Explore the World's Best Ideas
Join today and uncover 100+ curated journeys from 50+ topics. Unlock access to our mobile app with extensive features.
The reflective self-definition that is generated automatically by ancient psychological processes, the machine that seems to want to turn everything into “it’s about me” in some way.
That’s the first kind of identity or the first existential mode: reflective, in that there’s some kind of mirror — physical or abstract, and self-defining in that the process yields a semi-stable definition or concept of what “I” refers to.
19
304 reads
MORE IDEAS ON THIS
To be the owner is truly being, and to understand and sustain that relationship to your own existence is where the “coherent” bit comes in:
16
216 reads
Let’s just assume that you understand that you’re not defined by your reflection in the physical mirror, or at best that’s a limited definition of “me”.
Well… it turns out that there are other kinds of mirrors:
17
301 reads
What if someone becomes aware of their own production of the meaning that gives them their identity?
You’d be on the way to being the owner of the game, because naturally the author is the owner… the one who put the walls up owns the room they live in.
People sense that being the own...
17
208 reads
You really are “a thing in a given context”: your life is bound to your body and you will die and that’s the end of any useful meaning of “you”.
If we understand that the Monopoly game metaphor does not refer to the physical universe, it refers to the “realm of meaning” which gives the self...
17
186 reads
When you only know yourself by reflective self-definition, and don’t appreciate the vast possibilities and natural freedom that comes from being the owner or source of the gameboard, you’re stuck.
16
235 reads
We sleep-walked through the process which built the gameboard that gives meaning to our existence as a cannon or scotty dog or ship.
16
249 reads
The “existential” bit has to do with your own existence — specifically, the meaning of your existence.
Questions like “who am I?” and “why am I here?” and “what are my values?”
There are two modes — two different ways to come at the questions of your own existence and underst...
17
397 reads
Imagine that you’re playing a board game like Monopoly.
The game is a given — something we are born into — and our existence is framed such that it’s only meaningful in the context of the game’s rules and elements and processes.
That’s how the ego relates to life: “life is a g...
18
243 reads
CURATED FROM
IDEAS CURATED BY
Found this topic fascinating. All ideas belong to Les Matheson. He is the author that inspired me.
“
Other curated ideas on this topic:
When you only know yourself by reflective self-definition, and don’t appreciate the vast possibilities and natural freedom that comes from being the owner or source of the gameboard, you’re stuck.
Let’s just assume that you understand that you’re not defined by your reflection in the physical mirror, or at best that’s a limited definition of “me”.
Well… it turns out that there are other kinds of mirrors:
Read & Learn
20x Faster
without
deepstash
with
deepstash
with
deepstash
Personalized microlearning
—
100+ Learning Journeys
—
Access to 200,000+ ideas
—
Access to the mobile app
—
Unlimited idea saving
—
—
Unlimited history
—
—
Unlimited listening to ideas
—
—
Downloading & offline access
—
—
Supercharge your mind with one idea per day
Enter your email and spend 1 minute every day to learn something new.
I agree to receive email updates