There are several recurring themes in The Moral Obligations of Living in a Democratic Society by Cornel West and Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Those themes being individualism and community. Both men advocated for the rejection of conformity, it is up to the individual to speak up for themselves and to not be constrained by others who have been given a false sense of superiority. These essays complement each other very nicely, by comparing the two it helps the reader to really gain a better understanding of the themes. By looking at Cornel West and Ralph Waldo Emerson we can see the importance of Individualism, Nonconformity, and Community in advancing the individual and ultimately society in a democratic system, specifically the United States.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was a pioneer of the Transcendentalist movement in the nineteenth century. This is a philosophy that is reliant on the belief that individuals know what is inherently good for themselves and that following one's instincts will lead you to happiness. His writings would influence many later writers and philosophers including Cornel West. Emerson rejected conformity above all things, he writes, "To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men- that is genius."(Emerson, Page 438) That quote embodies transcendentalism, he is stating that each individual has different unique thoughts that are worth hearing and if you suppress your beliefs it will lead to unhappiness. Instincts will guide the individual in the right direction. Following other people will make you feel small and inferior but in reality everyone is equal. Society has brainwashed people to believe that there are people that are superior to others and swaying too far from popular beliefs and ideals is wrong. Emerson writes that "envy is ignorance and imitation is suicide."(Emerson, Page 439) Emerson warns us of envy, making idols of other people contributes to the individual's feeling of inferiority and it makes them feel small. The ones that we look up to are no greater than us, "Accept the place the divine providence has found for you"(Emerson, Page 439). The people who have reached notoriety are the people who have put forth their own unique thoughts and ideas. Emerson believes that everyone has an untapped genius but fear of rejection prevents them from speaking up and proposing their ideas. Ralph Waldo Emerson asks the reader not to compromise on your beliefs and not be afraid of offending people, everyone has different opinions but we are bound by our consciousness not to say them; this is wrong. Emerson writes, "These are the voices which we hear in solitude, but they grow faint and inaudible as we enter into the world." (Emerson, Page 440). By this he is talking about instincts and how society tells us to be obedient for the sake of unity. Everyone in Emerson's eyes is equal and has the potential to change the foundation of society, nothing can bring the individual peace, but the self-confidence to say what is on our minds and the fortitude to not differ in our views despite oppositional opinions. 

Cornel West also talks about the importance of nonconformity in society. Cornel West is an advocate for democracy but he feels that as a whole society is lost due to the unfair distribution of wealth. At the time of this essay being written in 1999 the "One percent of the population owned 48 percent of the total net financial worth" (West, Page 457) in America. Modern day democracy is based on the idea that every citizen has an equal say. West considers this principle an illusion. Cornel West feels that "A democratic sensibility undeniably cuts against the grain of history" (West, Page 457). History has focused solely on society's elite but society itself was built on the working class, "Most of human history is the history of elites, of kings, queens, princes, prelates, magistrates, potentates, knights, earls, and squires, all of whom subordinated and exploited everyday people." (West, Page 457). The working class has been represented in the government by those elites despite being the majority. They have been taken advantage of and lead to believe that they are inferior to those elite members of society but in truth everyone is the same and has the potential to be successful. West refers to this idea that most people throughout history and even today have been limited by the illusion of elitism when he writes "Ordinary people were limited to the idyllic and the comic, the assumption being that their lives were less complex and one-dimensional" (West, Page 457). Cornel West fears that this divide between social classes still plagues modern day society and the only way to obtain a true democracy is for the lower class to stand up for themselves. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson advocated for individual thought and he thought that only through solitude could truth be reached. Instinct and trust in ourselves will lead us to the answers we are looking for. Emerson felt that being exposed to society would deter people from thinking for themselves but that does not necessarily mean that he was anti-community. Emerson writes, "The great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude" (Emerson, Page 441). Emerson is saying that the true test of a courageous man is one who embraces their uniqueness and does not attempt to conform to anyone. Sticking to our own personal beliefs will ultimately make us happier and more content with our place in society. We should respect other's different views and opinions and demand that they respect ours. Accepting the fact that no two people share the exact same idea's will prevent us from casting judgment. If every member of society thinks for themselves and has a mutual respect for others, the world will be a better place. Self-confidence and trust in yourself will allow us to stick to your beliefs in a community. Our community will ultimately be better and its citizens happier if everyone is free to think for themselves.  

Cornel West stresses the importance of community in his essay, the Moral Obligations of living in a Democratic Society. To him community and fraternity are the essential ideals in a Democratic Society. People's values have evolved from integrity, kindness, and compassion to greed and a lust for power and wealth. Our present lifestyle is based on consumption and materialism, our measure of success is one's ability to obtain material objects through any means necessary. This infatuation with consumption has driven society away from its traditional values and has led to a great divide. West write, "Tragically, nonmarket values are relatively scarce, which is one of the reasons why it is so tough to mobilize and organize people in our society around just about any cause" (West, Page 460). Accepting your inferior place in society because you lack money or possessions has led to an unbalanced social system, the rich get richer while the poverty level stays stagnant. It is not until the lower class realizes that their voice matters just as much as the ruling class when we can obtain a true democracy. When the lower class decides to not conform to their place in society is when change will come. The unequal distribution of wealth caused by greed has led to a hostility between social classes. This animosity has led to fear, the harsh realities of social life has instilled a sense of aggression in America's citizens, according to West "The result is a society in which we do not even respect each other enough to listen to each other" (West, Page 458).West asserts the only way to fix this miscommunication is to teach "nonmarket values" to our youth. The reason people have been apprehensive about teaching loyalty, respect, and empathy among other virtues is because as a whole we all have been so caught up in consumerism. People expect something in return for their good deeds. Everyone is so focused on succeeding financially that they forget their sense of community. In order for a true democracy to take place people need to be selfless and use integrity as their moral compass not their bank account. Cornel West talks about empathy and it's importance in improving communities. West writes "Empathy is not simply a matter of trying to imagine what others are going through, but having the will to muster enough courage to do something about it" (West, Page 460). This goes back to Emerson when he talks about the importance of self-confidence. Without trust in ourselves, we cannot speak up and make an effort to change things. Change in our community's starts with a change in oneself. According to West a true democratic civilization will not be obtained until everyone is equal and that all starts with a mutual respect for one another. 

There are many parallels between the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Cornel West. They share the belief that not conforming will lead to a better community because people will be happier and more accepting of the variety of different ideas and beliefs. A mutual respect for each other will cause society as a whole to advance together as one and although each person should be free to think for themselves they cannot get so caught up in their own beliefs that they form a hostility between others with different views. These two essays complement each other because they have several themes that tie together. Both authors have interesting viewpoints on how a successful community could be obtained, and they certainly have strong arguments for the importance of why people have the right to free speech and thought. By putting these two essays in conversation with one another it gives the reader a better understanding of the importance of trusting yourself and having self-confidence to improve the community. Change in society starts with change in its citizens, when this happens the American community as a whole will improve and we will be closer to obtaining a true democracy. 

