Do more research, watch more clips on YouTube about Julia Butterly Hill (this is the one we started), OR research someone completely different that you think reflects Transcendentalism. Then, defend your position using the additional information you discovered.
It is possible to be a modern day transcendentalist, just like it is possible to follow any philosophy today that may have been invented in the past. Especially when looking at people who embody what it means to be a transcendentalist. Somebody like Julia Butterfly Hill is not that far off from John Muir who feel a deep connection to nature and who'll defend it by all means. These feelings of connections to nature are still prevalent in today's society and transcendentalism is as well.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that it is possible to be a transcendentalist in the modern world. Kurt Kawohl, in addition to Julia Butterfly Hill, make it extremely obvious that there are modern-day transcendentalists. Kurt experienced a near death experience in 1956 when he had a very severe case of pneumonia. The following quote describes how he recovered from this debilitating sickness; "Several nights later, it felt as if my spirit left my body and it experienced being in a place with a gathering of souls or spirits. I sensed great peace, tranquility and ecstasy -- a rapture that was beyond a person's imagination. I felt as if I was a part of ALL, a part of God. I was mentally communicating and in sync with everyone, including not only some of my deceased acquaintances and relatives, but many of the prophets of the Bible, and historical people I had read about. There was no dominant force, no forceful leader. I somehow knew who everyone was. Every thought interacted with the whole community. I had no questions; it seemed as if everything was revealed and crystal clear. I saw the universe stretched out with spirits engaged in mental interaction like master craftsmen contemplating the creation of a new frontier." Both Julia and Kurt had near death experiences that caused them to make drastic changes in their lives , and they both seemed able to access God through themselves in a spiritual way. That is one of the key aspects of Transcendentalism. I believe that these two individuals have altered the common characteristics of Transcendentalism that existed over one hundred years ago, and have added their own. Kurt is the founder of Transcendentalism Today and it goes by the following definition; "Transcendentalism Today is not a religion but is the attempted logic and rationality that can and should be applied to them. It is a conglomeration of similar, but diverse ideas about literature, religion, culture and philosophy. A system of philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical and material. If logic is implemented in religions then we have the beginning of rational spirituality rather than religions that are nourished and sustained by superstitions. Truthfulness and rationality in religions are truths that can be substantiated by science or those that can not be proven to be wrong. Logic dictates that spiritual interaction is only possible between the Spirit of God and the spirit of man; claims of supernatural acts performed by physical or spiritual beings in the physical universe are not rational. Is mankind incapable of accepting these truths?" Additionally, both of these people were driven by creative impulse, and are not driven to have materialistic items. As a whole, I think that they are modern-day transcendentalists, but have changed the official definition of what it means to be one. Technology, and an ever changing world as altered the meaning of this term.
ReplyDeleteI think it's possible to be a modern transcendentalist. Of the theories we've studied transcentalisism was the most recently created. The older philosophies are capable of modernizing so it make sense that transcendentalism should be able to as well. As our society changes it forces ideas previously invented to change with the rest of the world. The ideas behind transcendentalism like minimal government involvement, corruption created by society, the inportance of learning from nature and self sufficienty, are ideas people still believe in today. People like Julia Butterfly Hill for example have demonstrated several of those beliefs. Just because a person does not share all the beliefs of previous transcendentalists does not mean they can't be a transcendentalist. As the world has changed ideas have been forced to change as well todays trancendentalist encompass many of the previous trancendental beliefs but also help create some of their own adding on to the changing meaning of transcendentalism.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is possible to be a modern transcentalist because of the different degrees of transcendentalism. As society changes, people's ideas of the world begin to change and new perspectives are being developed. I also with Jordan when she says transcendentalism is one of the most recent philosophies. It is entirely possible because of how recent it is; it's hard to lose a concept in such a short period of time - it usually takes much longer. Even if the theory ever begins to lose its shape in the world, and it becomes distorted, I believe someone will always find it again and look at it in their own way; much like the two people did in the videos we watched.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that it is possible to be a modern day transcendentalist. Even though majority of the cases aren’t as extreme as living deep in the woods your whole life surviving on nothing but fruit and trusting God to protect you, there are still many cases of modern day transcendentalism. The story of Kurt Kawohl is a perfect example. His perspective on life changed the day he had a near death experience. His biography has references to encountering with a "supreme spirit" and ever since that encounter, he has not been taking life for granted. Like a transcendentalist, he includes God or the “supreme spirit” in his everyday life and continues to spread his barbaric yawp across the world through his teachings of his experience and how he has transformed his life. Even though Kawohl did not live his whole life in the untamed nature, he is still a modern day transcendentalist because of his values, morals and actions.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that it is possible to be a modern transcendentalist today because of the corruption of nature from other sources. I the world of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, the fact is that the social, economic and political world has taken over in every part of the world, even nature. Yes, we do have National Parks and protected forests but those too have been corrupted by people and buildings. There is no way possible that a person can be a transcendentalist today because at least some of the drive of being a transcendentalist would be from the works and doings of the government, or the people, or politics (which is government and people). Whether the “transcendentalist” is agreeing or disagreeing with the logic that has been so set forth in these past years, as well as today, there is a greater ulterior motive than peace with nature. Julia “Butterfly” Hill had a brave idea of trying to save the redwood trees in California, but she enjoyed the praise that she received from fans and media alike. Sure this could be a spiritual journey, but at the same time it is a very good chance that this “spiritual journey” could become a best seller and make this “transcendentalist” very wealthy (TREES!). In every since, in today’s modern world, a transcendentalist could not exist because of other outside sources.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that there can be a modern day tanscententalists. It's hard to completely step out of society with everything we are used to. It's easier to follow it in comparison to other philosophies we have studied in this semester, in that it's more recent and more logical.
ReplyDeleteJulia butterfly hill is not a transcentalist in my mind. I strongly feel this mostly because she doesn't break free of society. She doesn;t live off of and within nature, she has others bring her food and water. She depended on society's resources to save the worlds resources. She is more a modern day environmentalist.
I do not believe it is possible to be a modern transcendentalist in the world today because of the impact society has on an individual. Yes Julia Butterfly Hill had a strong connection to nature, but after reading her story one might ask if she chose to live in the tree (Luna) to connect with nature or was her experience more of a rebellion against the company planning to cut Luna down. A transcendentalist's journey should contain some control and self preservation, but it seems that those attempting to be transcendentalists in today's world lack those qualities because they want themselves to be seen as a free spirited individual who can do as they chose. I feel that a true transcendentalist is an individual who makes a journey without thinking of societies viewpoint and makes choices for the strict purpose of connecting with nature.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is possible to be a modern transcendentalist in our world today, but I think it would be extremely difficult to really capture the true definition of what people mean by 'modern.' As we discussed in class, the bar has been raised so high particularly by Chirs McCandless, as he to transcendentalism to an extreme that most would never be capable of. I believe that Julia Butterfly Hill was one of the closest examples we can get to a 'modern transcendentalist.' Though she had food, clean laundry, and other supplies brought to her by her support team, that is exactly what Thoreau did, and if he claimed to be a transcendentalist based on the fact that he lived in nature and by nature (if not completely), what is the difference then between Julia Butterfly Hill and Thoreau? Yes, times have changed, but along with those changes comes many issues and change in opinions. Julia Butterfly Hill took it upon herself to protect a piece of the nature that she loves. She literally put her life on the line in order to save just one tree, also in an attempt to make a statement to potentially save many others. Thoreau's purpose was to make a change in the people around him, and to make them realize that nature is not only beautiful, but provides life for everything living on the earth. He lived in nature to prove this point, and even if the message was somewhat effected by the fact that he was still completely connected to society, he proved his pove for nature while proving the absolute power of it as well. Julia Butterfly Hill not only lived in nature (which is life-endangering in itself), but sat firm in her tree while trees were falling all around her. So many people were against what she was doing, yet she never backed down until she felt her statement was truly made. I believe that Julia Butterfly Hill shows an example of modern transcendentalism that is as close to perfect as one can get without going as extreme as Chris McCandless.
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I think it is possible to be a modern day trancendentalist. People will believe what they want, and no one can force them to believe something that they don't want to. Just because the trancendentalist move is "over" doesn't mean it is gone entirely. This just means that it might not be as prominent or popular in our culture today.
ReplyDeleteModern transcendentalism is possible, because it is a lifestyle that everyone can choose. There are many different degrees of transcendentalism that you can be or believe in and that is a big part of modern transcendentalism. The freedom to believe in as much or as little is an important part. People may not take it as far as Thoreau or Emerson did, but it is possible to have your own spin or version of transcendentalism.
ReplyDeleteI think it is possible to be a modern transcendentalist. Considering the recent trend toward "green" ideas, being able to connect with nature and the earth as a whole is becoming more important to more people. People like Julia Butterfly Hill, who have such a strong connection to nature that it literally makes them start crying to think about trees being cut down.In the rush of today's world even average people, who are not over-the-top nature lovers appreciate the chance to get away and relax in a natural world. Doing things like hiking, rafting, camping, or simply taking a walk in the park show how the ability to connect with nature is still present in today's society. While these examples may not be the perfect fit as to what the traditional transcendentalist looks like, it is a modified version to fit the cultural feel. Modern transcendentalism may look different than what influenced its founders such as Thoreau, but it is equipped to fit the world that we live in today.
ReplyDeleteI think it is possible to be a transcendentalist in our society because people can appreciate nature because it is so readily available. I also think that in our society, transcendalists are known as another name; "tree huggers". Also, since transcendentalism supports freedom, one has the freedom to have your own kind of it and follow which parts of this lifestyle you want to.
ReplyDeletei think that it is possible to be a modern transdebtalist. My Brother is a perfect example of a modern transidentalist. He rejects tradition and makes his own path.Sean is not materialistic and in many ways is very similar to Chris McCandless.He left Colorado and hitchhiked his way south to the beaches of South America making friends and memories along the way. Like Evan said, transcendalism is about freedom. My brother is not letting anything get in the way of his quest. He gets jobs every so offten but mostly he relies on his wits, like Chris McCandless. my brother has taught himself contentment and he is one with himself. as i belive nick said, there is corruption, but there are also those who callenge that, people like Sean.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is possible to be a modern day transcendentalist. Transcendentalism is about standing up for yourself or others, and seeing as we live in a free country, this is very possible. It is also about nature, and getting in-touch with one's wild side. In regards to the abundance of wilderness area, national and state parks, and relatvely undevloped land in the world let alone Colorado, nature is not too far out of reach. Although some of the words are the same as are the main prospects, modern transcendentalism and 1800s transcendentalism are different. Moderns, also referred to as "Treehuggers" by Evan, are abundant in our scociety. This is why modern transcendentalism is possible and real. With the above being said, it is harder to be an 1800s transcendentalism in this day in age, not because of the person, but because of the abundance of techonlogy. If someone were to go out and live alone, like Chris McCandless, there would still be evidence of man, which ultimately means contact cannot be avoided, and like Thoreau demonstrated, it would be near impossible to live totally off of the land as an 1800s transcendentalist. It is possible to be a modern day Transcendentalist, just not in the sense of an 1800s transcendentalist.
ReplyDeleteI think it is possible to be a modern day transcendentalist. People like Chris McCandless and Julia Butterfly Hill demonstrated the belief system. In order to be a transcendentalist you don't have to follow the ideals exactly. The green movement/recycle/save the environment has been reaching out to many people across the nation. These ideals that govern the actions of these movement are transcendentalist. Sometimes I wonder if being a rebel is confused with being transcendentalist because of the common belief that society is somewhat corrupting. Was Chris McCandless really trying to be a rebel and prove a point to his friends and family or was he really hoping to find himself and live amongst nature? Sometimes it is hard for an outsider to truly tell if one is transcendentalist because of the specific reasoning behind one's decisions. Many followers such as Robert Frost and Walt Whitman contributed to the growing group. But they modernized transcendentalism and entwined into the society we live in today. This is because of their high acclaim and excellent writing does one see the true ideals of transcendentalism come out.
ReplyDeleteI think it is possible to be a modern day transcendentalist in society. Not all of these cases will be as extreme as living in the trees such as Julia Butterfly Hill, but instead can relate more to Chris McCandless and are looking for meaning in their life. Chris seperated from society like the transcendentalist views showed. He showed that he did not want to depend on people to be able to survive but instead felt as if he needed to survive by using nature. In today's society it is said that there are not as many transcendentalists but are instead calling themselves transhumanists. There are many similarities between these two ideas as shown by Julian Huxley who was the brother of the author of A Brave New World. Transhumanism says that society limit people in today's world which as a view that was stressed by Thoreau.
ReplyDeleteI believe that a modern transcendentalist is entirely possible in today’s world. Earlier in the year, we took a quiz to determine if we were a Rationalist, Romantic, or Puritan. All three of these movements were equally (if not more) drastic than Transcendentalism but yet, all were possible for humans today. Transcendentalism is founded on the concept of depth beyond material possessions and understanding nature. Many religions agree with the idea of the true worthlessness of material things and stressing the spiritual. Although agreeing with this concept does not solely qualify one as a Transcendentalist, living by it could. An example of a man I feel represents Transcendentalism is Eckhart Tolle. He is a German author and spiritual teacher. He takes Transcendentalism very seriously by teaching that to fully appreciate life (a Transcendentalist ideal) one must be removed from the material world’s influence on the mind and focus on the present moment. His teachings are very similar to Thoreau's and thus show that his understanding of the spiritual side of life classify him as a modern Transcendentalist.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that it is possible to be a transcendentalist in our moderm world. People like Julia Butterfly are proof that it is possible.Transcendentalism is about rebelling to develop your own freedom; away from modern society. Nature is like a retreat and is where transcendentalism can be formed. People who are for saving the trees and other enviornmental ideas are rebelling against our modern society to create their own beliefs, freedom, and their own kind of "spiritual retreat".
ReplyDeleteI think it is possible to be a modern day transcendentalist. Transcendentalism is about yourself, your freedom, and how you connect to nature. I agree with Chelsea that there are different degrees of transcentalism that are shown today. People interpret transcendentalism in their own way and have different opionions on whether people like Chris McCandless and Julia Butterly Hill are examples of modern day transcesdentalist. I think they are because they are acting on their instincts to not just prove something to our society but to prove to themselves about survival and determiniation. They both make their own connections to nature so they can find themselves. As I said before, Transcedentalism is about freedom, freedom to interpret life and express it in your own way just like both of them did.
ReplyDeleteI believe that modern transcendentalists are around today; that the philosophy/belief was modernized and exists today. People can either be driven to take such a philosophy into action by previous circumstances in their lives or by their thoughts, emotions, and dreams. Transcendentalism is known for people being put at peace through and by nature. Julia Butterfly Hill was put at peace when she knew she was saving nature, saving what helped her get over her hardships of the past. I believe that when people can connect to nature when they’re in a healing process, trying to find themselves, or any other circumstance, they are modern transcendentalists.
ReplyDeleteYes I do believe that modern transcendentalists can exist in this modern world. The trick is to adapt that philosophy to your life now. No it will not be the same philosophy as it was one hundred years ago but it will be similar and have the same tenets of peace in nature and searching inside yourself. And there are several examples of these transcendentalists including Chris McCandless of Into the Wild who escaped this ever-expanding society and eventually found peace even as he was dying.
ReplyDeleteI do not think it is possible to be a modern day transcendentalist because of the vast reach of today's society and the urge most 'trasncendentalists" have to tell society of their goal. Julia Hill's goal was not to save one tree that she connected with,it was to spread the awarness of the devastation of forests.If her goal was to save one tree,then she is not a transcendentalist becasue she only connected with one part of nature, not the whole forest. Transcendentlaists can only exist outside of society, away from all things corrupting man. If any exist we should not know and publicize it, otherwise they would not be.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that there can be modern day transcendentalists. I think that our world is too civilized that it is nearly impossible to completely escape society. Even if one does manage to escape societies grasps, they are still constantly trying to avoid it still, so it is not out of their heads. And especially people like Julia Butterfly Hill, they spend their lives constantly trying to convince the world that they are transcendentalists, and that in itself makes them involved in society. Julia was in no way escaped from society, she still had a ton of contact with the world through all the letters she replied to and the interviews, etc. So I do not think that it is possible to be a modern day transcendentalist.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is possible to be a modern day transcendentalist, but the extent to which an individual is isolated from society and lives off nature has changed. It has become near impossible to completely achieve isolation from all aspects of society because society has expanded and become so deeply rooted in all aspects of life. Individuals such as Julia Butterfly Hill and Chris McCandless can be classified as modern transcendentalists in some aspects, such as removing themselves from their normal environment to live in nature. However, when looking at the intent of their isolation, the two are very different. Julia Butterfly Hill escaped to the sanctuary of a redwood tree in order to save the tree from the impact of societal progression. In this way, she was still closely involved with society. Chris McCandless, on the other hand, left socity to find himself, not to find or save nature. He was seeking the thrill of adventure, hoping to find himself within this thrill. I would classify McCandless more as a transcendentalist than Julia Butterfly Hill.
ReplyDeleteIt is possible to be a modern transcendentalist. But in the chaos in today's world, it is hard to define a true transcendentalist, and it usually depends on personal definition. Julia Butterfly Hill can be considered a transcendentalist (no matter how crazy she is), by the inference that she has a grasp on the idea that life can only lived to its fullest by the strong connection of an individual with Nature. Her love for the Redwood Forest and her willingness to put her own life on the line for the preservation of Nature defines her own connection to Nature. This is a very transcendentalist action (with the inference that she was not doing this in the effort to be publicly recognized), and because of her effort to complete and live her life through Nature gives her the title of "modern transcendentalist".
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ReplyDeleteNewport Beach, California, USA - Kurt Kawohl authored a recently released book called “Urantia United, Tapping Into The Mind Of God". In this book and in his other book, “Transcendentalism – A New Revelation” Kurt explores the origin of religious beliefs and religions. He credits most past religious leaders, writers and prophets of the “Holy Books” with having experienced spiritual interaction with a spiritual existence but attributes their mind’s interpretation of these events as often being blended with superstitions. The author’s concept of God as a spiritual deity is also derived through his own spiritual experiences and says that the spiritual existence is a spiritual unity without a domineering leader; is the progressive, cumulative spiritual intelligence of the universe, a collective of all of the righteous souls who have passed into the spiritual realm.
Contact Name: Kurt Kawohl
Contact E-mail: kkawohl1@cox.net
Website: http://www.lulu.com/kkawohl1