Who are you?
Today I'd like to share some notes from one of the best books I have ever read, which is somewhat related to the issue of the "red pill" - if you haven't read that "G Note" yet or if you don't remember it anymore, click here to get the context.
One of the good things about being a photographer is the number of people I have met, from various nationalities and cultures and with diverse backgrounds.
Despite all these differences, I tend to notice some patterns. And if you've ever photographed with me, you know that personal/private photoshoots involve almost as much time talking as clicking. These conversations do sometimes reveal certain personal/professional crossroads, as well as the mentioned familiar patterns.
For people in their 20's, this is perfectly normal. But, after the 30's, 40's, most people consider it stranger. In fact, it is considered strange because there is a kind of social agreement that has created this expectation that, after the 30's or mid 30's, people are supposed to have their life figured out, organised, established, or oriented in a certain direction.
Anyone who has studied a bit of History (or paid attention in school) can see the reasons why this happens. We can even point to several reasons, however, History shows us one that is quite clear and evident: the Industrial Revolution and the education and societal organisation system that resulted from it.
Although we are talking about something from the 18th/19th century, the truth is that the foundations of our society - particularly in terms of education and social organisation - still relies on the changes introduced by the Industrial Revolution.
But, if the world has evolved - in various ways - and has become much more complex, it is easy to understand the increasing number of people struggling to adapt to the expectations mentioned earlier.
Obviously, there are also other reasons, but I don't want this to get too long. Besides, some of these reasons are related to topics that people are usually very sensitive about, and the purpose of these Notes is not to bother anyone, but rather to offer alternative perspectives on certain subjects.
This brings me then to the book I mentioned in the beginning - "The Book On The Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are" by Alan Watts. The title is long but at least you know what to expect.
I find this book to be super relevant and useful, especially for people who feel like they should already have their lives figured out or for those who cannot see a clear future for themselves.
Spoiler alert: don't expect to find an answer to your problems in this book.
However, it does offer pretty good explanations to the possible reasons why you may feel lost or why you might have issues finding a clear path.
At a certain point, the author says: "problems that remain persistently insoluble should always be suspected as questions asked the wrong way, like the problem of cause and effect.".
I don't want to dump here a bunch of what may seem like "smart quotes", but if you have a curious mind, if you are someone who wants to have a deeper understanding of self and identity, this book might be quite helpful. At least it will be a good start, because I have some news for you: if you haven't realised it yet, the path to self knowledge will only end with your last breath.
Anyway, here's another passage of the book, that might be interesting for sceptics or people who find this "self knowledge talk" a waste of time:
"It isn't the mere fact that we are named that brings out the hoax of being a real person; it is all that goes with it. The child is tricked into the ego-feeling by the attitudes, words and actions of the society that surrounds him. Other people teach us who we are. Their attitudes to us are the mirror in which we learn to see ourselves, but the mirror is distorted. We are, perhaps, rather dimly aware of the immense power of our social environment. We seldom realize, for example, that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages and images which we did not invent, but which were given to us by our society. We copy emotional reactions from our parents. Our social environment has this power just because we do not exist apart from society. Society is our extended mind and body."
So... going back to the question on the subject of the mail: who are you? Or, quoting Charles Bukowski: "Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?"
I know it's quite a loaded question, but I have good news: the answer is within you. Maybe you just need some help finding that answer and maybe this book can be a starting point.
And there's more to consider in this question: it's one we should pose ourselves from time to time. If life is constantly evolving, so are we (though it doesn't always feel like it), therefore, it seems like a totally reasonable question to ponder about, every 10 years or so.
If nothing else, at least it will help us make sure we are being honest to ourselves. And this feels like a great contribution to whatever it is we want to do with our Time
Talk to you soon,
G.
image created with A.I. / © Gonçalo M. Catarino
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