would be more difficult for you to think and act on your own way. We need to break out the pattern, if you never try, you will never know what you are capable of.