Self-Reliance: Philosophies Of Transcendentalism And Individualism Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay Self-reliance, is an American romantic because it explores the philosophies of transcendentalism, and individualism. Transcendentalism is the belief that there is a higher reality, or truth that man can grasp through his intuition, not logic or science. The celebration of individualism, was to look to yourself, for your own truth and happiness, and not look to society, or your neighbor. These issues are still relevant today even though this essay was written in the late 1800’s. Transcendentalism is the key principle to Emerson’s wr