Journal #8

Journal 8 - Emerson’s Aphorisms

Write a one paragraph personal response based on three of the following aphorisms.  Your responses should address the point Emerson is making as well as your thoughts/feelings about what he is saying.    

5. To be great is to be misunderstood.

            Emerson is saying here that to be different and to not be understood is someone who is great. If everyone was normal and easily understood than no one would great or different. People who do great things are the ones who are different from the norm and are misunderstood. If everyone always stuck to the norm where would we be today? There would not be discoveries and other great accomplishments. To be a great person is to be someone who does things differently than everyone else and is misunderstood by those who disagree. I completely agree with this statement because I believe that those who are different from everyday people will do great things with their life and make a difference.

11. What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.
            I believe that Emerson is saying here that we shouldn’t worry about things that have happened in the past or what lies for us in the future, it is about the person that is inside of you overcoming the past and future and living in the present. He is saying that worrying about the past and future is only the smallest of importance and what we should worry about is who we are on the inside. What kind of person we are and who we are made to be is the most important. I completely agree with Emerson because we do need to worry more about what lies within us than what we have done in the past and will do in the future. If one does worry more about their past and future than they can’t think about whom they are in the present and get lost in who they really are. It is important for people to live in the present and know who they are and what lies within them.
14. The only reward of virtue is virtue; the only way to have a friend is to be one.
            Emerson is saying here that if you do moral excellence and have virtue that the reward is virtue because having that is the only reward you need. It’s also true that the only way to have a friend is to be one because no one wants to be friends with someone who betrays them. If one is loyal to his or her friend than that friend will always be there for you in return. If someone was bad talking their friend than their friend will not want anything to do with them. I agree with this statement because I believe friendship is important and what you do with your friendship is up to you but if you are a good friend you will always a friend there by your side.