Self as narrative or not

[Baruch]

Presented for your cogitation ...

http://aeon.co/magazine/philosophy/the-dangerous-idea-that-life-is-a-story/

[josephpalazzo]

It's another twist on the Socratic, "know thyself". Why would it be dangerous?? Unless it is a take on Dawkins' Dangerous Idea. Trying to define what is the "self" is as futile in trying to define what is a "soul".  As Nietzsche once said: there are only perceptions.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

I fear to many people believe their extraordinarily boring lives are in the least bit interesting to anyone else ..

Gosh, my take on what's on teevee is....

Hint: Nobody cares.

[CrucifyCindy]

Given that self is largely memory, projection and imagination ( much of are time is spent imagining how we would react with different people and situations) and memory, projection and imaginings are narrative I could safely say that self is narrative. That and well self seems to be very malleable, impermanent and transitory.

[GSOgymrat]

Given that self is largely memory, projection and imagination ( much of are time is spent imagining how we would react with different people and situations) and memory, projection and imaginings are narrative I could safely say that self is narrative. That and well self seems to be very malleable, impermanent and transitory.

I agree. Ask anyone who they are, ask anyone where they come from, you get a story. The author tells the reader "I am a non-narrativist... I have the persistent sensation, in my life…, that I am just beginning." He is creating a narrative. Narrative isn't about beginning, middle and end but about the memories we chose, the beliefs we adopt, our relation to others, the things we use to describe who we are right now. Our personal narrative is always changing. Our narrative of others changes too-- friends become strangers, strangers become friends, the child becomes the adult, etc.

[Baruch]

Perhaps people with no sense of "narrative" are without personal introspection.  They simply don't think of themselves in the foreground, they are always in the unconscious background.  Part of my "narrative" is thinking ... what would it be like to be like someone else.  I am defined partly by what I have, and partly what I lack ... not that I am envious or jealous.  And in comparison there is what I and another person share, and what we don't share.

[josephpalazzo]

Show me one person not capable of fantasy, and I'll show you a comatose...The way we narrate is as varied as the number of grains on a beach. But it takes a douchebag (the OP) to think that narration is something worthy of writing an essay that contains nothing but clichés.

[CrucifyCindy]

Perhaps people with no sense of "narrative" are without personal introspection.  They simply don't think of themselves in the foreground, they are always in the unconscious background.  Part of my "narrative" is thinking ... what would it be like to be like someone else.  I am defined partly by what I have, and partly what I lack ... not that I am envious or jealous.  And in comparison there is what I and another person share, and what we don't share.

People with no or poor self-narrative skill just adopt another's narrative. For example if you want a personal narrative where you are the hero and you are protecting society you join in on a group narrative that tells you just that "You are special and you are even more special as a people united in a single endeavor for greatness! But those people over there are holding us back, so we must deal with them!". This is how National Socialism started, as a group narrative.

[GSOgymrat]

Religions and political organizations attempt to influence people's narratives:

You are a sinner.
You are one of us.
You are one of the chosen.
They are the enemy.
We are the victims.
We are the freedom fighters.

Effective leaders are adept at changing how people perceive themselves and others around them. They control the narrative.

[CrucifyCindy]

Ernest Becker called them the vital lies. The lies we impose on ourselves and others to cope with the harhness of reality. The lies we let other's impose on us just so the truth of our existence doesn't leave us powerless. Our self-narratives, our politics, religions, philosophies, cognitive biases and ideologies are all basically lies. Just about everything we believe in is a lie. Collectively we call these lies...culture. And culture is a means of control. It comforts us with story telling and puts us all to sleep. All of us are slumbering through life because culture moreso than religion is a narcotic. Like Terrence McKenna said

"Culture is not your friend. Culture is for other people’s convenience and the convenience of various institutions, churches, companies, tax collection schemes, and what have you. It is not your friend. It insults you, it disempowers you, it uses and abuses you. None of us are well treated by culture”

Our culture is a grand lie that we feel is necessary to believe in. It makes us feel we are part of something important and that everything is going to be ok but the truth is we are all screwed.

[josephpalazzo]

Religions and political organizations attempt to influence people's narratives:

You are a sinner.
You are one of us.
You are one of the chosen.
They are the enemy.
We are the victims.
We are the freedom fighters.

Effective leaders are adept at changing how people perceive themselves and others around them. They control the narrative.

"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

- Hermann Göring

[Combanitorics]

To me being told that I am a "Narrative" just feels like a demand that I explain myself, and I don't believe that I should have to explain myself.

[Mike Cl]

To me being told that I am a "Narrative" just feels like a demand that I explain myself, and I don't believe that I should have to explain myself.

Then don't. But then why come on a narrative board and tell me that???

[Baruch]

To me being told that I am a "Narrative" just feels like a demand that I explain myself, and I don't believe that I should have to explain myself.

You are a character in your own story, and everyone else's story.  In a narrative we don't get to play the part of the omniscient witness (that is G-d), and you don't have to explain yourself, unless that fits with your character.  Some characters in our story are mimes.  Also you might not be any good an explaining yourself, but if you did anyway, then you are "that guy" in the story who is bad at explaining him/herself.