"I am arrived at last in the presence of a man so real and equal that I may drop even those undermost garments of dissimulation, courtesy, and second thought, which men never put off, and may deal with him with the simplicity and wholeness with which one chemical atom meets another."
This quote is striking because in sums of up in just a few words what a true friendship should model itself after: upfront honesty, truth, and complete understanding between friends. I agree with Emerson's idea that friends should treat each other with the utmost respect and honesty with each other, I try to live each and everyone of my days as an Emersonian friend.
That being said, it is extremely difficult to live as an Emersonian type friend because of the differences in each relationship and friendship and how they develop. Every different friendship is different because of the circumstances in which each friendship develops and how society and the enviroment in which the friendship is nutured reacts to it. Every friendship is different, and because of this, there are many different levels of friendship.
As a result, I don't think we as humans are naturally inclined to share our innermost thoughts with a new friend. We must reach a certain level with someone before we can drop all our insecurities and thoughts around them. Because of this, there is a certain limit to our friendships, and we can only attain the highest level of friendship after we reach a certain level of comfort. That is why Emerson's ideal friendship is in fact so ideal. It is ideal because it brings us faith and comfort that when we do in fact reach that level of friendship with a person, we can come out from behind the wall we are hiding behind and show our true selves. We can drop "our undermost garments" and share with someone the truest version of ourselves. That is why the Emersonian ideal is so great. We can share with someone else our greatest burdens and be able to lift the monkeys off our backs without facing any repercussions from society or from judgement. We can live life in its truest, most simple form when in the company of true friendship. This is what drives us to form the friendships that we so desperately seek on a day to day basis. The ultimate feeling of openness and honesty and simplicity.
That being said, it is difficult to always be open and honest with one's friends all the time because of the different situations we face with our friends. For this reason, Emerson's idealistic friendship is tested everyday in the little white lies we tell our friends or the things we tell our parents to get them off our backs. For this reason, in many ways, it is unrealistic to assume that we can ever form a friendship exactly alike to the Emersonian model. But that's not the point. We just need to come close enough.
This quote is striking because in sums of up in just a few words what a true friendship should model itself after: upfront honesty, truth, and complete understanding between friends. I agree with Emerson's idea that friends should treat each other with the utmost respect and honesty with each other, I try to live each and everyone of my days as an Emersonian friend.
That being said, it is extremely difficult to live as an Emersonian type friend because of the differences in each relationship and friendship and how they develop. Every different friendship is different because of the circumstances in which each friendship develops and how society and the enviroment in which the friendship is nutured reacts to it. Every friendship is different, and because of this, there are many different levels of friendship.
As a result, I don't think we as humans are naturally inclined to share our innermost thoughts with a new friend. We must reach a certain level with someone before we can drop all our insecurities and thoughts around them. Because of this, there is a certain limit to our friendships, and we can only attain the highest level of friendship after we reach a certain level of comfort. That is why Emerson's ideal friendship is in fact so ideal. It is ideal because it brings us faith and comfort that when we do in fact reach that level of friendship with a person, we can come out from behind the wall we are hiding behind and show our true selves. We can drop "our undermost garments" and share with someone the truest version of ourselves. That is why the Emersonian ideal is so great. We can share with someone else our greatest burdens and be able to lift the monkeys off our backs without facing any repercussions from society or from judgement. We can live life in its truest, most simple form when in the company of true friendship. This is what drives us to form the friendships that we so desperately seek on a day to day basis. The ultimate feeling of openness and honesty and simplicity.
That being said, it is difficult to always be open and honest with one's friends all the time because of the different situations we face with our friends. For this reason, Emerson's idealistic friendship is tested everyday in the little white lies we tell our friends or the things we tell our parents to get them off our backs. For this reason, in many ways, it is unrealistic to assume that we can ever form a friendship exactly alike to the Emersonian model. But that's not the point. We just need to come close enough.
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