Man know thyself
The Existential phrase `Man Know Thyself` can be traced down to an ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, a phrase that connotes the ability of man to know the true nature of himself as an immortal soul. In another stance, it brings to man the consciousness of recognizing his identity, a potential to further discover the concepts inherent in man`s daily living such as love, goodness, justice, et cetera.
These come to play out as an activity of the human mind occupied with the prospects of everyday experiences and as such, the discovery of the self becomes an activity based on daily examination of external and past experiences without being held bound or limited by it.
The idea of knowing oneself becomes a paradigm for understanding One`s Level. In the sense that it brings about the act of recognizing and embracing one`s individuality, unique perspectives, a navigational tool to swerve through against all odds by which life can infer from. It could be from the circles of morality, culture, politics or even religion. This is not just about looking inward in the self and seeing the worth embedded in it, but a way of embracing a creative ability and modeling a life worth living.
Man know thyself
There has always been this power in the human faculties that allows him to seek for something above him. Seeking for the ideal is synonymous to man. This is why we can find so many individuals who always aspire to be higher than what they presently are. The heart of man is never satisfied; it continues to yearn for more. Little wonder St. Augustine declared that `our hearts are restless until they rest in God.`
The happiness that man seeks to find, the ideal he sets out to pursue, and the height he wishes to attain become possible only in God. But how many seek God? With this in mind, it is easy to imagine why a lot of individuals are not satisfied with their state of life. One who is a Carpenter strives every day to become a senator, the one with a motorcycle seeks to get a private Jet and the one that has a hundred Dollars wants to have a million of it. The problem arising from this becomes self-hatred. But it is a virtue when people recognize their status in life and try to appreciate it. Anyone who hates himself cannot develop himself, for no one develops what he does not like.
According to Jose de San Martin, `you will be what you must be, or else you will be nothing`. Everybody wants to be authentic, even though we do not know what actually this authenticity is. Be oneself is of the essence, especially in this our modern world. To be oneself demands that, rather than trying to match oneself with others, one looks within to discover the potentials that lie hidden. Henry David Thoreau says, `be yourself – not your idea of what you think somebody else`s idea of yourself should be` Gustavo Razzetti adds that `being authentic is not easy. Especially in a society that ardors perfection and mask over authenticity. Let go of the masks to be yourself in a fake world.
The quick-wealth syndrome in our world has brought about the inauthenticity of life. Young men and women now dream every day of how they will live a celebrity life without being celebrities themselves. People now seek to show off, trying to create social images that do not correspond to their state of living. This is trying to make us know to be true to what you believe, not about your image` to be brave to express your genuine feelings and opinions.
The existentialists would say that authenticity is the degree to which one is true to one`s personality or character amidst external pressure and influence. If you are not a rich person do not start pretending to be one because you will not last in it. Know yourself and level for life. Cut your coat according to your cloth. Be simple, do not promise what is above your power to give. When you are not authentic, the only person you fool is yourself. So, I ask, who are you really? Click here