In the modern age, there are not many people that can be considered a transcendentalist. Looking at celebrities in particular, there are not many famous men and women that are courageous enough to break the conformist beliefs of critics. However, there are few that come to mind when asked who could be considered a modern day transcendentalist. One such person is Katy Perry. Katy Perry is the perfect modern transcendentalist. She is brave and expresses beliefs of individualism, but is not so outrageous that she is considered comical.
Katy Perry has many ways of showing her transcendentalist beliefs, and one way is through her actions and style. At the 2011 Grammy Awards, not only was Perry sporting a pair of large, white wings, she was also supporting her 90 year old grandmother who she had brought with her. Perry did not care what others thought of her decision to wear wings or bring her own “Grammy” to the red carpet. She followed her beliefs and did what was right for her.
Katy Perry also shows her belief in being an individual through her music. One of her songs, Firework, expresses many transcendentalist beliefs. In the chorus, Perry states “Come on, show ‘em what you’re worth.” This is a very non-conformist idea, to show others exactly who you are and nothing less. Emerson himself said that as a human, it is ok to change your mind as long as you do not say that your beliefs have not changed only to remain constant. “You’re original, cannot be replaced”, in the second verse, couriers an even more transcendentalist belief. The line stresses the importance of the individual, a strongly held belief of every transcendentalist that ever lived. If the lyrics were not enough, the music video only pushes the point further. It shows a larger girl stripping down into her undergarments and jumping in a pool, she does not care what others think of her anymore because she is being herself. It shows a boy walking up to another male and kissing him, he does not care what others think of him anymore because he is being himself. Individuality is the core belief of transcendentalism, and both Katy Perry and her song Firework express it perfectly.
Everything considered, Katy Perry is the perfect image of a modern day transcendentalist, and she shows it through every aspect of her life.
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