Final answer:
Emerson warns that societal pressures can corrupt individuals, advocating for personal individuality and warning against losing oneself in society's collective identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Emerson suggests that too much time spent in society can corrupt the individual, and that individuals who are not careful can sink in society, he is warning about the pressures and influences of society that can lead to a loss of personal integrity and individualism. Emerson and other transcendentalist thinkers like Thoreau believed that finding one's true self and spirituality is achieved through introspection and a deep connection with nature, away from the societal demands and mass conformity. The idea is that society encourages conformity and often punishes nonconformity, which can stifle individual thought and personal growth. Emerson stresses the importance of personal individuality and the danger of becoming lost in the collective identity of society.