According to Emerson's self-sufficiency, “It is easy in the world to live according to the opinion of the world; it is easy in solitude to follow one's own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd preserves with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude”. In contrast, life in the 19th century was neither private nor peaceful. Many employees were mistreated and their rights were violated especially in the late 1960s, after the Vietnam War. Jimmy Hoffa, the leader of the successful Teamsters union, was a hero to mistreated transportation workers by winning employee benefits and respect. However, his growing success led to his personal turmoil. As a result, Hoffa's mob mentality and deadly dealings have earned Hoffa an infamous reputation, which could have turned into a positive reputation with some advice. If Ralph Emerson were Jimmy Hoffa's trusted advisor, Hoffa's teammates and mob affiliations would be non-existent due to Emerson's Transcendentalism ideals of self-sufficiency and individuality; therefore today's unions would have less power. Each of us has a past that educates, alters our perception and shapes the future. Jimmy Hoffa's past was marked by difficult economic hardships, a constant work environment, and both negative and positive aspects of the job, these attributes helped shape his future as an infamous political leader. When Hoffa was seven, his father died of lung cancer due to working in a coal mine. Following this tragic death Hoffa was exposed to the fatal effects of the job. His father's death caused his mother to take on his burden as both father and mother; Hoffa also had to double his responsibilities while maintaining the order of...... middle of paper....... November 2, 2011. Hoffa, James Riddle, and Oscar Fraley. Hoffa. New York: Stein and Day, 1975. Print."Jimmy Hoffa." ProQuest International Academic Research Library. ProQuest, 2001. Web. November 2011. Miller, Arthur. "McCarthyism". American masters. Educational Broadcasting Corporation, August 23, 2006. Web. November 2011. .Ridenour, Amy. "Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self-Confidence." National Center for Public Policy Research - A conservative organization. 2008. Network. 05 November 2011.Schulman, Frank. "Ralph Waldo Emerson." UUA server for other organizations' websites. Network. November 5, 2011.Synder, Todd. "Teamsters Union Boss James Hoffa." Cartoon. Politifake. Politifake, 7 September 2011. Web. November 2011."Transcendentalism." Harvard Square Library. UUA Emerson Bicentennial Committee, 2009. Web. 2011