Self-Reliance
Ralph Waldo Emerson · 1803–1882
'Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.' Emerson's great essay against conformity argues that the thoughts we dismiss because they are ours are often the truest we have, that consistency can be a prison, and that society everywhere conspires against the independence of its members.
- First published
- 1841
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Reading time
- About 45 minutes
- Translation
- Written in English
Reading time: 10,169 words in Project Gutenberg text #2944, the Self-Reliance essay only, read at 238 words per minute.
Published in Essays (1841), later titled Essays: First Series.
- nonconformity
- intuition
- consistency
- independence
Where to read it
- Read free — Standard EbooksPublic domain text, carefully proofread and produced. · checked 11 Oct 2026(opens in a new tab)
- Read free — WikisourcePublic domain transcription. · checked 11 Oct 2026(opens in a new tab)
Copyright
- Kenya
- Public domain
- United States
- Public domain
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Questions for discussion
Emerson says 'a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds'. When is consistency wise?
What would self-reliance look like inside a Kenyan family or workplace, where obligations run deep?
Where does self-reliance end and selfishness begin?
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