Myself, Thyself, All Our Selves...

Assignment Four: November 12-16
Know Thyself
What does it mean to know yourself?

Assignment
In your blog, answer the following questions, each in a separate paragraph or series of paragraphs. You may use anecdotal evidence to illustrate your answers.
a) Explain what it means to know oneself; and discuss the value of this self-knowledge.
b) Discuss what you believe is your own weakness (or worst quality) and explain what, if anything, you have done to combat this weakness.
c) Discuss what you believe to be your strength (or best quality). Don't be modest here, just honest.
d) End by reflecting on what makes it so hard to think-- and write-- about one's own weaknesses and strengths. How do you feel about having to do this? Why? Explain.

A) Through the ages, man has tried to answer questions about life and human nature. Through centuries of searching, failing, and discovering, man has learned about the human race as a whole, as well as individuals. But for a person to truly know himself he must have a close understanding of his limits and his potential, he must be familiar with both his body and mind. Simply knowing one’s abilities can lead to far deeper self-discovery; by learning about what one can and can’t do, physically and mentally, one can discover what is more important: why one can and cannot act, think, and feel certain things. To understand the self is to know why one is a certain way, to know what can change that, and to know whether one is better off as one already is.

B) While definitively stating my own worst quality is nearly impossible, I can easily say that a major weakness of mine is selfishness. I enjoy doing things for others, but almost without fail I do such things for some personal gain: to be recognized, to test myself, to feel above others in some way. I feel a need to constantly better myself, a self-centered desire to achieve more than those around me. Many of my beneficial and detrimental actions are founded in selfishness; I might drive a friend home when she is in need, but I secretly want to be owed a favor in the future, or I want to spend the extra time driving, listening to the radio. If I procrastinate from work, I spend that time fulfilling hedonistic desires to listen to music, read a book for myself instead of writing a thank-you note, or bake cookies for myself that no one else will even see. The time I spend being selfish and indulgent could easily go to more productive or helpful uses; I could be volunteering in my community, but then again I might only be doing so in order to put volunteer work on a résumé.

To combat such a trait, I could simply toughen up, stop indulging, and act more for others than for myself. However, one thing that I cannot change is the hidden motive behind many of my actions. In acting for others I will always reserve a piece of the result for myself. In trying to please others, I really try to gain favor and praise. I am self-serving, and will never be able to fully give myself up.

C) On a more flattering note, I believe one of my best qualities to be my perspective. That is not quite as odd as it sounds. By “perspective” I do not at all mean that I have excellent depth perception; on the contrary, I am near-sighted, and I have never been good at any activities involving catching things coming from long distances. What I mean is that in most situations I am able to see things from a very objective point of view. I can recognize and understand my own opinions, but can keep those feelings separate from facts and truly relevant issues. In arguments, debates, or any situation that involves both fact and feeling (that would be almost every situation ever), I am able to rather easily take a step back, remove myself, and see things from a rational mindset. This ability is most likely derived from my tendency to sit back and quietly watch the world around me, to observe and reflect rather than participate. I have the chance to analyze an issue from every angle, to carefully pick through the opinions and biases to dig out the raw information inside. This may sound a little cold and removed, but I actually have a far better understanding of my own feelings than I might otherwise. I can identify my own feelings and those of others, and can understand where those feelings are founded. My gaze is clear (not physically; I am still near-sighted), and I am as a result free to let my feelings soar, without fear of obscuring the reality in front of me.

D) It may be difficult to identify and discuss one’s own strengths and weaknesses for the very reasons I stated above: it can be maddeningly difficult to separate one’s opinions of oneself from one’s true qualities. I therefore do not find it too bothersome to simply sit down and reflect on my positive and negative qualities; they are what they are, and I can only change so much of myself. In looking at my actions and my motives, I can easily see my selfishness, and in doing just that I can distinguish my own ability to view life from any available perspective. I do not terribly mind facing those qualities of myself, because as long as I am aware of them I can keep them in balance. When I begin isolating myself from emotion entirely or turning into either the egocentric or altruistic fairy, then I will know that things have gone too far. But as long as I am looking inward and paying close attention to my own attributes, I can continue on as my equally strong and flawed self.