The world is his who can see through its pretension. What deafness, what stone-blind custom, what overgrown error you behold, is there only by sufferance,--by your sufferance. See it to be a lie, and you have already dealt it its mortal blow.
Interpretation
Understanding the world's illusions allows one to transcend them.
Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote emphasizes the importance of perception in discerning the truth behind societal norms and pretensions. By recognizing the falsehoods perpetuated by tradition and custom, one gains power over them, effectively dismantling their influence and asserting personal freedom.
In practice
During a motivational speech about critical thinking and self-awareness.
It is plain that there is no separate essence called courage, no cup or cell in the brain, no vessel in the heart containing drops or atoms that make or give this virtue; but it is the right or healthy state of every man, when he is free to do that which is constitutional to him to do.
Few people have any next, they live from hand to mouth without a plan, and are always at the end of their line.
Men cease to interest us when we find their limitations
Tis the good reader that makes the good book; a good head cannot read amiss: in every book he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakeably meant for his ear.
The world belongs to the energetic.
Hast thou named all the birds without a gun?
The great apparent dichotomy is that the more we give, the more we get.
He possesses dominion over himself, and is happy, who can every day say, "I have lived." Tomorrow the heavenly father may either involve the world in dark clouds, or cheer it with clear sunshine, he will not, however, render ineffectual the things which have already taken place.
Life whispers to you all the time...from the time you wake up in the morning and with every single experience.
Learn your techniques well and be prepared to let them go when you touch the human soul.
The free exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
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