Listen to more stories on the Noa app. Want to stay current with Arthur’s writing? Sign up to get an email every time a new column comes out. Ample evidence exists to show that a lack of such ...

Nine score years ago, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote his American-spirited essay “Self-Reliance.” His thoughts echoed those of his soulmate, Henry David Thoreau, who went off to Waldon Pond to live it out.

Ralph Waldo Emerson is a giant of American letters, but thanks to his insistence on “self-reliance,” his writing has become a go-to reference for those who endorse a particular brand of American ...