Transcendental Aphorisms

"All the adversity I've had in my life, all the troubles and obstacles have strengthened me."

Walt Disney

Tenet 4- Self-Reliance
     You are the only one who can possibly overcome your own obstacles to become stronger.

-Givy

Transcendental Music- Anklebiters by Paramore

Why do you care what people think?
Are you hooked up to their leash?
You know anklebiters
Ate up your personality.

Try to remember how it felt
To just make up your own steps
And let anklebiters
Chew up, spit out someone else.

Fall in love with yourself.

Because someday you’re gonna be
The only one you've got.
Someday you’re gonna be
The only one you've got.

Why you wanna please the world
And leave yourself to drop dead?
Someday you’re gonna be
The only one you've got.

What do you actually expect?
A broken mirror to reflect?
You know, anklebiters
Gave you a false perception.

And why do I defend
(C'mon, c'mon) your ignorance?
Oh, why do I defend
(C'mon, c'mon) the state you're in?

You should fall in love
With yourself, oh, again.
Fall in love with yourself.

Because someday you’re gonna be
The only one you've got.
Someday you’re gonna be
The only one you've got.

Why you wanna please the world
And leave yourself to drop dead?
Someday you’re gonna be
The only one you've got.

Anklebiters! Anklebiters!
Someday you’re gonna be alone!
Anklebiters! Anklebiters!


Tenet 4- Self-Reliance & Individualism
     Transcendentalists were all about trusting yourself and being who you're meant to be. This song is about falling in love with yourself, trusting who you are, and ignoring what society says. Don't let the anklebiters chew you up and spit you out- never conform.

-Kat

What transcendentalist principles are reflected in contemporary literature?

     Transcendentalism is still very much alive in our culture today, though you won't hear the word in many conversations you hear around yourself. The majority of young adult novels today focus on the extremely transcendental ideas of self-reliance, non-conformity, and spontaneity.

     Divergent is one such example- here is a link to our post about the movie. The main character of both the novel and the new movie adaption is Tris Prior. She's strong-willed, intelligent, clever, and determined to stick to who she is, though who she is may not always be clear to her. With the kind of self-reliance that Tris has, she can certainly do anything she puts her mind to, as any transcendentalist would wish everyone could.
     the movie (online) - the book (from amazon) - the author (Veronica Roth)

     Delirium features another strong female character- Lena, who lives in a future world where love is considered a disease. There's even a cure for it, meant to be administered when you reach a certain age. But, of course, there are always a few rebels. Delirium and its sequels follow Lena and others as they fight the society that believes that love should be eradicated to eliminate pain and numerous other inconveniences. The non-conformists of these novels holding on to humanity are truly transcendental.
     the book (from amazon) - the author (Lauren Oliver)

     The Fault in Our Stars is a novel focusing on a portion of the life of cancer patient Hazel Grace Lancaster. It explores life and death in a simple book, and shows the reader that no matter how much time you have, you should be soaking it all in. Hazel could have sat around alone in her bedroom day in and day out, but she shows us that sitting around is certainly not the best way to live. You have to take chances and opportunities, and make as many memories as you can. Seize the day.
     the movie trailer (coming June 6) - the book (from amazon) - the author (John Green)

Transcendental Aphorisms

"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us."

Henry David Thoreau

Tenet 2- God is in Nature and Man
     Don't waste your time dwelling on the past or worrying over the future. Instead, realize that a piece of the divine soul is in you and that that is of more importance than either the past or future.

-Kat

Transcendental Aphorisms

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tenet 5- Trust Spontaneous Feelings and Intuition
     Basically- seize the day. Enjoy each day you have, and truly live your life embracing nature and the people around you so that you know you have lived as fully as possible.

-Kat

Transcendentalism in TV/Movies- Peter Pan

      An adaptation of J. M. Barrie's story about a boy who never grew up. The three children of the Darling family receive a visit from Peter Pan, who takes them to Never Land, where an ongoing war between Peter's gang of rag-tag runaways and the evil Pirate Captain Hook is taking place.

      Description from IMDB.com.

Watch the full movie here!

Tenet 5- Trust Spontaneous Feelings and Intuition
     Peter Pan is about adventure, taking a leap of faith, and trusting quick decisions- something the transcendentalists would surely have been proud of.

-Kat

Transcendental Music- Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas

You think you own whatever land you land on
The earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name

You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or ask the grinning bob cat why he grins
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind

Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sun-sweet berries of the earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once never wonder what they're worth

The rainstorm and the river are my brothers
The heron and the otter are my friends
And we are all connected to each other
In a circle of a hoop that never ends

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or let the eagle tell you where he's been
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind

How high does the sycamore grow
If you cut it down then you'll never know
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
For whether we are white or copper skinned
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountain
We need to paint with all the colors of the wind

You can own the earth and still
All you own is earth until
You can paint with all the colors of the wind


Tenet 2- The Divine Soul is in Nature and Man
     Pocahontas sings about how every rock, tree and creature are alive. Everything is a part of the divine soul, so everything is connected and should be respected as such.

-Kat