This post is in response to Influenced Thinking by Farzana Manjra

“The one thing in the world, of value, is the active soul. This every man is entitled to; this every man contains within him, although, in almost all men, obstructed, and as yet unborn. The soul active sees absolute truth; and utters truth, or creates. In this action, it is genius; not the privilege of here and there a favorite, but the sound estate of every man. In its essence, it is progressive.” (Emerson)

After reading Farzana’s post titled Influenced Thinking, I felt that I completely agree with what she is saying. Farzana says that what Emerson is saying relates to that of Rousseau and Bach, such that man is influenced by society. Farzana talks about how “he says a person can be influenced so much by society that he doesn’t even think anymore instead he thinks what the society thinks and he doesn’t have his own ideas or thinking anymore.” Essentially, we are being controlled like puppets by society to do what society wants us to do. I believe that e are born with a clean slate, unknowledgeable about what are the rights and wrongs of life. Being influenced by society, man can be influenced to believe that what society does is “correct” or “the right thing”. In the above posted quote by Emerson, he is saying that man is entitled to build himself and discover what the real truths in life are. Fight the societal beliefs and be who you want to be; develop your own sense of right and wrong.