Are you a Transcendentalist?

From my understanding, I see transcendentalism as being a movement for individualism. Transcendentalists believe that institutions and religion organize people and limit them from being their self. They want people to be free from control and express themselves in whichever way they feel would benefit the world. Transcendentalists also believe that people who are self-reliant and independent make a true community. The limitations and boundaries that political parties, religion, or institutions set up take away that independence and make a communities that include people who are not truly themselves. Also, transcendentalists believe in the inner goodness of people and nature.. Some people it may be easy to see the good, but there are others who you have to search a little deeper to find that positive part of them. Transcendentalists do not need facts or physical experience to believe in their principals, they instead use inner spiritual thoughts and the mental essence of a human.

There are some areas that I agree with transcendentalists and other areas I don't. I agree with transcendentalists when it comes to the idea of finding the good in everyone. I think all people have goodness in them it just may be hard to see the good from their physical actions. Also, I think it is important for people to be their self because everyone has a special talent that can add to the world and make it a better place, but on the other side I think it is important that we have institutions and religion to set guidelines and rules to keep order in communities.

Overall, I do not see myself as a true transcendentalist. I do agree with some of their ideas including the goodness within everyone, but I do not think I live life like most transcendentalists do. I believe it is important to have some order in life to keep everyone safe. Most transcendentalists are more easy-going and support less structure and more freedom to express themselves which I think could potentially lead to problems in communities. Also, transcendentalists base their decisions and ideas off of spiritual thoughts and for the most part it is hard for me to agree with something if it is not supported by facts.