"you are what you think about" (W. Reich)

In the process of self-discovery, identity is a hidden
treasure. "Become what you are!" is the platonic definition of
identity. The Existentialist definition of identity has it that you are
what you become (what you make of yourself). What you do defines
yourself. Your mind is a blank sheet of paper (tabula rasa), written
during your lifetime. In Exupery's story, "The Little Prince," we come
across "become what you are," i.e. become child-like again.

 

you aren't born a blank slate, it's more of a paint-by-numbers sort of thing (what with the genetics and all). and if you are what you think, than what's doing the thinking? eh, got ya there... :0

 

perhaps the soul's connection to the conscious mind and the genetics of the body are two different things to be talked about. perhaps genetics and the deep subconscious carry with them information from previous life, but our conscious awareness is at least close to a blank paper in the beginning of our lives. through each of our reactions to various stimuli and experience, we develop semi-automatic reactions for each of these learned patterns. someone hurts us, we hurt them back, etc. so it does seem to be an ongoing, evolutionary process that creates the "personality", or "ego". the way this process moves is definitely affected by our history, being made up past actions made by other bodies. so, returning to the state of a child would mean dropping all automatic responses and behaviors.

 

It's a mixture of genetic templating and learned culture - the self is a term we perhaps use too loosely - the 'social self' is certainly a constructed thing - we aren't born with it, we have to learn what Foucault called 'technologies of the self' in order to function in society. Our sense of self on this level is wholly conditioned by language and culture.

The term self is also used in another sense to indicate something deeper within, a soul or spiritual element or identity. But actually, the idea of this, and even the experience of it, are usually coloured by images and so on which have been learned from the external world.

 

Right on! I believe that genetics and culture is the canvas upon which we paint the picture of our lives. We choose the colors, though.

Peace and love

 

I agree! This is why I believe that learning history is so important. Our identities are significantly shaped by the thinkers and personalities who existed before us, the men we choose to emulate. We are dwarves standing on the shoulders of dwarves, standing on the shoulders of dwarves, etc. etc. that creates the illusion of a giant.

We have more and knowledge to at our disposal than any generation before us, and hence any of us has the potential to become more aware of the universe than any man before us, provided he possess the raw intelligence and imagination to grasp these concepts.

However I don't believe that as a planet we are more aware than previous culture. Only those who elect to learn from the past do so; it is not innate wisdom.

Those who have young children: get them hooked on reading now! This world of ours is starving for minds. Too many brains, and not enough thoughts.

 

We are what we behold. The mind is a bundle of perceptions. We create our identity when we believe that our perceptions have a unique, constant, and continuing existence beyond their apprehension

 

i believe that according to the I-tjing you are one, maybe two quarters blank slate.
The four quaters are, if i remmember correctly;

1. your parents (genetics, the way you are raised, ethics etc)
2. The Date and location of your birth (astrology)
3. Experiances gathered from past lives
4. and the enviroment that you live in

But correct me if i'm wrong.
There is ofcourse a lot more to be said about all of this, but how far do we wanna go with this?

Brightest Blessings
Peace

 

You mean the I Ching or I King as it's usually spelled do you or am I reading this wrong?

 

Strip away the shit that society's piled on top of you, and find the real you underneath everything Someone mentioned a "blank slate" in a negative way, but a blank slate can be the most freeing thing of all