There is no such thing as true self. Yes, genetically everyone is unique, but genetic blueprint is not equivalent to self. Genetic blueprint is like a mold. It does shape the outcome as in how the individual would be, but the substance of the outcome depends on the ingredients of the inputs. These ingredients are thoughts and ideologies, and other elements from the social environment the individual is exposed to. These will determine what thoughts and ideologies the individual himself would have.
Self is a conscious entity with ideas. And whatever ideas one has, one acquires them from the world one lives in. Ideas, and hence the self, is not a genetic given.
If we say that whatever ideas one has, they are acquired from the world outside; meaning, however the individual is, he is shaped by the elements from the external world; then how can one claim a set of ideas as truly one's own? How can one say that a particular behavioral pattern-bearing entity is one's true self?
People develop ideologies, tastes, preferences, wants, desires and so on, and begin to think they are their personal tastes, preferences. Moreover, they think that because there is such a thing as true self, and that everyone has a true self, everyone is entitled to live life the way they want; because following one's true self is the only right thing. They name this entitlement as 'individual sovereignty'.
Let's have a closer look into this, to see whether one's ideologies, tastes, preferences, wants, desires and so on (i.e. self) are really one's own. Taking an example of fashion. Currently slim-fit denims are in fashion, and so I prefer those, as does everyone else I know. Now, ten years back bell-bottom ones were in fashion. I do remember that I had then a couple of old slim-fit pair of jeans (which would have been considered ultra-modern today) of my dad's which at that time I never thought of wearing. Because in those times only girls wore slim-fit jeans. I, like everybody I knew then, preferred bell-bottom ones. And I thought that those looked attractive too, which seems rather funny today; because today slim-fit ones are deemed attractive and everybody wants slim-fit. (The fact that my dad had slim-fit ones means in his time they must have been in fashion, too.)
What is to be seen in the example is, how is it that people (a group as large as a community, city or even a nation) have one uniform preference at one point in time and another uniform preference at another point in time? Is my desire today of buying a pair of slim-fit jeans my own desire? As in, is the desire coming from my true self? Is it just a coincidence that my true self and the true selves of the entire world I know have the same preference in jeans? The fact is, what I think is my own desire is actually formed by what I see other people doing.
Whatever we think we are – our thoughts, ideologies, tastes, preferences, wants, desires, ... – it's all shaped by our experiences with the world we live in; by seeing and observing other people, their behavior and habits, and many other things surrounding our existence. People from a particular religious or cultural background have similar traits and behavioral patters. Most people behave in statistically predictable ways. It points to the fact that individual self is made up of shared and collective ideas and experiences. Self is not a genetic given, and hence no individual has a thing called true self.
The fact that one's self or individuality is formed by the elements of external world means people can be systematically conditioned to have certain self. That's what corporations and vested interests through media and advertisements do today. They make people desire things they don't really need, but people think it's their own desires.
No true self means that no one has preferences that are truly their own. No one has individuality in true sense, and therefore in my opinion, no one is actually entitled to 'individual sovereignty', which is a crazy modern ideal.
What does it spell for individual rights and individual freedom? Topic for the future.
Self is a conscious entity with ideas. And whatever ideas one has, one acquires them from the world one lives in. Ideas, and hence the self, is not a genetic given.
If we say that whatever ideas one has, they are acquired from the world outside; meaning, however the individual is, he is shaped by the elements from the external world; then how can one claim a set of ideas as truly one's own? How can one say that a particular behavioral pattern-bearing entity is one's true self?
People develop ideologies, tastes, preferences, wants, desires and so on, and begin to think they are their personal tastes, preferences. Moreover, they think that because there is such a thing as true self, and that everyone has a true self, everyone is entitled to live life the way they want; because following one's true self is the only right thing. They name this entitlement as 'individual sovereignty'.
Let's have a closer look into this, to see whether one's ideologies, tastes, preferences, wants, desires and so on (i.e. self) are really one's own. Taking an example of fashion. Currently slim-fit denims are in fashion, and so I prefer those, as does everyone else I know. Now, ten years back bell-bottom ones were in fashion. I do remember that I had then a couple of old slim-fit pair of jeans (which would have been considered ultra-modern today) of my dad's which at that time I never thought of wearing. Because in those times only girls wore slim-fit jeans. I, like everybody I knew then, preferred bell-bottom ones. And I thought that those looked attractive too, which seems rather funny today; because today slim-fit ones are deemed attractive and everybody wants slim-fit. (The fact that my dad had slim-fit ones means in his time they must have been in fashion, too.)
What is to be seen in the example is, how is it that people (a group as large as a community, city or even a nation) have one uniform preference at one point in time and another uniform preference at another point in time? Is my desire today of buying a pair of slim-fit jeans my own desire? As in, is the desire coming from my true self? Is it just a coincidence that my true self and the true selves of the entire world I know have the same preference in jeans? The fact is, what I think is my own desire is actually formed by what I see other people doing.
Whatever we think we are – our thoughts, ideologies, tastes, preferences, wants, desires, ... – it's all shaped by our experiences with the world we live in; by seeing and observing other people, their behavior and habits, and many other things surrounding our existence. People from a particular religious or cultural background have similar traits and behavioral patters. Most people behave in statistically predictable ways. It points to the fact that individual self is made up of shared and collective ideas and experiences. Self is not a genetic given, and hence no individual has a thing called true self.
The fact that one's self or individuality is formed by the elements of external world means people can be systematically conditioned to have certain self. That's what corporations and vested interests through media and advertisements do today. They make people desire things they don't really need, but people think it's their own desires.
No true self means that no one has preferences that are truly their own. No one has individuality in true sense, and therefore in my opinion, no one is actually entitled to 'individual sovereignty', which is a crazy modern ideal.
What does it spell for individual rights and individual freedom? Topic for the future.