Philosophical
Train Journeys- Transcendentalism
Train journeys are good places to accompany mental journeys.
I wonder how many brilliant theories have been thought out through the window
of a train, with a beautiful open country side landscape whizzing past outside.
Silence makes us pensive and the constant change in the view makes us question,
makes us wonder. Seems like the perfect setting to philosophise, if only in our
minds. Alone with our thoughts we can reach that place, the place beyond
remembering where we left the keys or what we are going to have for lunch. That
place where we become immortal in thought.
This August, I discovered American Transcendentalism in Philosophy; it’s a beautiful doctrine from the 1830’ East Coast of America which believes in the inherent goodness of both humans and nature. They also claim that it is society and its institutions, especially the influence of organised religion and political parties, what are corrupting our essentially good nature. As if as children we were programmed to forget that part of our being, in order to maintain the previously existing society/economy. Transcendentalists believe that real individuals, who are independent minded and productive, are prone to show their goodness, instead of being the victims of fear. Thus if you are free minded and self-reliant, your true nature can be expressed, in its pure estate, thus the potential of who you could be, can be actualised. And then, a true community, formed of such individuals, can exist. Beautiful. When looking out through the window to the soft, beautiful and tender landscapes, and the taciturn faces of the rest of passengers whilst looking at the sunset, I wonder... Can we do that? Could we be that? Why people are not good to each other? We could be good to each other. Let’s be good to one another!
Some philosophical theories, such as this, do speak of a direct action. Transcendentalists criticise political parties, claiming that it makes the individual ultimately uninvolved with his/her community matters and a free minded person become nothing more that a number to vote, with the illusion of a voice. Having a voice over your small community could, perhaps, work better. Same with religion, which already tells you what is waiting for you in the afterlife before you can even attempt to live this one! Well, my fellow train passenger, the declaration of Human Rights was ultimately based on this the Transcendentalist theory, which claims that life is sacred and that we are good or have some sort of moral compass, if we only care to listen. A compass that can help us to live life deliberately, even if sometimes is easier to walk around with our eyes shut. Maybe there is something, something something to Transcendentalism. The train moves, time to eat, sleep, motive, organise, raise, recognise. We all have this dormant potential, if only we could stop the rush. To appreciate it and recognise it in one another could be the first step. Transcendentalism expresses the idea of a life lived like poetry, where you appreciate yourself and nature, where awareness if a gift and nature a blessing and we can build a world, were progress doesn’t look like destruction.
By Eliza Veretilo
The Philosophy Takeaway 'Open Topic' Issue 34
