Emerson places an emphasis on nature and how it alters our thoughts. The quote “The first in time and the first in importance of the influences upon the mind is that of nature” (Emerson, 2) showcases that nature plays a major role in one’s life. His ideology is that people try to understand the world through theories, history, studies, and what people say instead of experience it themselves. People are so focused at what books say, that they don’t try to understand it by themselves. Emerson accentuates that books are important and are “nothing but to inspire” (Emerson, 4). His solution is that direct contact with nature is the best option to gain better insight for understanding the world.

I agree on Emerson’s philosophy. People rely too much on what people have to say. Our reliance on facts, theories, historians, is restricting them on observing nature. Instead of reading other people’s ideas and thoughts, people should gain inspiration from nature. “The hour is too precious to be wasted in other men’s transcripts of their readings” (Emerson, 5). One must be inspired in order to create something themselves.

A quote that connects to Rousseau’s idea of children being born without innate ideas but are influenced by other people around them are “In the right state….when the victim of society, he tends to become a mere thinker or still worse, the parrot of other men’s thinking” (Emerson). They both have connecting ideology of how someone always influences one’s thinking. People are so influenced by society that they don’t care to think on their own.

Emerson and even Locke see the true value of school and books has on humans. School and books are main foundations for one’s knowledge. However, books and schools aren’t the only way to get education. When one merely relies on books and school it takes away from the individual from learning on their own. A person is more than a book, they have active soul and thoughts. “Instead of Man Thinking, we have the bookworm (Emerson, 5). School and books prevent one from having an active soul. Schooling is only good when it comes to learning the fundamentals however it is detrimental when it forces students to learn. “..But they can only highly serve us, when they aim not to drill” (Emerson, 6). School and books lessens creativity and hurts one’s experience of learning. Both Emerson and Locke believe that school and books can be a tool for success but isn’t the only aspect of success. “Books are the best of things, we used; abused, among the worse” (Emerson,4) It can cause more harm than good when is it misused.

“Books are the best of things, well used; abused, among the worst” (Emerson 4).