Understanding American Culture Through Emerson’s Self-Reliance
For many of you doing business with Americans it may be hard to understand the emphasis on individualism, why we tend to prioritize the individual over the group. I believe understanding this difference will help you understand your American colleagues and clients. I recommend reading a foundational essay of American culture, Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson, written in 1841. It is a difficult read so I’ve summarized it for you below and provided some direct quotes so you can get a feel for the language of that time. I’d love to hear your thoughts on these similarities and differences between American and Japanese culture.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) was one of the most important American writers and thinkers of the 19th century. He was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, and poet who is best known for leading the Transcendentalist movement. The Transcendentalist movement was a 19th-century philosophical and literary movement in New England that emphasized individual intuition and spiritual insight as the true paths to reality, rejecting societal conformity and organized religion in favor of self-reliance and a direct connection with nature and what he called the universal spirit. He moved away from traditional Christian notions of God. He believed spiritual truths and the divine can be accessed directly through the natural world without the need for organized religion. I’m not that familiar with Japanese traditions, but I believe some traditions would agree with this notion, please correct me if I’m wrong.
Emerson’s main point (assertion) is to trust thyself which means an individual should trust their own inner voice and instinct as the ultimate source of truth above all external authority (society, government, and etc.). He states, “Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” This is part of the reason Americans tend to revere (think highly of) what we call the “self-made” person, someone who succeeds through their own will and effort as opposed to inheritance, connections, or governmental influence. This is part of the main reason why we hold individual rights and personal freedoms above collective needs at times. It’s in contrast to Japanese (Wa, 和) where the most important thing is often maintaining smooth relationships, following group consensus, and understanding one’s role within the larger structure (the family, the company, or the nation). In Japanese Wa trusting the group’s judgment is often considered safer and wiser than trusting one’s own conflicting opinion which is the opposite of Emerson’s view. If you understand this foundational motivation of many Americans it will help you better understand meeting discussions and negotiations.
Emerson’s essay places a great value on individuality. Even if one is criticized one should express their individuality as each individual has a perspective to share that is very much their own. Not sharing one’s individuality means conforming and neglecting authenticity. Americans often celebrate the person who stands up to the crowd or challenges the established way of doing things (status quo) seeing it as a moral necessity. This is shown in his quote, “Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist.” This view had a great influence in the 19th century where pioneers expanded west with no one to rely on but themselves. It’s also why many Americans value small government and have a lot of skepticism toward institutions (governments, religions, banking systems). At work, challenging the boss or leader is seen as sometimes necessary in order to innovate or improve things. It’s a sign of integrity to speak up if you need to and a sign of shame to stay silent even if you have a better idea or think something is wrong.
Emerson emphasized individuality by saying, “Envy is ignorance; imitation is suicide.” In contrast, Japanese society highly values hierarchy (Keigo) and the social contract of being a respectful member of society (Shakaijin, 社会人).Fitting in and understanding one’s place is essential for stability. Standing out too much or publicly questioning the group’s direction can be seen as disruptive, potentially damaging the harmony that everyone works hard to maintain. Thus, we can see how in the US standing out is seen as a positive whereas in Japan fitting in is preferred. That’s not to say this is a hard rule as many times even in the US the situation calls for us to conform or fit in, but generally the underlying attitude is an acceptance and celebration of those who stand out. Your American colleague is not being rude or trying to be offensive when speaking his/her mind or offering a different solution but speaking up is a sign of integrity. “The great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.” Generally, Americans tend to believe their happiness, peace, and success must come from themselves and within themselves. Historically, the root of the American Dream isn’t material success but rather the belief that you alone are responsible for your success and external backgrounds like family, social status, or age don’t matter as much as personal effort.
He also moves away from accepting rigid consistency or tradition without question. “Speak what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon balls, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day.” Emerson supports people changing their minds as long as it is held with true belief and conviction. This is part of the reason Americans value breaking the status quo (typical way of doing things) and are constantly trying to change and disrupt things. This is similar in Japan (Uchi-Soto/Gaman) where personal effort is deeply valued (Gaman, 我慢—endurance), however the difference is that in Japan traditionally success is often viewed as a product of the collective effort of the Uchi (in-group) and is shared by the entire team or family. Failure often involves a sense of collective responsibility for letting the group down. The American focus on extreme self-reliance can sometimes feel isolating compared to the Japanese emphasis on mutual support, yet to make it on one’s own is seen as a sense of pride in the U.S.
I’ll end by sharing two original quotes and a modern day translation. Let me know your thoughts on Emerson’s ideas and if it helps you understand American culture a bit better.
| Original Text (1841) | Modern Translation |
| “Life only avails, not the having lived. Power ceases in the moment of repose; it resides in the moment of transition from a past to a new state.” | “Only the present moment matters, not the past. Your power disappears when you relax; it only exists when you are moving forward and changing.” |
| “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.” | “The only source of peace is internal. You will only find peace when you live according to your own moral principles.” |