In Self-Reliance Ralph Waldo Emerson describes self-reliance as the perception of one's interpretation of reality, or truth. “What I have to do is all about me, not what people think,” Emerson says. It emphasizes the dignity of the individual and argues that each individual is capable of discovering the truth on their own, through their own intuitions. He believes that human being is the master in his true form. Emerson encourages readers to understand the truth in their own voice, not as dictated by society or government. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In this regard, I agree with Emerson to some extent and in this essay I will describe my views on this matter. Emerson argues that foundations such as religion and society are truly useless in forming behavior; individuals should just “trust themselves.” In my opinion, individuals are unique and should be able to express who they are and what they want. Furthermore, it is their right to choose the truth and share it with society. People do not need to be seen as identical entities. Although people who oppose this are seen as wrong or abnormal and there is a price to pay for non-compliance. “Let a man know his worth and keep things under his feet. Let him not spy or steal, nor move here and there with the air of a charitable person, a bastard or an intruder, in the world that exists for him.” Even if we are doing better at accepting the idea of ​​difference, there are some social contexts in which conformity is absolute. However, understanding Emerson would pose a serious danger to society. Today we live in a post-truth world where debate is largely framed by appeals to emotion. Such a culture involves the government rejecting evidence-based reporting and choosing instead to develop a truth, or policy, that aligns with its own beliefs because people tend to believe information that confirms their current prejudices . It can be assumed that we live in a world in which political culture is largely informed by political debate that has been structured to appeal to emotional beliefs rather than discussion of policy. In other words, we no longer live in a political world where truth matters, but has this ever been the case? Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Social media is a revolutionary tool that has allowed information to spread globally. Anyone with access to a social media platform is able to express their opinion and this has led to the emergence of new actors in the public, political and global spheres. While the idea of ​​propaganda and the spread of misinformation has been around for centuries, the emergence of the Internet and social media has made it much easier for fake news to spread. The new information environment plays a role in destabilizing the truth as we know it as it impacts the voting behavior of citizens, which can be seen as a threat to individual security because it could lead to the destabilization of liberal democracies..