What is the self?
It occurred to me, that in order to investigate the very core of someone else’s being, you had to be innately aware of the nature of your own. What exactly is me? What is my biological reaction? What are my societally induced habits?
Where do “I” end and where does mother nature kick in? If I’m not aware of this, if you’re not aware of this, then any exploration is naught.
Our personality is that which we hold dearest. It is that which sets us apart from those that we know. It’s what lets someone remember our qualities, both good and bad. As we grow our personality forms as our since of self evolves. This is certainly a dynamic process and one can argue that it never really ends. But it’s those years between 12-20 where gender really takes shape and a sense of identify sinks in. Girls and boys start to realize they are very different. As kids we start to ask more and more questions and start to question our own selves. We start to form opinions and then back up these opinions with what we learn. Consequently, we choose different types of music, clothes, and miscellaneous cultural interests in an attempt to solidify our associations.
Everything serves as a way to further hone our sense of self. But it’s obviously more complicated than that. I started to consider where I would have gone with my own self exploration had I never been in an environment that allowed me to question everything as much I have. Had I been told what to think and how to think it, as most are, would I have ended up as pragmatic and blissfully unaware as the masses?
It’s important to understand what qualities are affected by the core being as apposed to societal expectations. The qualities that are tied to a person beyond all pain and happiness. Beyond the variables of life there are intrinsic qualities. What are these and how does each one of us express them?
When you sit and watch people, it doesn’t do any good to get caught up in societally imposed reactions. These are simply part of the herd mentality as a way to keep the status quo going. While most can’t be faulted for this, there is much more to the picture. To get caught up in something so superficial defeats the purpose of analysis.
Learn what is societal and learn to simply look past it. It’s simply amazing what qualities you’ll find in someone, both good and bad, when you don’t get distracted with the common stuff. I feel that our reaction to people is all too often based on that superficial layer that society imposes.
Like a windshield on a car, we all need that protection from the world rushing past us. However, most only see the dirt that builds up on the surface. Few think about the driver hidden behind. It’s the mask that we allow ourselves to put up so we can live with everyone else. It’s also the first thing you need to learn to make crystal clear. After that you’re well on your way to opening a window into anyone.
Then you’re truly ready to investigate.
