Transcendentalism is the belief that every individual is capable of doing the right thing if they rely on themselves and distrust organizations that attempt to control them. I would identify as a transcendentalist. I believe that governments' purposes are honorable in their intention, but they have become too much of a comfort object for humans. They are corruptible and many times only seek to maintain power, and this poisons the communal spirit of society instead of fostering it. Religion, again is honorable in its purpose, but it assimilates people into reestablished groups, and eliminates from them their freedom of mind. I believe that government in particular sets limits on people, preventing them from reaching their potential and fulfilling their sense of identity. People spend their lives making money and working jobs in order to pay taxes that support their government. The government regulates money, which is what the people are forced to obtain in order to survive. They cannot truly rely on themselves when they must constantly feed this system. It is like applying their own life support. They rely on the government, rather than solely themselves. Religion does not conflict with transcendentalism as directly as government does, but its assimilation of people into established thought groups destroys their freedom of mind, and as a result, their individualism. It is possible to be a religious transcendentalist, but only if the religion is what the individual truly wants to follow. Even in this case, limits are set upon individualism. The mind's future growth is inhibited even if the present state is fulfilled. They answer to another power rather than themselves, and this treads upon their sense of individualism. I identify as a transcendentalist because I do not want limits set upon my mind.