What room does the Self have to develop? Does the Self actually exist? We know that since the time when people wrote down thoughts, questions like these have been asked. Although humans have changed in many ways since then, the questions remain just as relevant and pressing. Part 1 of this cycle is a brief introduction that gives an idea of the existentialist, Buddhist and Taoist views of the Self.
We are who we make ourselves
The French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre is generally seen as the man who preached ‘the freedom of the Self’. But is that really so? In his existentialist treatises he did indeed speak of the possibility of designing oneself. In fact, according to him, you are constantly working on it and can never be finished/realized. Yet he introduced a number of limits to this ‘thinking about freedom’. To begin with, he argues that during your life a kind of ‘fact sheet’ arises in your head, with all possible laws, which you assume must be indisputably true. And secondly, you have to deal with the circumstances you find yourself in.
The German thinker Martin Heidegger saw another limitation to self-realization. Past. Like a kind of rocket, your past would, as it were, shoot you into the present. The ‘Dasein’ that he introduced links the Being of a subject to the time and place in which it finds itself. Your possibilities for self-realization always remain within the limits of what may necessarily arise from the past.
To what extent are we still free to do what we want with our Self?
The Ego and the Tao
In many ancient Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism and Taoism, the view of the reduction of the Ego emerges. The Ego would only be concerned with achieving the best for yourself at the expense of everyone else. Through meditation and a mindful way of life, Buddhists try to see the voice of their ego as an outsider, where necessary. The voice can take on all kinds of roles, such as a pity-inducing or tyrannical role. The Ego does not hesitate to deceive others, for example by using lies. According to this way of thinking, there is nothing wrong with the Self, as long as you do not let it be controlled by your Ego.
In Taoism the natural course of things occupies an important place. The Tao so to speak. Everything that goes against that ‘natural path’ is doomed to be broken quickly. From that perspective, it is important that you always treat all living organisms with respect. It even goes so far as to say that you listen and have respect for a criminal. You have no judgments and no reproaches. You are flexible and tough like bamboo.
What is actually the role of the Self, if you are just a cog in the big picture? The idea is that by doing good deeds and living according to the rhythm of the ‘natural way’ you ultimately achieve the best for yourself and others .
The Self in the 21st Century
Times have changed. Not so long ago, a lot was decided for you. Your parents were looking for a marriage partner for you. You worked in the same sector as your family. You were a member of the same church. As a woman you took care of the children. You voted for the same party as your family. There was no internet or TV. All the information that is now available with a few mouse clicks was much more inaccessible at the time.
In 2008, the density of households with internet access in the Netherlands is more than 90%. Everyone can read other people’s stories. Online communities and peer groups are emerging. The influence of media has increased, as has consumerism. More people are floating voters. There is much more separation. A concept such as ‘job hopping’ arises. At all levels you see that it is easier to switch from one to the other. The stability and fixed structures begin to decrease.
What does this changing environment do to the Self? Are old existentialist ideas still tenable?
To what extent are the Eastern philosophies (here) still relevant? How is the Self viewed in the Islamic world?
That and more in ‘The Self: reality or perception?’ part 2