The New Romantics: An Essay

The New Romantics


“We are the New Romantics.
The Revolutionaries.
Dreamers and heroes.
Self obsessed and determined.”

What happened to the great philosophers? The Emersons and Thoreaus? Where have the dreamers and great thinkers gone? What earthly crevasse hides the lost idealists and imaginaries? What heavenly rapture swallowed up all the wisdom and knowledge of the Natural World? I say now is the time for The New Romantics! Now is the time for a great phoenix to rise up from the ashes of industry. I invite you to escape to the forest, be lost in the streams and valleys, climb the highest peaks and reach out to the unseen. Grace the fingertips of God and be kissed by Mother Nature’s whisper. Come with me now and we shall save our souls, for we are The New Romantics.

Though I would consider myself an Existentialist I find the Romantic philosophy of Transcendentalism delightfully appealing. Existentialism’s main focus is on the existence of “self”. This meaning that we create a “self” out of experience and the choices we make. I have found that the same holds true for the Transcendental. Through the writings of Emerson and Thoreau I have learned of a deep Transcendentalist need for self-reliance and individuality very near to that of Existentialism. Both groups also seem to be searching for deeper meaning in a world they feel very detached from, whether it is the harsh world of reason and fact faced by Romantics, or the absurd, random world of Existentialist both of which, at times, I can relate.

Existentially, I deny a preset destiny, or a sole creator. However, I find myself very drawn to the Romantic ideals of the soul in Nature. As a self proclaimed “Woman Of Science” the idea that we are all energy (soul), and can become one with the raw energy of nature (The Oversoul), appeals to me deeply. Whether this brings us closer to God or the true meaning of life, I do not know. I do know, however, that there is a place in my rational mind and Romantic soul for both philosophies. It is a peaceful place where the inner child plays by glassy streams and the wise old widow knits in the shade. It is a place where both rhyme and reason; both fact and fiction sprout fruits dripping with life. It is a place for The New Romantics, and I ask you to join me there.

Words Of Exit: Rear Admiral Timothy Saltwater, on deck.