(no subject)
phoebek has posted a poll, which I'd like to invite all of you to take part in. It's a survey of self-hood, and our ideas about self, and is part of what I believe to be a large research project. Click Here.
Her poll got me thinking though, about the nature of self, and I realized, it doesn't really matter whether we think of self as a being, a phenomenon, a reality or an illusion. What could change the world though, is if we recognized that our sense of self-importance and thus, any importance we attach to other people, ideas, places and objects is entirely relative. The value we attach to any of these things is derived solely from our position. I value myself, because, I'm myself, other people may or may not value me, but their decision to do so or not, will be appropriate to the position they occupy. Sometimes two positions cannot continue to exist, and so, change is forced, either peacefully or violently.
And I'm rambling, so I'll stop now :)
Her poll got me thinking though, about the nature of self, and I realized, it doesn't really matter whether we think of self as a being, a phenomenon, a reality or an illusion. What could change the world though, is if we recognized that our sense of self-importance and thus, any importance we attach to other people, ideas, places and objects is entirely relative. The value we attach to any of these things is derived solely from our position. I value myself, because, I'm myself, other people may or may not value me, but their decision to do so or not, will be appropriate to the position they occupy. Sometimes two positions cannot continue to exist, and so, change is forced, either peacefully or violently.
And I'm rambling, so I'll stop now :)