At the very beginning of Nature, Emerson asks a question that I have given much thought to recently: "Why should not we have a poetry and philosophy of insight and not of tradition, and a religion by revelation to us, and not the history of [our forefathers]?" He's basically asking why we feel the need to follow exactly in our parents' footsteps when it comes to religion. I would say that it's simply a case of it's easier to do that than seek our own way, but I'm not sure I have an answer just yet.
I commented on Sierra's.
I think that some people who follow in the footsteps of their parents when it comes to religious beliefs or political beliefs are just not motivated to put any thought into anything else. They want it to be easy to believe in something and not have to do any research on religion or politics in order to form their own opinions. It's just easier to do exactly what has been done for however many years.
ReplyDeleteI think that some people who follow in the footsteps of their parents when it comes to religious beliefs or political beliefs are just not motivated to put any thought into anything else. They want it to be easy to believe in something and not have to do any research on religion or politics in order to form their own opinions. It's just easier to do exactly what has been done for however many years.
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