What makes us “real”? I’m not talking about knowing whether or not we exist, whether we are live flesh and blood, or even whether we are conscious, but rather about what makes us real “in context” - and, more importantly, "in relation". In Margery Williams's The Velveteen Rabbit, the Skin Horse tells the Rabbit that we become Real by being loved. Are we not also seen into realness?
Tag: belonging
The limits of authenticity
What is authenticity? What does it mean to be our true selves? What does it mean to “show up”, and how are these two things different? Does authenticity mean bringing all of ourselves to every moment? And ultimately, what is the point of authenticity?
Looking myself in the I
When someone looks you in the eyes, you become a person to that other person. At the same time, you become more aware of how you see yourself, of your projected mirror-face. In other words, you become self-conscious. Is self-consciousness what's really behind our inability to see others? Is the ability to choose between being a self and being a group, and even forgetting oneself, a privilege? And is it possible to replace self-consciousness with self-awareness, or just ordinary presence – possibly even without a self in the mix?
All & None of the Above 