-- > >>the journey of a thousand miles that begins with one step. >>the step towards my self. > >Such an emphasis on self-reflexiveness is a dangerous kind of selfishness. >Today's societies are severely afflicted with a solipsism that borders on >the pathological. The trip inwards is fine, inevitable in fact, as long as >it is not at the expense of social reflexivity. >Phil GrahamI agree with this strongly. The trip inwards without being followed by (or following) the trip outwards is of necessity partial and one-sided as well as being egocentric and often at the expense of others. Anyone who seriously thinks about what they are and what has made them what they are has to acknowledge the macro-social and historical components. Once one does, 'self-improvement' (a very two-edged word) begins to require social change unless one is content to improve oneself by climbing higher up the competitive ladder and leaving everyone else behind.
I think such periods of 'egotism' tend to occur when there does not appear to be any 'common sense' way of radical change through social or political action and the aspiration to change things turns inwards. This occurs to me because I've just thought about the parallel between today and the Germany of the 1840's where all sorts of idealist philosophical trends came about under the influence of Hegel and the stifling reactionary regime in Prussia. I'm sure we would already find an answer to this inward-lookingness in Marx's critique of the Young Hegelians and people like Stirner. (...but I'm afraid I haven't time to look just now.)
Bruce Robinson
>pw.graham who-is-at student.qut.edu.au >http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/8314/index.html > >