Mark Twain: Corn-Pone Opinions

In this article, Twain simply expresses how man is not independent in building out his social, economic, political and spiritual life but rather relies all the time on what the vast majority goes by or thinks. Therefore, the main point of the author is that key fundamentals surrounding the normal life of a rational man is solidly built on (influenced by) the views, perceptions, thoughts, ideas or opinions of those surrounding him or her.

Twain supports his main idea by airing out a number of examples or illustrations for instance, he points out fashion to be among the things that deprive man of independence of mind for example, the flaring hoopskirt which was resented by the public opinion at the early stages but finally the public came to accept it and felt content with it and the same applied to bloomer. This scenario is also illustrated though a highlight about constant change in table manners, street manners and company manners overtime. The truthfulness of author’s idea is also depicted through an illustration on contemporary religious affiliations for example; the Muslims living whole of their lives as Muslims just because they were born and reared in Islam but not that they reasoned it out as a right sect to swear allegiance to.

I come to agree with Mark’s position on how man is greatly influenced by the corn-pone opinions in the air. Actually, it has come to a time whereby it is hard for people to fully develop confidence in themselves and trust their own principles and reasons and this is owed to presence of groupings built along social, religious, economic and political lines. In other words, man fails to engage their reasoning maximally but instead tune their entire mind towards the so called advisors, counselors, experts among others. Therefore, it is right for the author to point out that human beings are creatures of outside influence.