Spurious
The first step to gaining self-knowledge is to accept oneself as flawed. Flawed in every way, let nothing escape. When one approaches a situation or circumstance or problem, you must be willing to accept that while I am able to come up with a solution or explanation, I am most likely wrong, however detailed or thought out I believe myself to be. We are blinded by our ego. If you never consider yourself wrong, you will never give yourself the opportunity to correct your habituated flaws. At this point, there is no hope. Now, before one sees this step leading to complete skepticism, I need to mention step two: Accept oneself as a creature of infinite possibility. In this way, we allow ourselves the hope to correct flaws.
Accepting oneself as flawed allows one to stop forward motion in faulty assumptions and flawed thinking, and pause. In other words, it invites reflection. Once we can resist the tendency (or desire) to project our reality and 'be right', and embrace ourselves as being devoid of all the facts, we can turn to the tools of possibility. These tools are reason and creativity. Together they create meaning and utility, relevancy and function.
Additionally, just because we accept ourselves as flawed does not mean that we can never come up with viable solutions. Many times solutions are not ultimate truths, but simply pragmatic fixes that consider time and circumstance.
The bottom line is this, I am wrong, you are wrong, we're all wrong. People need to engage any perceived problem with this knowledge. The problem is usually not external, but internal, relating to some flawed attitude or perception of mind.
When there are dilemmas facing two or more people, everyone needs to collaborate and acknowledge that they cannot provide a solution without considering if that solution is compatible for someone else. Dialog must ensue. Everyone must adopt an attitude that emphasizes fresh possibility, that existing paradigms may not be the answer.
Accepting oneself as flawed allows one to stop forward motion in faulty assumptions and flawed thinking, and pause. In other words, it invites reflection. Once we can resist the tendency (or desire) to project our reality and 'be right', and embrace ourselves as being devoid of all the facts, we can turn to the tools of possibility. These tools are reason and creativity. Together they create meaning and utility, relevancy and function.
Additionally, just because we accept ourselves as flawed does not mean that we can never come up with viable solutions. Many times solutions are not ultimate truths, but simply pragmatic fixes that consider time and circumstance.
The bottom line is this, I am wrong, you are wrong, we're all wrong. People need to engage any perceived problem with this knowledge. The problem is usually not external, but internal, relating to some flawed attitude or perception of mind.
When there are dilemmas facing two or more people, everyone needs to collaborate and acknowledge that they cannot provide a solution without considering if that solution is compatible for someone else. Dialog must ensue. Everyone must adopt an attitude that emphasizes fresh possibility, that existing paradigms may not be the answer.