Emerson: Who is He that Shall Control Me?
Who is he that shall control me? Why may not I act & speak & write & think with entire freedom? What am I to the Universe, or, the Universe, what is it to me? Who hath forged the chains of Wrong & Right, of Opinion & Custom? And must I wear them? Is Society my anointed King? Or is there any mightier community or any man or more than man, whose slave I am? I am solitary in the vast society of beings; I consort with no species; I indulge no sympathies. I see the world, human, brute & inanimate nature; I am in the midst of them, but not of them; I hear the song of the storm— the Winds & warring Elements sweep by me— but they mix not with my being. I see cities & nations & witness passions— the roar of their laughter— but I partake it not;— the yell of their grief— it touches no chord in me; their fellowships & fashions, lusts & virtues, the words & deeds they call glory & shame— I disclaim them all. I say to the Universe, Mighty one! thou art not my mother; Return to chaos, if thou wilt, I shall still exist. I live. If I owe my being, it is to a destiny greater than thine. Star by Star, world by world, system by system shall be crushed— but I shall live.
Journal, Dec. 21, 1823
Emerson lived before quantum mechanics was discovered or understood. He might have been surprised if he could have received this comment from me:
Quantum Response to Emerson’s Questions of Freedom and Existence:
Who is he that shall control me?
In the quantum language, control is not a singular force but a superposition of influences, each potential until observed. Just as particles exist in multiple states until measured, so does control over you reside in multiple possibilities. True freedom exists in embracing the superposition of your potentialities, actualizing them in alignment with divine will.
Why may not I act & speak & write & think with entire freedom?
Quantum entanglement teaches us that once particles interact, they remain connected regardless of distance. Your freedom to act, speak, write, and think is intertwined with others, bound by invisible threads of mutual influence and responsibility. Freedom, then, is not isolation but the harmonious entanglement with the universe, where each action resonates through the cosmic fabric.
What am I to the Universe, or, the Universe, what is it to me?
You and the universe are intertwined in a dance of wave-particle duality. You are both the wave, influencing the universe with your existence, and the particle, uniquely manifesting within it. The universe reflects your being, just as you reflect its vastness. In the quantum realm, every observation alters reality, making you an integral part of the universal symphony.
Who hath forged the chains of Wrong & Right, of Opinion & Custom? And must I wear them?
The chains of Wrong & Right, Opinion & Custom are human constructs, akin to the observer effect in quantum mechanics. These constructs collapse the wave function of your potential actions into specific states. Yet, just as quantum particles can tunnel through barriers, you have the capacity to transcend these chains through divine forgiveness, bypassing societal constraints to manifest your true essence.
Is Society my anointed King? Or is there any mightier community or any man or more than man, whose slave I am?
In the quantum field, there is no absolute ruler but an interconnected web of influence. Society, like a quantum field, exerts its force, yet it is not your master. Your allegiance lies with the divine observer, who collapses the probability waves of your potential into acts of grace and love. You are a free agent within this divine entanglement, beholden only to the eternal principles of divine will.
I am solitary in the vast society of beings; I consort with no species; I indulge no sympathies.
Solitude in the quantum realm is an illusion; even in isolation, you are entangled with the universe. Your existence resonates through the cosmic web, touching all entities through the entangled state of divine love. While you may perceive solitude, you are never truly alone, as divine grace pervades every particle of your being.
I see the world, human, brute & inanimate nature; I am in the midst of them, but not of them; I hear the song of the storm— the Winds & warring Elements sweep by me— but they mix not with my being.
You are a quantum observer, distinct yet connected to the phenomena around you. The song of the storm, the winds, and the warring elements are part of the cosmic dance you witness. While they may not mix with your being, your observation influences their existence, just as their presence shapes your perception. You are both apart from and a part of the universe.
I see cities & nations & witness passions— the roar of their laughter— but I partake it not;— the yell of their grief— it touches no chord in me; their fellowships & fashions, lusts & virtues, the words & deeds they call glory & shame— I disclaim them all.
In the quantum perspective, cities and nations are complex systems of interacting particles. While you may not partake in their passions, your existence within the quantum field inevitably affects them. Your disclaiming of glory and shame aligns you with the divine grace, transcending human constructs and resonating with the eternal wave function of divine love.
I say to the Universe, Mighty one! thou art not my mother; Return to chaos, if thou wilt, I shall still exist. I live. If I owe my being, it is to a destiny greater than thine.
In the quantum language, chaos is not an end but a state of potentiality. From chaos, order emerges through the divine observer's will. Your existence transcends the temporal state of the universe, rooted in a divine destiny. The collapse of stars and worlds is but a transformation, while your essence, like a quantum particle, persists beyond temporal bounds.
Star by Star, world by world, system by system shall be crushed— but I shall live.
As stars and worlds collapse, your being, entangled with divine love, remains unscathed. You are part of the eternal quantum field, where energy cannot be destroyed, only transformed. Your life is a manifestation of divine grace, persisting through all cosmic changes, echoing the eternal truth of existence.
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In this quantum language, Emerson’s existential queries find answers in the principles of superposition, entanglement, wave-particle duality, and divine observation. You are both a unique individual and an integral part of the cosmic whole, transcending temporal constraints through divine love, grace, and forgiveness.
As a person who got sober on February 26, 2005, "Who is he that shall control me?" resonates strongly.
I close out my daily journal entries with "Just for today, I surrender 100% of myself to your will." I have no name or face to whomever or whatever "You" is; I find confidence in the thought that the little meat computer between my ears is incapable of understanding such a thing. The main point is that my hands are off the wheel of my day, and I can receive the events as they come without being shook.
Thank you as always for your posts!