Post by rollerk on Dec 2, 2017 1:06:30 GMT
Butt says that “what ‘having a self’ means is having a constructive relationship to the past and the future” (p. 137). Explain what you think this quotation means. Explain why you think he includes the word “constructive” in his description.
Butt includes the word "constructive" in his description of the relationship of the self to the past and future because it is the meaning we give to our relationship with the past and the future that gives us a sense of self. It is the meaningful relationship we have with the past and future and how we position ourselves within the timeline of past and future and the meanings around them that gives us a sense of who we are. We are no one and nothing without relation to the past and the future. There is no self in a vacuum separated from the objectivation of past and future. "You cannot think, experience fear or feel anticipation in a vacuum. You always think about something, feel afraid of something and look forward to something." (Butt p. 89). We see our self in relation to the social world. But we cannot relate to the world mainly in the present. It is how we view ourselves in past social interactions and how we anticipate ourselves in future social interactions that gives meaning to who we are in the present.
There is no "true self" because there are many alternative constructions of our past and future available to us. There is no set way of relating to our past and future. Therefore, there is no set "true self" that surpasses all contexts and constructions.
Butt includes the word "constructive" in his description of the relationship of the self to the past and future because it is the meaning we give to our relationship with the past and the future that gives us a sense of self. It is the meaningful relationship we have with the past and future and how we position ourselves within the timeline of past and future and the meanings around them that gives us a sense of who we are. We are no one and nothing without relation to the past and the future. There is no self in a vacuum separated from the objectivation of past and future. "You cannot think, experience fear or feel anticipation in a vacuum. You always think about something, feel afraid of something and look forward to something." (Butt p. 89). We see our self in relation to the social world. But we cannot relate to the world mainly in the present. It is how we view ourselves in past social interactions and how we anticipate ourselves in future social interactions that gives meaning to who we are in the present.
There is no "true self" because there are many alternative constructions of our past and future available to us. There is no set way of relating to our past and future. Therefore, there is no set "true self" that surpasses all contexts and constructions.