[Paleopsych] views of self

[Michael Christopher]

Mike Waller says:
>>Our world would not last very  long 
If we could see with steely eye 
The self that's seen by  passers-by.<<

--We all have an internal narrative in which we
convince ourselves we are wise, likeable, funny,
powerful, whatever. Seeing ourselves through the eyes
of less friendly observers can be a jarring
experience. Gregory Bateson noted that schizophrenics
tend to act as if they expect their communication to
be misread. That would make it pretty difficult to
form a stable social self. Perhaps religious crusades
and fascism are also allergic reactions to the "cold
observer". An attempt to preserve the friendly
container in which one's preferred self is reinforced
by the gaze of others.

Michael


	
		
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