(mlkviet.jpg." The Baltimore Sun. Web. 25 Mar 2010.
"To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart, is true for all men-that is genius. Speak you latent conviction and it shall be the universal sense; for always the inmost becomes the outmost."
This is a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King giving his "I have a dream" speech. Throughout his speech his states, "I believe..." and he truly believes that one day his beliefs can become the universal belief- and they have. I thought a while about what I should put for a picture, and for some reason this popped into my head. This picture perfectly exemplifies what Emerson has stated. Martin Luther King believed in his thoughts, made his thoughts known, and believed that one day his thoughts would become the norm. He believed that his inner thoughts would become the outer norm, and it did. I don't think we really realize it, but the approach that Dr. King took is in direct relation to most of what Emerson talks about; he portrays a "more liberal thought of intelligent persons". He was very open minded as to how the future could be, and believed that if he believed in it enough, it would come true. This is only a picture of his speech, yet I think Dr. King as a person and his way of going about things is very closely related to the way Emerson went about things and the way Emerson thought about certain things.
I think that your picture of Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr. fits the quote you chose. According to Norton, both Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. were greatly influenced by Henry David Thoreau who was a Transcendentalist writer. Expressing our opinions without fear is often difficult. Actually, I am not good at stating in words what I think in thoughts, even in my language Japanese. I respect Dr. King deeply. He must have been brave enough and clever enough to make the great speech.
ReplyDeleteThis is perfect. I like how you use the fact that Dr. Martin Luther King used the phrase “I believe” a lot in his speech and how it correlates with Emerson’s quote. I often wish I could depend on my own inner wisdom more often. I am currently attempting to trust myself more and to make decisions based on my instincts and my beliefs. I believe that humans are born with this innate wisdom that tells us right and wrong from the beginning. I also believe that it can tell us when something just isn’t right and can keep us from danger. I agree with Emerson that anyone is a genius who can make up their own minds and trust themselves completely. This kind of characteristic does show on the outside ~ other people can tell.
ReplyDeleteI think you chose a great picture to express your quote. There have been many great people that found discoveries but Martin Luther King is a perfect example of a more modern day leader. Great job at pointing out how he constantly used the word "believe" in his speech to express that he strongly believed it and that one day others would believe it also. This quote really points out how Emerson thought people should trust their instincts and support them.
ReplyDeleteThe picture you have chosen has a very powerful message behind the photography, I also like the quote you have chosen to go along with the picture. The photograph of Martin Luther King is a great example of the Transcendentalist movement. King is universally known for what he believed in, he even went to jail for standing up for his beliefs. Emerson would consider King to be a great man of independence. Also, here is a quote that I really took too; it also describes the photograph of king… "it is easy in solitude to live after our own: but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude" (Pg 536).
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great choice and fits the quote you choose perfectly. If Martin didn't choose to fight against and to protest we would not have a black president today. Rosa Park would have also been a good option. She was not willing to conform to what society wanted her do. She refused to move to the back of the bus and was vocal about her convictions. She did this even with knowledge she would be persecuted for it.
ReplyDeleteThis picture is a great symbol to that quote. Although martin Luther King Jr. was mostly influenced by Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson was a transcendentalist writer as well and obviously had an impact on him too. King was a very unique man who had the courage to stick up for him and many other people. He exemplified Emerson's "self reliance" and the Transcendentalist movement extremely well. He was a powerful individual with a lot of spirit.
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