Although the transcendental movement lasted only a few years, its influence is still evident today. Transcendental principles can be found everywhere and can be be applied to your life. It is more than just history!
In Music: In Movies:
Selena Gomez's song "Who Says" emphasizes the importance of being yourself and not listening to what other people are saying about you. She embraces the transcendental idea of accepting yourself for who are instead of changing to fit the beliefs of society. Only you can decide what to do with your life.
Lady Gaga's song "Born This Way" portrays the transcendental ideas of being confident and a non-conformist. Lady Gaga is saying that God made her this way so she is going to live her life to the best of her ability and be true to herself. She emphasizes the idea that it is a good thing to be different and always be true to who you are.
Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde is about Elle Woods, a girl who is dumped by her boyfriend and then follows him to Harvard Law School to win him back. She does not fit the stereotypical law student at Harvard. She loves pink and fashion and would rather go to a party then study for an exam. However, even though she is different, she does not let Harvard change who she is and must rely on herself in order to make it through school. She discovers that she is actually a very talented lawyer and never sacrifices who she is in order to succeed.
The Little Mermaid
In The Little Mermaid, Ariel is a mermaid who is forbidden to go anywhere near land because her father preaches that all humans are evil. However, instead of just listening to what her father tells her, Ariel decides for herself whether or not she likes humans. This relates to the transcendental idea that people should not just accept what society or teachers tell them. Every individual must make their own decision about what they believe in.
In Books:
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This book is about a freshman in high school named Charlie. He doesn't fit in with everyone else and doesn't really have any friends, until he meets Sam and Patrick. They teach Charlie that it's okay to be yourself and that he shouldn't spend time trying to be popular or to fit in. This relates to the transcendental idea of non-conformity and that we should embrace who are instead of trying to be the person society expects you to be. Charlie discovers a lot about himself through his experiences and realizes he is a special and important individual.
In TV Shows:
The Big Bang Theory
This television show is about a group of friends who are all very intelligent and would be considered "nerds". Sheldon and Leonard share an apartment and live across the hall from Penny. Sheldon is a very unique person. He doesn't understand human emotion and likes everything a certain way. Although this causes him to lose friends and be made fun of, he never stops being himself. Sheldon is embracing the transcendental idea of non-conformity. He doesn't care about what society thinks of him.