Emerson "Self-Reliance" Response
“Speak your latent conviction, and it shall be the universal sense….”
This quote is saying that whatever one truly believes in is what that person should follow. It’s about asking people to speak what they truly believe in because then it will become true all over world. The quote encourages people to voice their true beliefs and opinions while having the confidence that it will hold true, and it’s acting as a source of motivation for the people out there to voice out their inner convictions. It’s saying that by voicing it out, one has the ability to change many peoples’ perspectives and make it a world-wide truth. “Latent conviction” is a true inner belief that people have. The “universal sense” is the truth or reason behind what’s happening. It’s the backbone of peoples’ beliefs and keeps people striving for what they think is best. Without a universal sense in peoples’ lives, we’d all be apathetic and not accomplish or realize anything. This has been proven time and time again in history and is constantly supported by famous figures.
A prime example of this is Martin Luther King Jr. He preached what he believed in because he strongly felt it was the way things should be. King was fighting for what was right in a time where a lot of society was going against him. Many people threatened and heavily opposed against King. That didn’t detract him. Equal rights for African Americans in America was something he believed in and was a universal truth to him. It didn’t matter what racists believed because what they believed in wasn’t Dr. King’s latent conviction. He wouldn’t let a large crowd of people sway what he held dear. Whether it was the violent racists or the African Americans eager to physically fight back, King preached peaceful demonstrations and stuck by his word. So often we easily accept what others say as the truth. It’s very easy to go with the majority; go with what’s popular and be one of the many. It takes a lot of courage; however, to go out on a limb and support what one thinks is right and defend it. King has shifted peoples’ view over the years and has made a worldwide impact. He has been able to speak out his own latent conviction and make it true for many people around the world.
People have the power to influence others and that’s what latent truths should be about. It’s not something that should be kept hidden, but something that is conveyed around the world until it holds true to others. Latent convictions should be things that are held closest by people. It’s what should drive everybody to achieve their goals and fulfill their potential. It’s what people should try and do to the best of their capability. A latent conviction isn’t just something people should view as something made-up and strictly personal either. It’s not something that should only apply to that person. To that person, the inner conviction should apply to all circumstances and be true for everybody. The message should be spread across the world and that person should preach it. When a person is ready to pursue something with dedication and sincerity, then one will know that he or she is pursuing their latent conviction.
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