“Every man discriminates between the voluntary acts of his mind, and his involuntary perceptions, and knows that to his involuntary perceptions a perfect faith is due….Thoughtless people contradict as readily the statement of perceptions as of opinions, or rather much more readily; for they do not distinguish between perception and notion.”
Throughout Emerson’s Self-Reliance, he motivates humans to have confidence and trust in themselves. Most importantly, Emerson encourages man to always have faith in his involuntary perceptions. Perceptions are instant and intuitive recognitions or thoughts that one forms immediately after experiencing or sensing something. Emerson tries to tell us here that our first intuitive response is always pure, and that we must trust and have faith in it if we are to have confidence in our own selves. Emerson seems to view mankind as inherently good. Therefore, you should have faith in you’re first thought formed about something, even though your actions might not mirror your perceptions. Emerson also makes clear the importance of thinking and forming your own opinions. He says thoughtless people can’t distinguish between their intuitive thoughts and their opinions. Therefore, thoughtless people are those who don’t actually think and form their own beliefs. They wander aimlessly through the world without their own outlook on life. These thoughtless people are those who haven’t found who they really are or where they stand in the world. Emerson encourages us all not to be thoughtless people, but to think so that we can define who we are, and always trust that our thoughts and perceptions are always natural and pure.
