We Are Our Context
My friend, Hikmet, gave me a book to read called, On Bullshit by moral philosopher Harry G. Frankfurt, Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Princeton University.
The book explores the difference between 'lying' and what might be considered 'bullshit'.
He concludes by discussing 'sincerity' and how it might not be possible. He says,
Ugh.
No core self? No genuineness? We need our things?
The book explores the difference between 'lying' and what might be considered 'bullshit'.
He concludes by discussing 'sincerity' and how it might not be possible. He says,
"As conscious beings, we exist only in response to other things, and we cannot know ourselves at all without knowing them.
Moreover, there is nothing in theory, and certainly nothing in experience, to support the extraordinary judgment that it is the truth about himself that is the easiest for a person to know.
Facts about ourselves are not peculiarly solid and resistant to skeptical dissolution.
Our natures are, indeed, elusively insubstantial - notoriously less stable and less inherent than the natures of other things.
And insofar as this is the case, sincerity itself is bullshit."
p. 66
Ugh.
No core self? No genuineness? We need our things?
Labels: identity, sincerity, urban camping
posted by Jennifer Metz at Saturday, March 31, 2007
1 Comments:
Well i haven't read the book yet.. but this guy sounds full of bullshit himself! He simply hasn't accessed the level of self-integrity that allows for authentic communication, identity, and personal evolution.
Perhaps this is much harder for men, where the hierarchical nature of social interactions is more hardwired, the peer pressure obvious yet still bowed to, and the belief that manipulation of others for gains of power are fine.
I'm not saying all women aren't this way.. but there is a distinct bias towards this in the realm of males and their male inputs.
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