Question(s): 1. According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, if being one's self demands independence

does this entail that an individual can go against what regulates the community as

one whole entity? Is he/she part or apart from his/her community? How can an

independence be claimed and sustained amidst the sense of individualism and

altruism (being in a community) without sacrificing how one intentionality can

become?

Answer and Explanation:

1. Being yourself can be very difficult to achieve because it often requires the individual to go against the values that regulate the society he lives in. In that case, to be yourself is to be independent of the community as a whole entity. This generally applies to people who identify themselves as contrary to what society imposes. However, there are individuals, who are independent, but their personality is in accordance with the values of the community in which they are inserted.

2. Even if the individual breaks with the values that regulate the community, he must be seen as a part of the community and not as a separate element. This is because even in disagreement the individual composes and contributes to the growth and maintenance of the community, even if indirectly.

3. Independence can be achieved even in the midst of a sense of individualism and altruism if the individual remains faithful to what he or she identifies with, but maintains participation in community activities, always seeking to promote the good of society. This is also a difficult task, especially if society is intolerant and non-inclusive.