In Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson describes autonomy as the perception of one's interpretation of reality, or truth. “What I have to do is whatever concerns me, not what people think,” Emerson says. It emphasizes the dignity of the individual and advocates that each individual is capable of discovering the truth for themselves, through their intuitions. He believes that the human being is the master in his true form. Emerson encourages readers to understand the truth in their own voice, not in the voice dictated to them by society or government. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayIn 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 shaping behavior; individuals should only “trust each other.” In my opinion, individuals are unique and they should be able to express who they are and what they want. Moreover, it is their right to choose the truth and share it with society. People do not need to be viewed as identical entities. Even if the individuals who speak out against it have been seen as wrong or abnormal and there is a price to pay for non-compliance. “Therefore let a man know his worth and keep things under his feet. Let him not look, nor steal, nor wander up and down with the air of a charity boy, a bastard, or an intruder, into the world that exists for him.” Although we are more successful in accepting the idea of ​​difference, there are certain social contexts where conformity is an absolute. However, Emerson's understanding would pose a grave danger to society. Today we live in a post-truth world where debate is largely structured by appeals to emotion. Such a culture involves the government rejecting evidence-based reporting and instead choosing to craft a truth, or policy, that fits its own views, because people tend to believe information that confirms their current biases. We can presuppose that we live in a world where political culture is largely informed by political debate designed to appeal to emotional beliefs rather than discussions around policy. In other words, we no longer live in a political world where the truth matters – but did it ever? Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Social media is a revolutionary tool that has allowed information to spread on a global scale. Anyone with access to a social media platform is able to express their opinion, which has led to the emergence of new actors in the public, political and global spheres. Although the idea of ​​propaganda and spreading fake news has been around for centuries, the emergence of the internet and social media has made it much easier to spread fake news. The new information environment plays a role in the destabilization of the truth as we know it because it impacts the voting behavior of citizens, which can be considered a threat to individual security because it could lead to the destabilization of liberal democracies..