Knowing Yourself

[china]

Hi Mikey ;I think I've got it...
Using situations or circumstances to manipulate through emotional blackmail ...that kind of thing...
"If you don't do what I want then I (will do something you don't like..won't do something you want...will blame you for my discomfort/suffering/unfulfilled neediness....) these kinds of things ...yes?
I thought that was marriage?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd say that kind of behaviour is just a plain immaturity ,on both ends.
As far as the "I thought that was marriage" goes: "He who has a good wife ,is a very happy man .Man who has a bad wife ....he becomes a philosopher.hahaha

 

[china]

Mikey:
Actually I started out as a philosopher and then I got married and became a realist.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why not ,as long as you learn that one of these propositions is alot more expensive. haha

 

[china]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]What can we gain by sailing to the moon if we are not able to cross the abyss that separates us from ourselves? This is the most important of all voyages of discovery, and without it, all the rest are not only useless, but disastrous. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]THOMAS MERTON -A Cistercian[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] monk------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/FONT]


Found this quote in one of Thomas' Merton books (Seeds of contemplation) and thoght that it would fit this thread.

 

[Curiosity]

It's always a good day when I start it by reading one of China's thought provoking messages here....

Merton's quotation is excellent China - but the message may be disregarded as criticism instead of reality.

When you think of what we are given at birth - our gifts - our lives - our world - and how we conduct the time we are given, the percentage of those who devour life as it is offered is surprisingly limited. Most of us seem to be driven by avoidance and fear of discomfort or disappointment, rather than expectation of good things and the need to share with others. To keep from knowing ourselves and using our positives realistically prevents many from life itself.

If we were all given more of an ability to realise satisfaction in simplicity and acceptance of what is... rather than making our goals out of impossibilities and competition with others...... what a great world we could have

 

[sanctus]

having read the other thread, which obviously initiated the thought process which lead to this thread, i'd like to add the following:

Knowing yourself is important for self confidence which allows individuals to achieve things. It's also important because of subjectivity and prejudice: When one is making a judgement, forming an opinion, debating a subject, one is subject to various cultural prejudices and one's judgement can be skewed by any number of personal experiences. If one doesn't know what these prejudices and experiences and the resulting skews are, one cannot even attempt to make objective decisions

hmmm, can one know one is prejudiced? In other words, the idea of knowing yourself would indicate that you are aware of your biases. Most of us would assume we are being objective, yet in truth cannot truly form an opinion without including our personal (as you call them) "skews"

 

[Colpy]

Seeing oneself as one truely is must be the most difficult thing to do, as so few have done it.

I speak as a man that had a symbolic mirror shoved in front of him 20 years ago, and was given the choice.......change what you see, or loose what you value most.........

I changed.

I am not willing to go into details, but after 20 years I can not believe I was that man...............a monster in ways, that could rationalize every bit of nasty behaviour...........

Self examination is important, but most have a veil drawn over the mirror.

 

[sanctus]

Seeing oneself as one truely is must be the most difficult thing to do, as so few have done it.

I speak as a man that had a symbolic mirror shoved in front of him 20 years ago, and was given the choice.......change what you see, or loose what you value most.........

I changed.
, but most have a veil drawn over the mirror.

I find that it often takes a great personal disaster to make the individual truly confront his personal reality. We are so consumed with our self-image, and how we believe others see us! When we find that the self-perception may not be quite as we assumed, it can be a most sobering experience.

 

[The Project Man]

It's ok fellas.....

I think nature intended men to be polygamous - you are merely fighting mother nature.

Can I have your # so you can explain that to a couple of women for me!....


Anywho, the process I think(no pun intended) is action. You can imagine yourself doing anything. Not until you achieve or fail do you know yourself in a given situation. There are an infinite number of situations that arise under a multitude of circumstances. Can you truly ever know yourself.

With in the confines of your structured existence you may find yourself. Outside of that who, what, and where would you be?