Transcendentalism and Deep Ecology - 556 Words

Transcendentalism has been linked to the birth of deep ecology, given the emotion and spiritual philosophy that connects the two movements. Both transcendentalism and deep ecology romanticize the natural world, and critique the way industrialization, modernization, and urbanization encroach on ecological and spiritual purity. The eco-centric worldview and value system espoused by deep ecology has its roots in transcendentalism (Hicks, n.d.). Both transcendentalists and deep ecologists disparage the ways individuals, communities, and whole cultures present the human being as being entitled to rape and plunder the earth. However critical they were of human activity and stupidity, the transcendentalists were not misanthropes. The transcendentalists advocated for a better world, one that discarded ineffective and corrupt forms of government in favor of a more just and egalitarian society. All were abolitionists, in an era where slavery and sexism were both normative. Emerson advocated material and spiritual self-reliance over philanthropy as a means of self-empowerment. He also criticized traditional types of philanthropy as having a certain air of quackery, (Emerson, 1842). Philanthropy is often used as an excuse to avoid doing the real work of transforming the self and the society, according to Emerson. Thoreau promoted political activism in a more direct way than Emerson. In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau advocated various forms of civil disobedience as a means ofShow MoreRelatedHenry David Thoreau : Idealism And Existentialism1311 Words   |  6 Pagesthis primarily point of Transcendentalism. He himself would have to discover one of the many routes that self-understanding of who you are and what is it that surrounds you have. His ethical and vital position is a proposal of an alternative way of life, which disputes the deep basis of our society and our interaction with nature. Describing how important it is to separate â€Å"man from society† and let it be a part of Nature is what made turned him into the prophet of ecology and civil disobedience.Read MoreEnvironmental Movements in the United States Essay1019 Words   |  5 Pageschange and substantial impact on the overall environmental health. The United States’ origin of environmentalism can be found in nineteenth century literature. The preservation era began with the newfound appreciation of nature that derived from transcendentalism. Ralph Waldo Emerson, author of the 1836 essay â€Å"Nature,† mentored and greatly influenced Henry David Thoreau, who went on to publish Walden in 1854 (â€Å"Ralph Waldo Emerson†). Thoreau’s studies of nature demonstrated the necessity of preserving