"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."
Select a language to translate the page:
You will be redirected to the selected language version.
Born: 25-05-1803 – Died: 27-04-1882
Nationality: American
Known for: Poet, Philosopher, essayist
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882), known as Waldo, was a leading American essayist lecturer and philosopher. He led the Transcendentalist movement. Emerson was a champion of individualism and critical thinking. His essay "Nature" formulated Transcendentalism. His speech "The American Scholar" was called America's "intellectual Declaration of Independence". He wrote extensively on individuality freedom and the relationship between the soul and the world.
Explore more about Ralph Waldo Emerson's philosophy. [Source]
"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."