Stately, courteous Ralph Waldo Emerson, the transcendentalist icon? Feh. That guy was a selfish lout. Or rather, his message has been misinterpreted for so long now that its true thrust and underlying meaning have become diluted and mangled. Nah, he probably just wanted us all to make a lot of money and crush people. (FULL ARTICLE: Benjamin Anastas, The New York Times)