Address to the Senior Class in Divinity College, Cambridge (1838)
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Emerson warns that conformity to societal norms often crushes the spirit of originality and inquiry. In 1838, when he spoke these words to future ministers at Harvard, American society was rapidly industrializing, valuing economic success over intellectual pursuits. Emerson implores his audience to resist the pressure to conform, urging them to remain true to their intellectual and creative pursuits. The "crisis" he speaks of is not a single moment but the ongoing battle between societal expectations and individual potential.