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do we know ourselves better than we know other people or do we know other people better? if we ever act 'out-of-character' then we just say 'we wernt being ourselves' but we are always ourselves and everything we do is part of who we are so is it just that we live by the rules of who we think we are (by this i mean we, subconsciously, generalise ourselves by giving ourselves qualities such as determination, loyalty etc and then we simply act how we have defined ourselves) or are we actually able to react freely to all of our experiences?

I probably know other people better than I know myself. How? I dont know. Im just that way. I dont know why I do the things I do, I dont know why I have the problems that I have, etc...I guess I just study other people (generally speaking of Daniel..) more than myself.

Originally posted by Biscuit
do we know ourselves better than we know other people or do we know other people better? if we ever act 'out-of-character' then we just say 'we wernt being ourselves' but we are always ourselves and everything we do is part of who we are so is it just that we live by the rules of who we think we are (by this i mean we, subconsciously, generalise ourselves by giving ourselves qualities such as determination, loyalty etc and then we simply act how we have defined ourselves) or are we actually able to react freely to all of our experiences?

Good point that you made. I think that in some level we indeed give ourselves some qualities, like if our ego was created intentionally by us, but not in a conscient level. Anyway, thats only the philosophical part, but I think that people who have more advanced perceptions can put it into pratice by perceiving when they are qualifying themselves "creating their own ego", and even having an idea of their true self, if there is something like this, but what I do believe.

Originally posted by Biscuit
do we know ourselves better than we know other people or do we know other people better? if we ever act 'out-of-character' then we just say 'we wernt being ourselves' but we are always ourselves and everything we do is part of who we are so is it just that we live by the rules of who we think we are (by this i mean we, subconsciously, generalise ourselves by giving ourselves qualities such as determination, loyalty etc and then we simply act how we have defined ourselves) or are we actually able to react freely to all of our experiences?
There is no real defined free will. Relying on our own generalized rules would bring about confusion and an excuse to do so. One cannot know oneself without viewing through another person's eyes. It's supposedly said that we have already developed our personality at early child hood leaving it as an innate automatic reaction. So, if we do something against our developed values and so on we therfore say we weren't being ourselves. Yet, another person may see it as perfectly fine that we did something along that line. You can't fully know someone without creeping into their head to find out what makes them tick. So, I do believe we have an already developed sense of being at early childhood. These rules and values we hold govern our actions and determine whether we are 'out of line' or not. We know ourselves better then we know someone else if our values can be recognized. Though, wouldn't you feel you know yourself more then you know say the neighbor next door. You could find out more about someone if you asked simple questions. Eh, rambling probably off topic and yet that's something I believe.

i know wot u mean. but sometimnes people say that to really know someone u must spend a day in their shoes etc so basically, experience them as they experiance themselves, but then others say that you cant know yourself without seein yourself as others see u..ths just a big fat contradiction so which is true?

I react as I react. I know myself as I know myself. I experience what I experience. I am myself.
EGO.
Latin (or Greek) for I AM.

have you ever done a personality quiz, only to find that it appears your friend knows you better than you know yourself?? this is an example of how we can know other people better than ourselves, even though it seems illogical

There is no logic to me, I guess.. because I can't communicate my opinions very well, and also I sometimes do things that are out of character - but there is no logical reason to why...
I mean others are often surprised by what I say and things about me change so often that I rarely let anyone have a chance to get to know me...
Yep, I'm a freak...

I don't know who I am but I know what I am, I am crazy. That's what I am.

Originally posted by DanieLs_4_Ever
I probably know other people better than I know myself. How? I dont know. Im just that way. I dont know why I do the things I do, I dont know why I have the problems that I have, etc...I guess I just study other people (generally speaking of Daniel..) more than myself.


I agree,to be honest I dont know who the hell I am