Every writer has their own writing style and their own way of going about writing. Ralph Waldo Emerson for example has a very different writing style than that of Cornel West. Even though these two writers may be widely different in style, they are still capable of getting a message across to the audience. It is important that we find the message behind what the two writers are saying and compare it rather than comparing their styles. If we compare Emerson's "Self Reliance" and West's "The Moral Obligations of Living in a Democratic Society" we can conclude that people have a natural tendency to conform to society which is dangerous to an American society whose value system consists of freedom of speech, thought, and belief.

Emerson starts his essay off immediately speaking about conformity. The conformity he is speaking about comes natural to man. Emerson says "Yet he dismisses without notice his own thought, because it is his. (Emerson, " Because the thought is our own, we tend to dismiss it without even noticing we are doing such. Conforming to society is nearly impossible to avoid. Emerson brings up a great point on childhood. He believes infancy is the only true purity of mind. Emerson says "Their mind being whole, their eye is yet unconquered  (Emerson, 438.)" Because infants have yet to be conscious in the world their mind will not yet be tainted with someone else's information. Even infants do not stay unconfirmed long for they will soon learn to speak and that will start their process of conforming to society. Emerson is saying that from day one American society has started to conform the infant without the infant having a chance to stop it. Emerson once again says "Society is a joint-stock company, in which the members agree, for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater. The virtue in most request is conformity." Emerson is showing his opinion on society and conformity. He is showing how people typically feel safer surrendering their liberty and culture in order to one hundred percent guarantee their success. In other words, people don't want to speak up and voice their opinions in fear of not getting what they want and being persecuted. In response to this people tend to take the easy way out and conform to society. But doesn't this go against the values that America was founded on? Emerson is showing the audience how society as a group has managed to take away, in a small sense, the freedoms that were originally created for the public. This goes against what this nation was founded on. Conforming to society like this can be dangerous because it takes away one ability to think for themselves and to have their own opinion.

Alongside Emerson, West also speak about conformity. West does not in any way shy away from the conformity theme. His opinion is given in a more indirect way. This can be partly found in the sixth paragraph when West says "Most of human history is the history of elite, of kings, queens, princes, prelates, magistrates, potentates, knights, earls, and squires, all of whom subordinated and exploited everyday people." These powerful people have always conformed society by subordinating them and exploiting them. They have done this by putting themselves in power and by putting everyone else below them. This of course excludes American government right? America was founded on the principle of freedom yet somehow our thoughts can still be controlled by our government. This is what West is getting at with this quote. With these rulers and powerful groups placing rules on society people are conformed in groups usually without noticing. West also says "Problem people become indistinguishable and interchangeable, which means that only one of them has to be asked to find out what all the rest think." West is trying to get a good point across. He is showing how people in a society tend to think alike. If one person goes along with something pretty much most of everyone else will follow along. People have forgotten in a sense how to think for themselves and how to act for themselves. Essentially people have forgotten how to be American. Not because of their own choice, but because an elite few have taken over. 

Emerson has his own solutions for how to deal with conforming to society. As simple as it may sound Emerson believes nonconformity is the solution to the problem. Emerson states "Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist. He who would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by the names of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness." This clearly states what Emerson believes should be done to counter conformity. The person should go against what everyone else is doing and obtain their own values and thoughts. In America more specifically, Emerson wants people to gain their freedoms back. They should not go along with something because of the way someone persuades them but should voice their own opinion on the matter and speak based on their own thoughts. He does however say it will not be easy. Emerson says "For nonconformity the world whips you with displeasure." He shows that people are going to look upon you differently and rudely if you go against the grain. People like for you to believe the same things they believe and tend to get upset when you don't. He also writes "The by-standers look askance on him in the public street or in the friend's parlor. If this aversation had its origin in contempt and resistance like his own, he might well go home with a sad countenance; but the sour faces of the multitude, like their sweet faces, have no deep cause, but are put on and off as the wind blows and a newspaper directs." This is Emerson's way of trying to get across to the audience how unimportant these people are. People are always going to be upset so it doesn't matter. This shows how he sees conforming to the society to be a bad thing that could possibly cause problems.

West also has his own ideas for how to deal with conformity. West believes nonmarket and market values are the way to deal with conformity. This in its own way is a version of nonconformity. He gives a list of what he thinks nonmarket values are and he implies what market values are. He says "Parenting is a nonmarket activity; so much sacrifice and service goes into it without any assurance that the providers will get anything back. Mercy, justice, they are nonmarket. Care, service; nonmarket. Solidarity, fidelity; nonmarket. Sweetness and kindness and gentleness. All nonmarket." These are in his opinion what are important for nonconformity in an American society. His view is slightly different than that of Emerson. West says a major problem is that these nonmarket activities do not receive enough attention. Also just like Emerson, West sees how difficult these activities are. West states "In our own time it is becoming extremely difficult for nonmarket values to gain foothold." He also sees the problem in conformity and states his view on what needs to happen in order to make things better. 

Emerson also includes how dangerous conforming to an American society can be. He speaks about the troubles that conforming brings with it. A great example of this would be when Emerson said "The objection to conforming to usages that have become dead to you is, that it scatters your force. It loses your time and blurs the impression of your character." He is saying that conforming does nothing but waste your time and alter the way your character is supposed to be interpreted. Anyone who conforms to society and follows society tends to behave the same and can loose a part of their character. In a sense this character can be one that stands up for their rights and argues their own thoughts. Time can also be wasted doing things society wants that may be unimportant. Emerson also says "The civilized man has built a couch, but has lost the use of his feet. He is supported on crutches, but lacks so much support of muscle. He has a fine Geneva watch, but he fails of the skill to tell the hour by the sun." Society has crippled man with its inventions and conformity. Looking back at West's essay and comparing the two, it is clear to see that Emerson is talking about the market values that West refers to. This helps show the correlation between the two. Both have similar points and reasoning's behind what they are saying. They both feel as if there is some danger to conforming. 

Just like Emerson, West also includes how dangerous conforming to society can be. West states more effects of conforming than Emerson did. For example: West said "I believe we are living in one of the most terrifying moments in the history of this nation." West is merely stating his opinion in this sentence but it is important. This sentence possibly shows West's reasoning behind writing this essay. He has a sense of fear. West goes on to talk about how "No democracy can survive with a middle class so insecure that it is willing to accept any authoritarian option in order to provide some sense of normalcy and security in their lives." West is showing how bad conformity has become. Conformity has become so terrible that people have become insecure and are completely unable to think by themselves. When West says this he is referring to the United States. People in the United States are letting someone else make the choices when they should step out of their comfort zone and try to alter the choices being made. They have come to the point at which they crave normality and will turn to anyone who makes them feel as if everything is normal. West is showing here how people are to the point of refusing to step out of their comfort zones and are settling for what seems normal. This is a problem in todays society. Again West says "The market tries to convince us that we are really alive only when we are addicted to stimulation and titillation." This shows how the market has control over society and is causing people to loose their sense of individuality. This is a problem that West is defining and bringing forward to the public. 

To conclude the comparison of Emerson's "Self Reliance" and West's "The Moral Obligations of Living in a Democratic Society" shows the audience how people have a natural tendency to conform to society which may be dangerous to an American society. While their styles may be completely different, the point that was attempted to get across was all the same. A great example of this similarity would be when West said "We are all in the same boat, on the same turbulent sea." And when Emerson said "Society is a wave. The wave moves onward, but the water of which it is composed does not." These two sentences are not worded the same but they both used the same analogy to get their point across. A close analysis will prove that any two works of art can have similarities in what they are trying to say. This happened to be the case for these two essays.

