Maleliness and Manhood
Ralph Waldo Emerson and Thomas Paine
https://emersoncentral.com/ebook/Divinity-School-Address.pdf
https://www.deism.com/images/theageofreason1794.pdf
Emerson believed that every “man” was born “genius.” If that’s true, what happened? And where does the “woman” fit in his assertions?
Is being Self-Reliant–a non-conformist–something we can actually become? Emerson said that to do this, I will “Shun mother, and father, and brother when my genius calls me.” Are we willing to do that to embrace our genius, to become non-conformist? If yes, what, according to Emerson, do we risk? If no, what does that say about us and our ability to grow and mature outside of the confines of “institutions” and “family”? When he says, “then I will live from the Devil…,” what is he actually asserting?
Paine is most famous for this quote: “These are the times that try men’s souls.” Years later, he risked everything with “The Age of Reason.” When he chose to examine organized religion , he went from being the most beloved and respected figure of the American Revolution, to, 100 yrs after his death, a man then-president Teddy Roosevelt called “that dirty little atheist.” Only six people attended his funeral. His obituary read, “He had lived long, did some good and much harm.” Was Paine an atheist? If yes, what did he say that proves it? If not, what did he say that proves it? And what was his beef with organized religion–particularly Christianity? What quote does Paine use that explains his beliefs? Embracing the physical spaces controlled by men–“churches, temples, and mosques” as venues that are “absolute” and “unquestionable” is different than what Paine promoted. How so and why?
