Do we really "find ourselves"?
 

In the years we exist, we often come to impasses, or revelations in our thinking that often dictate how we conduct ourselves in the future. Often times they come through spiritual journeys, periods of soul searching or just waking up hungover on a sunday morning.

In many of these circumstances we often view ourselves as changed people, or in some caes, "reborn". But is this really true, or are we the same people we always were with a new piece of information in our heads.

any thoughts?

I think these are more immediate than anything else. The older generations who were struggling to survive in the 30s or say any peoples who under go real hardships in any country and are trying to feed themselves let alone any family, may actually apply lessons learned to the future.

I'm assuming you are talking about 20yo - 40yo Americans. Being 41 and American I can tell you that neither Guitar Woman nor I have learned any lessons that we will apply to our future.

Maybe if you recycled more and became a vegan and listen to colledge radio you will be a better person.

The thought came to me when I was hearing one of my friends attempting to sound deep as he had some form of "grand revelation" over the week (gotta love stoner philosophy :suicide) and claimed he was a completely different person. Some of it was sort of true, as he used to be more on the uptight side and always worried about everything around him.

I saw this trait in alot of other people, all with varying results, and from many age groups with some beyond the age range you posted. Originally this was a more general quandry, and not meant for any specific nationality or age group, but now that you mention it, many were in their 20s...

When I went to college after a year, I realized everything about me was wrong and a piece of shit.

So I'm trying really hard not to be that person anymore.

But when you talk about self-actualization, that happened when I was arrested and convicted for shop-lifting when I was about 12 or 13. Everything seemed so petty afterward and my value system hasn't changed much since. Knowing more and being older only reinforces the ideas I had.

I've had several what I call epiphanies in my life, the first of which happened in college. I was (excuse the expression) being a lemming, allowing myself to be led into what was (or could have been) a cult-like born-again Christian group. I was going to chuch, giving testimony and generally acting like a robot when suddenly a voice called me - yes it sounds schizophrenic, but that's how it felt - and said clearly "You don't need this, you are better than this." Afterward, I felt a peace that I hadn't ever felt before - I stayed friends with these folks, but I no longer NEEDED them. I rejoined my life, as a better more fulfilled human being, secure in the knowledge that I no longer NEEDED religion to be a worthwhile individual.

There have been other instances that I recall clearly, but this is the one that appears to me to be the most relevant to this discussion.

People use the terms 'reborn' or 'new person' to lend weight to the importance of the new information in their heads. They are not literally reborn, although the replacement of cells in your body causes you to be a new person pretty regularly.

The same person with new information in their head is changed.

:wakinglife

:theonewiththedeafgirllookingallinwonderallthetime

:annefrank? :helenkeller?

:whatthebleepdoweknow :rolleyes

I bet Chojin found himself when he lost 300 pounds, and by find himself I mean found his penis.

Or he lost 3 Chojins