According to Emerson's Self-Sufficiency, “It is easy in the world to live according to the opinion of the world; it is easy in solitude after oneself; but the great man is he who, in the midst of the crowd, maintains with perfect gentleness the independence of solitude. On the contrary, life in the 19th century was neither private nor peaceful. Many employees were mistreated and had their rights violated, particularly in the late 1960s after the Vietnam War. Jimmy Hoffa, the leader of the successful Teamsters union, was a hero to mistreated trucking employees by winning employee benefits and respect. However, his growing success led to his own personal troubles. Due to Hoffa's mob mentality and deadly connections, Hoffa gained an infamous reputation, which could have turned into a positive reputation with some guidance. If Ralph Emerson were Jimmy Hoffa's trusted advisor, Hoffa's mob associates and connections would be non-existent due to Emerson's transcendentalist ideals of autonomy and individuality; today's unions would therefore have less power. Everyone has a past that educates, changes their perception and shapes the future. Jimmy Hoffa's past was marked by difficult economic distress, a constant work environment, and both negative and positive aspects of the job. These attributes helped shape his future as an infamous political leader. When Hoffa was seven years old, his father died of lung cancer while working in a coal mine. Following this tragic death, Hoffa was exposed to the fatal consequences of the job. His father's death caused his mother to take on his burden as both father and mother; Hoffa also had to double his responsibilities in maintaining order of...... middle of paper ....... November 2, 2011. Hoffa, James Riddle and Oscar Fraley. Hoffa. New York: Stein and Day, 1975. “Jimmy Hoffa” print. ProQuest International Academic Research Library. ProQuest, 2001. Web. November 2011. Miller, Arthur. “McCarthyism.” American Masters. Educational Broadcasting Corporation, August 23, 2006. Web. November 2011. .Ridenour, Amy. “Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson.” National Center for Public Policy Research - A conservative organization. 2008. Internet. 05 November 2011. Schulman, Frank. "Ralph Waldo Emerson." UUA server for other organizations' websites. Internet. November 5, 2011. Synder, Todd. “James Hoffa, boss of the Teamsters union”. Cartoon. Politifake. Politifake, September 7, 2011. Web. November 2011. “Transcedentalism”. Harvard Square Library. UUA Emerson Bicentennial Committee, 2009. Web. 2011