"A man is a method, a progressive arrangement; a selecting principle, gathering his like to him; wherever he goes"

Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote talks to the idea that a male is a reflection of the options he makes and individuals he surrounds himself with. He is a method, a progressive plan, meaning that he is continuously progressing and growing. He is a picking principle, suggesting that he has the ability to choose the people and things that he wishes to be associated with. Wherever he goes, he is able to bring in individuals who are similar to him, and this is a reflection of the choices he has actually made in his life. This quote speaks with the concept that a male is a product of his own choices and individuals he selects to associate himself with. It is a suggestion that we are all responsible for the people we select to surround ourselves with and the decisions we make.