self-reliance
a 10% compression cover of Emerson's classic essay
This is a “compression cover” of Self-Reliance (1841) by Ralph Waldo Emerson. I picked my favorite 10% of his material, re-arranged it, edited, and added my own connective tissue (the opening phrase is adage from my great grandmother).
This approach is different from the two ways that musicians or writers typically do covers. 1) By creating a faithful reproduction, you acquire the original author’s voice through osmosis. 2) By creating your own spin, you cultivate your own voice since the form is already solved. So, either you steal voice or impose your own, but both version don’t dare touch the structure.
Through a compression cover, you have to nuke the structure, know the material well enough to rebuild it, and develop a good-enough impression so no one notices a lapse in voice.
It’s great practice.
The process makes the subject matter more accessible and memorable too. I can now recite a lot of these lines. Given that I have a 1,000 word version (instead of 10k), I can re-read this in a single sitting as often as I want. For anyone who never read the original, this serves as an entry point.
Unlike a neutered, AI-generated summary, a compression cover captures the spirit of the original.
Typically, typewriter essays are only available to paid subscribers, but I decided to make this one free.