Are We Ourselves?

[durangodawood]

(Video: The Fixx, Are We Ourselves)

Bonus question: and do we really know?

 

[mama2one]

a lot of people are not themselves

-they follow expectations & push their wants/needs aside
-they don't have time to learn who they are as they're busy fulfilling roles
-they look to others & imitate instead of being their individual self
- if one asks someone who they are, they might define themselves by their roles instead of who they actually are as an individual
etc

 

[durangodawood]

a lot of people are not themselves

-they follow expectations & push their wants/needs aside
-they don't have time to learn who they are as they're busy fulfilling roles
-they look to others & imitate instead of being their individual self

etc

Terrific answer. Above and beyond expectations.

 

[mama2one]

also, in dysfunctional families, children often take on characteristics of the person with the personality disorder & have difficulty breaking away/becoming their own person depending on the extent of the family dysfunction

^ I have witnessed this first hand

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Reminds me of "how am I not myself?"

 

[Vap841]

also, in dysfunctional families, children often take on characteristics of the person with the personality disorder & have difficulty breaking away/becoming their own person depending on the extent of the family dysfunction

^ I have witnessed this first hand

And people can also have great variation in how much the real them makes an appearance. Since this thread is approved for videos -

 

[bèlla]

Great thread.

I read a book by Tim Ferriss several years ago. It had its gimmicky parts but the premise was genuine and echoes the OP. Knowing ourselves has a domino effect. We make wiser choices and craft an authentic life that nourishes our mind and spirits instead of following the crowd.

I believed I had a good life before I read it. But I decided to blow it up afterwards and start over. I asked myself one question: What do you really want? I scrutinized my behavior, interests, and connections to determine if they testified to that aim or opposed it. By asking the questions I could pinpoint what worked and what didn't and get rid of the superfluous.

It's the most liberating thing I've done. Like him, I'm living my dream and pressing towards things that matter. I have time to explore all of them. Because I'm not bogged down with should's and mindless pursuits. I live with intention.

I have more joy, happiness, and peace than I've ever had. And I'm comfortable in my own skin. I'm not trying to mimic the next or align myself with a vision that doesn't fit. If it means afternoon tea so be it. If it requires empire dresses instead of jeans that's alright.

I've given myself permission to be bella. Not as the world sees her. But the divine blueprint He fashioned. And that's enough.

~bella

 

[Nithavela]

Bonus question: and do we really know?

Not available in germany

Also, not taking video viewing assignments, and please post a summary as per forum rules.

 

[Tanj]

This question was raised last week. There was broad consensus that we are, in fact, Devo.

 

[Eftsoon]

This question was raised last week. There was broad consensus that we are, in fact, Devo.

I didn't see it myself, oerhaps because I wasn't feeling myself at the time.

 

[durangodawood]

Not available in germany

Also, not taking video viewing assignments, and please post a summary as per forum rules.

Not feeling yourself today? (Video: The Fixx, Are We Ourselves)

 

[durangodawood]

I didn't see it myself, oerhaps because I wasn't feeling myself at the time.

Haha beat me to it.

 

[durangodawood]

So my initial impulse for this thread was not so much to get an answer to the question as to just understand what the question even means. And the people have provided both!

(Not to discourage additional interpretations if you've got them)

 

[Tigger45]

I wasn’t originally going to reply to this thread but then I talked myself into replying.

Was I more myself originally or ultimately?

I say both because the human experience is a journey and transformational.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

If I'm not me, then who the heck am I?

 

[durangodawood]

If I'm not me, then who the heck am I?

Theres a lot of options apparently:
-a sort of unformed proto-you (mini-me, I'll call it)
-an imitation of someone else
-a golem-ish collage of social norms
-Devo

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Theres a lot of options apparently:
-a sort of unformed proto-you (mini-me, I'll call it)
-an imitation of someone else
-a golem-ish collage of social norms
-Devo

I like the Golem. It seems to fit the best.

 

[durangodawood]

Great thread.

I read a book by Tim Ferriss several years ago. It had its gimmicky parts but the premise was genuine and echoes the OP. Knowing ourselves has a domino effect. We make wiser choices and craft an authentic life that nourishes our mind and spirits instead of following the crowd.

I believed I had a good life before I read it. But I decided to blow it up afterwards and start over. I asked myself one question: What do you really want? I scrutinized my behavior, interests, and connections to determine if they testified to that aim or opposed it. By asking the questions I could pinpoint what worked and what didn't and get rid of the superfluous.

It's the most liberating thing I've done. Like him, I'm living my dream and pressing towards things that matter. I have time to explore all of them. Because I'm not bogged down with should's and mindless pursuits. I live with intention.

I have more joy, happiness, and peace than I've ever had. And I'm comfortable in my own skin. I'm not trying to mimic the next or align myself with a vision that doesn't fit. If it means afternoon tea so be it. If it requires empire dresses instead of jeans that's alright.

I've given myself permission to be bella. Not as the world sees her. But the divine blueprint He fashioned. And that's enough.

~bella

Very well stated. A lot of people dream about properly knowing themselves. Few do. I certainly havent looked inward in any very diligent way. I think I just got lucky in that I grew up with less than average pressure to conform to expectations. Still, I do think there are some unexpressed aspects of myself.

 

[com7fy8]

and do we really know?

I see symbolism in the video.

The guys are running on a big field . . . and they go under a long railroad held up by a stretch of arches. It goes exactly across the direction in which they are running. This can symbolize how they are down-to-earth, with this world's one-track way above the earth and crossing their route. So, they are individuals not just being railroaded by some set way of this world.

Of course, individuality can be isolating. Independence can be an idol, of exalting self over other people and not with God.

So, Jesus says we need to deny ourselves so we can follow Him >

"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (in Luke 9:23)

With Jesus in His humbleness and gentleness and rest for our souls, we can become the people we need to be . . . and this in sharing with God and one another as His family. So, the really good way to be is in God's family loving >

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32)

There is anger stuff and unforgiving stuff which is anti-love and anti-family. But with Jesus we can be in close sharing and stay "tenderhearted" and generously forgiving; because Jesus in us shares this with us.

 

[com7fy8]

Also, I saw in the video that giant satellite disk, which can represent this world's one way of communicating with everyone. But at least one of the guys looks like he is singing into what looks like an individual walkie-talkie. This can represent how they are not letting the world broadcast to them some one worldwide one-way-fits-all message.

And, instead, with God, we can have personal communication, creative for how to share with God and how to love each and every person.

But, of course, this does not mean to have my own walkie-talkie with no sharing with anyone else. But with God we have a "party line" so we can hear and share the good things He is communicating with us. Because we are family, not isolated with our own idols of free will and control.