Post 2 "Gifts"

How should gifts be given and received?
Emerson definitely has many opinions on giving gifts. Not only does he think gifts shouldn't be materialistic, he believes that the only true kind of "good" gift is one that is an extension of yourself. Gifts that are given to satisfy a mere necessity are not valuable because they aren't a reflection of something far deeper and more personal. A true "giver" reveals something about themselves, or about the relationship between the giver and the recipient all in order to satisfy the recipient completely. One who gives for their own satisfaction is selfish and untrue to Emerson's characteristics of a decent giver. One should also beware that if you give a gift so great, immense or overwhelming; it leaves the recipient in a place of debt and puts you in a momentary position of superiority which indubitably defeats the entire purpose. Essentially, it's not about the giver! A gift should always be received with respect. No one was obligated to get you anything in the first place and to respond with any emotion but gratitude or others of the sort is unnecessary and rude.

What social commentary does he offer here?
Well, for one it' obvious, deducting by his second paragraph, that materialistic gifts (not from the heart, mind or soul) are almost insulting. They are "apologies for gifts" (169). Society craves these metals and jewels and Emerson condemns them. You can go out and buy any goldsmith's work and present it as a meaningful piece of appreciation but at the end of the day it's still any others craft and not your own. It did not originally come from you, therefore it's almost meaningless. It's easy to buy a necessary gift and socially or aesthetically pleasing gift; it's harder and reflects more commitment to actually make something o put a piece of yourself into a gift.

What is he critiquing?
Basically what I explained above, the natural tendency to want to be ostentatious using gifts as your leverage. It's not meaningful. End of story. Also, he's warning the giver not to be selfish--for the gift is not supposed to be FOR or ABOUT them; it's supposed to be a part OF them FOR someone else. No gift is greater than that. End of story again. The giver ought to be above all thoughtful and the recipient ought to be nothing short of gracious.