Skip to main content

How would a person benefit from being self-reliant?

Self-reliance, like almost any personal or societal concept, carries with it a raft of both positive and negative attributes. In the United States, self-reliance has been the dominant theme since the beginnings of the nation, as the first settlers were forced, by the mere need to survive, to be self-reliant.


As the earliest settlers were setting foot on utterly unfamiliar territory and were uncertain of what type of human presence they might encounter, they had to quickly rely...

Self-reliance, like almost any personal or societal concept, carries with it a raft of both positive and negative attributes. In the United States, self-reliance has been the dominant theme since the beginnings of the nation, as the first settlers were forced, by the mere need to survive, to be self-reliant.


As the earliest settlers were setting foot on utterly unfamiliar territory and were uncertain of what type of human presence they might encounter, they had to quickly rely on their own skills at providing themselves shelter, food, and virtually every other necessity to survive. Though they received some help from people native to the lands they encroached on, the focus of their survival was self-reliance.


Likewise, as they established colonies in the New World and began to expand westward, they were confronted with similar conditions, encountering unfamiliar lands and native populations not eager to share their homelands.


Even today, Americans are often encouraged to "Go it alone," to not rely on others, to "blaze one's own path." Nations are at times encouraged to be self-reliant, to not depend as much on international trade or relations but to attempt, to the best of their ability, to supply their own needs.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and... Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the v...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more