The world plays its movie in front of our very eyes: influencers covering our social media and ‘influencing’ our lives, people we see every day judging each of our steps, and a higher power setting expectations for each and every person. Many people may find that this world we live in is just pure Armageddon. The chaos of modern life, full of observation and unceasing standards, drains away all the hope in many individuals’ lives, thus creating a culture of self-stigma.
Many reasons have caused an outbreak and spread self-stigmatization throughout our society. Whereas it is a well-acknowledged fact that many of our citizens take birth with mental illness; according to Stanford Medicine, 50% of depression is hereditary. But where does this other 50% come from? It becomes important to investigate the societal pressures, particularly those stemming from the digital landscape dominating our lives, that heighten mental health problems.
It has been an addiction to cell phones that, during the past 20 years, has mostly prevailed between younger and middle-aged generations. The National Library of Medicine finds a link between phone addiction in adolescents and increasing rates of depression and anxiety. The real source for the increase in mental illness is not the phones themselves, but rather the content and the connections we go through with them. We are being bombarded with beautifully prepared images and stories that often speak to unattainable standards of beauty, success, and happiness. Such exposure creates a never-ending pressure on individuals to feel conformed with the ideals put forward by mass media.
Second, a lot of people are informed that peer pressure does exist; it influences our decisions and psychological well-being greatly. The easy access to our phones amplifies this pressure, as digital interactions are intertwined with everyday life. On social media sites, an atmosphere of comparison and contest is created in which many will feel incapable or even unworthy. This is specific to adolescents, who are still developing their identities and are easier to influence from the outside.
The importance of coming out of that particular lifestyle cannot be denied. In all fairness, this escape route must come from more serious contingents than just taking a short nap or taking your pet for a short stroll. It needs to be deeper and more intent-driven, whereby people can reconnect with themselves beyond the distractions of modernity.
They believed nature could help us transcend our limitations and find our ultimate potential through the 19th century. The transcendentalists searched for individual growth and self-reliance. They observed principles of idealism, individualism, and the inherent divinity of nature. This philosophy can be epitomized by Ralph Waldo Emerson, who in 1841 wrote his essay entitled “Self-Reliance,” stating, “Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist.” This one sentence captures the essence of the transcendentalist movement because the individual is called to be different in a society which calls for otherwise.
Henry David Thoreau was one of the famous transcendentalists who put these ideals to work. During March 1845, Thoreau went into the woods at Walden Pond and camped out for two more years. He existed a life of solitude, dependent upon himself and his work ethic. An authentic description of living deliberately and authentically tells about the power of nature and introspection in the development of the true self.
It may be that not everyone is called to spend years out in the wilderness, but people teach themselves solitude and how to be alone. This is many times the only moment when we can actually find out who we are. Alone, in personal experiences, we can reflect over our emotions, thoughts, and dreams; we can thus live for ourselves, not in reaction to the outward pressures.
Man now lives in a world where attachment to society has become more important, which, of course, is not bad. But it reaches a point where a person will lose his identity or self in the soil of dependence on what other people say about him. They may turn out living for others’ beliefs about them and end up being no more than mirrors of what society thinks they are and should be.
A former graduate of Oakmont, who has asked to remain anonymous, shared candidly about his mental illness and addiction to drugs, saying, “I started doing things because a part of me felt cool… or that there was kind of like a pressure on me that I had to.” He expressed how he had no idea for years who he actually was and that it would take time and self-reflection to find out. It is an experience shared by many individuals within our society, showing how different people wear masks to fit in and not show their real selves.
Self-discovery is an important journey for people to embark upon, to ‘transcend’ into their real best selves. This, naturally, involves courage, commitment, and even the confrontation of uncomfortable realities that come with the process of self-discovery.
Transcendentalists, although Emerson and Thoreau were people living in a world without smartphones and continuous digital involvement, the way in which they would apply their logic to today would certainly include detaching those devices from their lives. Taking time off from technology gives room for introspection and growing as a person.
It is not only pressure from society which constricts an individual from transcending into being a better version of themself, but also a sedentary life which a person leads. As stated by PubMed Central, an estimated 43% of Americans qualify as sedentary, which contributes to negative mental health outcomes. For those interested in nature willing to be actively outside, transformation may occur in a way transcendentalists presupposed. Outdoor activities result in revitalization, an increase in positivity, a decrease in tension, and a lower prevalence rate of depression, while simultaneously improving energy levels.
The young generation tends to become more vocal about what they believe in and act on behalf of the community, showing attachment to societal issues. Yet, there is something wrong; many are acting contrary to their well-being. About this phenomenon, Oakmont English teacher Mrs. Paula Stefanakos had the following to say: “The transcendentalists were the first to do it, but people practice similar ideals in different ways every day without even thinking about it.” Everything from weekend camping trips, meditation, to journaling, can promote feelings of self-discovery and fulfillment. These good behaviors can greatly help in improving the quality of life.
As society keeps developing and changing, the aspect of self-realization and transcendence should be of growing significance for every human being. We can learn from transcendentalism and attempt to implement some of its principles in contemporary life so that we will be closer to ourselves and the world around us. Embracing solitude, reconnecting with nature, and taking care of our well-being is all vital to becoming ourselves. After all, the journey of self-discovery is not only a personal one but an important process that may well lead everybody toward a more meaningful and fulfilling existence.
