What are some of the barriers to self-reliance in Self-Reliance by Emerson?

According
to Emerson, some of the barriers to self-reliance are:

The
Overwhelming Need To Conform In Order To Fit In

In his
treatise, Emerson contends that society is a "joint-stock company, in which the members
agree, for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and
culture of the eater." The need to conform is especially strong, because membership in such
a society confers certain benefits. These benefits may either be material or abstract in nature;
nevertheless, they are "real" benefits people value.

Thus, Emerson
argues that conformity is the enemy of self-reliance. He maintains that conformity "loves
not realities and creators, but names and customs."

A
Society That Confers Respectability On Those Who Abide By Its
Strictures

By extension, Emerson argues that society is
perhaps the greatest barrier to self-reliance. When people conform to societal expectations,
society confers on them social respectability. Emerson complains that this unfairly gives an
"angry bigot" a good reputation (albeit one he does not deserve).

If an angry bigot assumes this bountiful cause of Abolition, and
comes to me with his last news from Barbadoes, why should I not say to him, "Go love thy
infant; love thy wood-chopper: be good-natured and modest: have that grace; and never varnish
your hard, uncharitable ambition with this incredible tenderness for black folk a thousand miles
off. Thy love afar is spite at home."

Emerson argues
that social respectability hides many evils, so to speak. He especially resents the fact that
society gets to decide the definition of a "good" man. For his part, Emerson sees no
reason to give to "miscellaneous popular charities" and the "thousandfold Relief
Societies" that confer respectability on anyone who donates. Emerson will only align with
those who share his spiritual values:

I tell thee, thou
foolish philanthropist, that I grudge the dollar, the dime, the cent, I give to such men as do
not belong to me and to whom I do not belong. There is a class of persons to whom by all
spiritual affinity I am bought and sold; for them I will go to prison, if need be.

The Almost Overpowering Need For
Consistency

According to Emerson, the need for consistency is
another barrier to self-reliance. He suggests that people are motivated by their need for
consistency. Our nature is drawn to the familiar. We trust in our social, political, and
religious institutions because they fill our need for uniformity and stability. In contrast,
self-reliance is seen as a position that embraces volatility; this is unsettling to many
people.

However, Emerson argues for self-reliance anyway. He contends that
each individual is capable of greatness.

Why all this
deference to Alfred, and Scanderbeg, and Gustavus? Suppose they were virtuous; did they wear out
virtue? As great a stake depends on your private act to-day, as followed their public and
renowned steps. When private men shall act with original views, the lustre will be transferred
from the actions of kings to those of gentlemen.