Emerson Quotes and Ideas for Amelkin

As I promised on that wall, I came up with a few quotes by Emerson.

1. - A friend is one before whom I may think aloud.

2. - A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.

3. - A man of genius is privileged only as far as he is genius. His dullness is as insupportable as any other dullness.

4. - Be not the slave of your own past. Plunge into the sublime seas, dive deep and swim far, so you shall come back with self-respect, with new power, with an advanced experience that shall explain and overlook the old.

5. - Colleges hate geniuses, just as convents hate saints.

6. - Every sweet has its sour; every evil its good.

And I give some advice on each quote.

1. This quote relates to the two faces of man: the interpersonal and the intrapersonal. When one becomes "intimate" or a friend of another man, one allows for his thoughts to flow through the other's mind uncensored. The "why?" is for you to expound upon.

2. The amount of bravery at any single moment is unimportant, what is important is how long that bravery lasts. The longer the bravery lasts, the more the hero can accomplish. The "how?" is yours to ponder.

3. The genius, rather than being entitled to a post higher than that of the normal man, has no entitlements whatsoever. He'll be just as boring as the next man if he does nothing. The "why?" is yours to describe.

4. If one remains focused on the past, one forgets the present and the future. Instead of a random focus on how the past turned out, one should try something new and come away with different experiences. The "why some men don't try" or "what does Emerson mean by advanced experience?" are all suitable thesis statements.

5. Tricky and politically incorrect quote. Tackle with caution. Deals with how organizations want to uphold a standard and nothing above that standard. A college doesn't need many geniuses. A college needs a well respected community of many men. Individualism vs. Collectivism. Find some questions yourself.

6. Explores the antithetical basis of morality. High order type of quote. Explores the duality of good and evil and how there must be a bad for every good. Why? Find out for yourself.