Self-sufficiency - Is total autonomy possible? If you are self-reliant, you don't need to depend on anyone. This is the obvious message that Emerson is trying to convey in his essay “Self-Reliance.” It seems Emerson believes we all need to be individuals and put ourselves before others. However, the real question is “is it possible to be completely self-reliant”. After re-reading Self-Reliance, I feel like this question is truly impossible to answer. Emerson presents us with a very confusing argument that seems to go around in circles with no apparent outcome in sight. He believes we can all be “self-sufficient,” but is that true? Most students seemed to believe that it is not possible to be “totally” independent. For example, not all of us are doctors and since injuries occur frequently, as do “cold” viruses, it would be completely impossible to be self-reliant if you want to live a long and healthy life. Another example would be the quest for knowledge, you must depend on others who lived before you and the books they wrote to truly understand the world today. But could it just be about using the tools around you? There is no clear answer in the essay. The flaws never stop, but eventually they are answered somewhere in the essay, but at that point you are too confused to actually understand the meaning. The web text really helped with this reading, especially regarding the "major flaw" of the essay. I have to agree with Ann Woodlief as well as the rest of the class that Emerson really used the term "exaggeration" to the extreme in this essay. As the class discussed the essay, I immediately understood what was happening, but every time I thought I knew what was happening, Emerson would make a "twist" that would confuse us. He didn't seem to care whether the reader understood everything he was talking about as long as he got the general idea. I assume he would just fill in the gaps later in the essay and not feel obligated to explain every point. Another point the class wanted to know was who was he writing this essay for. Is it for himself, his peers, the common man or perhaps the student?