"But
the final value of action, like that of books, and better than books, is, that
it is a resource. That great principle of Undulation in nature, that shows
itself in the inspiring and expiring of the breath; in desire and satiety; in
the ebb and flow of the sea; in day and night; in heat and cold; and as yet
more deeply ingrained in every atom and every fluid, is known to us under the
name of Polarity, — these "fits of easy transmission and reflection,"
as Newton called them, are the law of nature because they are the law of
spirit." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
At the time of Ralph Waldo Emerson's address to the Phi Beta Kappa Society at Cambridge, America was in a bit of a slump; see, they had just declared independence from British rule sixty years earlier, and continued to display signs of European influence. Troubled by their lack of ingenuity, Emerson spoke to incite inspiration in the minds and hearts of young American thinkers; he called on them to think creatively, to read critically, and to cultivate a knowledge and understanding entirely their own. Of the many themes Emerson touched on, the need to look forward was one of my favorites:
"They look backward and not
forward. But genius looks forward: the eyes of man are set in his forehead, not
in his hindhead: man hopes: genius creates. Whatever talents may be, if the man
create not, the pure efflux of the Deity is not his; — cinders and smoke there
may be, but not yet flame. There are creative manners, there are creative
actions, and creative words; manners, actions, words, that is, indicative of no
custom or authority, but springing spontaneous from the mind's own sense of
good and fair."
All too often we are encouraged to read books of the past to make prudent decisions for the future, and in some respects, that is an acceptable course to take; however, what (I think) Emerson is trying to say, is that sometimes the works of history grow stale over time, they do not hold entirely the same meanings as they used to, and instead of looking back for answers, we should make construct some ourselves. He urges the audience to become proponents of their own education; college can teach you how to vocabulary and facts, but it is how you use and develop those skills that truly make you wholesome. Emerson also encouraged his listeners to learn from their own experiences; instead of regurgitating information from text like bookworm, he wanted them to go out and make sense of the world on their own. Only that way could they be creative enough to move their country forward culturally, politically and intellectually.
