To know the nature of self is to know what it means to be human. Once we understand human nature and our potential impact on each other, we can begin to utilize our significance of life. To be human means embracing our individual and our species' imperfections, yet always strive and struggle for excellence. Our curiosity prompts us to continue evolving. Part of that natural transformation leads us to separate and divide ourselves into groups. Communities, races, genders, and class are all ways that we simplify our identity in order for other groups to comprehend and connect. As humans we all have commonalities and relatable aspects of our personalities. This automatic connection is the way we associate with others. We all have insatiable want of belonging. Our search for community, yet desire for individuality, makes us human.
Our habit of over thinking our actions and choices lead us to losing our most basic human instinct. We approach situations and objects with a previous knowledge. This hinders our ability to experience something without judgement. "Our insistance on cognitive knowing" has upset our initial reaction process and "may already have robbed us of some of our capacity of being human"(The Creative Impulse). In order to regain our full humanity we have to teach ourselves to be unbiased and clear headed in all situations. If we do this, we will be able to experience the world in its full glory. This adaption is only possible with an open mind to what we can achieve as a human race.
I like how you explained how "cognitive knowing" and "previous knowledge" can effect the decisions we make and the experiences we have. However, isn't that a part of being human? To take away the previous knowledge and experiences that influence the decisions we make and experiences we have from day to day would only send us back as a race. Don't we as humans need that cognitive knowledge to help us develop as humans? I agree that we should be clear headed and unbiased in all situations, but cognitive knowledge of previous experiences is what helps move us forward as the human race.
ReplyDeleteMuch of what you have said has brought up some interesting points. I really like how you use the phrase "insatiable want of belonging" to describe why we feel the need to be a part of a community. You did say that if we want to "regain our full humanity", we need to be "unbiased and clear-headed" all the time. However, we draw on past experiences and learning to gauge our situations. While our opinions and emotions can seem detrimental in many situations, we rely on them to determine what "individual self" is. If we separated ourselves from our past experiences, would we also lose some of what makes us human?
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