It is impossible to live an entire life without the help of others. Everyone begins by relying on their parents to feed them, care for them, and teach them. However, as people age, they learn to take care of themselves and be independent from others. In the essay “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson tells us that once people are able to be independent, they should be individuals who believe in themselves and do not conform to society. In American culture today, there are people who go with the flow and do what everyone else does. On the other hand, there are unique and self-sufficient people, and they are the ones who “set the trends”. American culture values ​​self-sufficiency to the extent that although the majority of people conform to society, there are some people who are self-sufficient and individualistic, which leads to their success and greatness. Emerson's essay is based on being an individual, non-conformity and self-reliance. These traits can be seen in the life of Chris Gardner in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness. Chris Gardner is a salesman who faces constant difficulty selling his X-ray machines. Even though he kept getting rejected by potential buyers, he didn't give up. He thinks about quitting, but then realizes that his son needs him. As an independent father living in San Francisco, he needs to find a job quickly. Receives a 6 month internship competing with 19 other people for 1 spot. Their job is to call people and try to convince them to finance the company. While constantly receiving denials over the phone, Chris realizes that "foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds" (Emerson, par 5). This means that repeating your mistakes will get you nowhere. So Chris is… halfway… independent and self-confident. Now Eric Thomas preaches words of motivation and inspiration to people across America. In today's American culture, self-confidence is just as valuable as Ralph Waldo Emerson suggests. Without self-sufficiency, people would not be independent. They would be followers and not leaders. No one would dare to step outside the box and be an individual. They would conform to society and nothing would change. With self-confidence, however, some people would use their abilities and develop a certain uniqueness. Think of it as a tailor-made suit. A bespoke suit is made specifically for that person and fits differently than a regular suit. The message of this metaphor is that people should have a tailor-made life. They should plan their lives around their needs and skills, rather than trying to fit into a one-size-fits-all lifestyle..