Might need a couple of watches/listens to this to really process. Thanks for putting it up, though. Lots to think about re: the stories we tell ourselves. As a fiction writer myself, it gives me another layer to ponder!
I love this video. The the Theseus paradox is interesting because it depends how you view it doesn’t it?! The more we change the more different we become, yet in some ways the more we can stay the same i.e. with our movement, beliefs or patterns of behaviour. Some people argue the more we changed the more we become fixated with holding on to our ‘true’ sense of self. I think the answer for me is the person we are at any point is the ‘one we invest ourselves into the most’. The multiple selves such as the physical, thinking, emotional, spiritual, abstract and observational all contribute to our sense of being a whole person. Our thought processes alter depending upon how stable we perceive each part of ‘us’ to be, especially when parts of ourselves to become contradictory to each other which causes disruption, discomfort or emotional distress. I don’t quite agree with your comment that the observational self is always ‘constant’. I think it is constant in the sense that it is nearly always present, is nearly always observing. However, like you point out, the ways in which it does this can vary dramatically and isn’t ’fixed’ in any point in time. It comes down to the notions of appearance versus reality. When we use our observations to create the ‘story of our lives’ we do this in two ways either consciously or unconsciously, nearly always creating observational bias which in many cases draws towards seeing ourselves in a negative or comparative state to others. Which is the point you make in this video, we often tell ourselves limiting, biased, incorrect or negative stories. I often wonder why we are drawn more to this?! We can however change the narrative if we consciously practice, implanting less need for comparison, more compassion for ourselves; and a more positive mindset and opinion of abilities. Creating a healthier story. Stepping back and noticing allows for change, balance and like you say stability.
Love the mind bend here. So, question about event centrality, I have long held the opinion that the experiences of my past inform who I am today. So, had any of the traumas not have happened, I would most likely be a different person (I think). The trauma's sucked, they're a hindrance in my life AND I feel I developed some positive traits because of them; empathy towards others, not giving a flying frick what others think of me (not that I'm rude, but I don't dress up, try to be helpful etc). Have I created my own paradox in this? Gonna have to rewatch this one and the follow up a few times to try to untwist my brain. lol
Obviously this is going to be quite superficial being a comment. You are right in that you in the present is made up from a ton of factors - genetics, epigenetics, learning history (past experiences), environment, culture. That includes all the good things and all the things that sucked. There is no psychological mechanism for forgetting anything which means every single experience, everything you have ever heard any one say is all stored in some sort of relational framework (by relational I dont mean personal relationships I mean how everything relates to everything). So your trauma is a part of you, you cannot get away from that, but at the same time they are not ALL of you, they are an experience that have led to responses (I dont mean that to sound cold). Event centrality is the measure of how much we decide a traumatic event is central to our identity. So how much does a traumatic event organise your view of the world ? (dont answer that, its rhetorical). The more one construes a traumatic event as central to ones identity the more it keeps the traumatic events as a central focus in ones life, and thus remains central to the identity. You can see how there is a cycle there that self perpetuates itself. However, there is also the notion of post traumatic growth which is seen as protective (perhaps in your example the positive traits you developed) and that can be part of event centrality too. What it really comes down to is your own subjective experience of what happened to you and how it has impacted you in the present. Your comment implies there were good and bad to come out of it, that seems a good balance to look at it. From an ACT perspective we would say something along the lines that those specific traumatic experiences are not the only experiences you have ever had in your entire life, and therefore cannot sum up the entirety of 'you'. There is a 'you' there that experienced these things, but there is also a 'you' there that has experienced other things, and a stable 'you' that can notice these experiences (i.e. the part of you that was able to write in the comment some positive traits, you can step back and reflect somewhat on those experiences). That means they dont have to define your future behaviour, your mind will try, it will try to protect you (clever mind), and although right now it might not seem like it, with some support and guidance and help (if you can ever let that in) it is possible to move forward in a meaningful way. Hope that made some sense, its quite hard typing into a little text box! Feel free to come back to me on the discord.
This sounds similar to Buddhist thought on the self. In Buddhism, there is a practice of "looking for the self", and in failing to find the self, the illusion of self can be broken. Seems like a direct parallel 🤔
Thank you, that was a great experience
Might need a couple of watches/listens to this to really process. Thanks for putting it up, though. Lots to think about re: the stories we tell ourselves. As a fiction writer myself, it gives me another layer to ponder!
I love this video. The the Theseus paradox is interesting because it depends how you view it doesn’t it?!
The more we change the more different we become, yet in some ways the more we can stay the same i.e. with our movement, beliefs or patterns of behaviour. Some people argue the more we changed the more we become fixated with holding on to our ‘true’ sense of self. I think the answer for me is the person we are at any point is the ‘one we invest ourselves into the most’. The multiple selves such as the physical, thinking, emotional, spiritual, abstract and observational all contribute to our sense of being a whole person. Our thought processes alter depending upon how stable we perceive each part of ‘us’ to be, especially when parts of ourselves to become contradictory to each other which causes disruption, discomfort or emotional distress.
I don’t quite agree with your comment that the observational self is always ‘constant’. I think it is constant in the sense that it is nearly always present, is nearly always observing. However, like you point out, the ways in which it does this can vary dramatically and isn’t ’fixed’ in any point in time. It comes down to the notions of appearance versus reality. When we use our observations to create the ‘story of our lives’ we do this in two ways either consciously or unconsciously, nearly always creating observational bias which in many cases draws towards seeing ourselves in a negative or comparative state to others. Which is the point you make in this video, we often tell ourselves limiting, biased, incorrect or negative stories. I often wonder why we are drawn more to this?! We can however change the narrative if we consciously practice, implanting less need for comparison, more compassion for ourselves; and a more positive mindset and opinion of abilities. Creating a healthier story. Stepping back and noticing allows for change, balance and like you say stability.
This was so interesting to listen to and you explained it SO well!
Love the mind bend here. So, question about event centrality, I have long held the opinion that the experiences of my past inform who I am today. So, had any of the traumas not have happened, I would most likely be a different person (I think). The trauma's sucked, they're a hindrance in my life AND I feel I developed some positive traits because of them; empathy towards others, not giving a flying frick what others think of me (not that I'm rude, but I don't dress up, try to be helpful etc). Have I created my own paradox in this? Gonna have to rewatch this one and the follow up a few times to try to untwist my brain. lol
Obviously this is going to be quite superficial being a comment. You are right in that you in the present is made up from a ton of factors - genetics, epigenetics, learning history (past experiences), environment, culture. That includes all the good things and all the things that sucked. There is no psychological mechanism for forgetting anything which means every single experience, everything you have ever heard any one say is all stored in some sort of relational framework (by relational I dont mean personal relationships I mean how everything relates to everything). So your trauma is a part of you, you cannot get away from that, but at the same time they are not ALL of you, they are an experience that have led to responses (I dont mean that to sound cold). Event centrality is the measure of how much we decide a traumatic event is central to our identity. So how much does a traumatic event organise your view of the world ? (dont answer that, its rhetorical). The more one construes a traumatic event as central to ones identity the more it keeps the traumatic events as a central focus in ones life, and thus remains central to the identity. You can see how there is a cycle there that self perpetuates itself. However, there is also the notion of post traumatic growth which is seen as protective (perhaps in your example the positive traits you developed) and that can be part of event centrality too. What it really comes down to is your own subjective experience of what happened to you and how it has impacted you in the present. Your comment implies there were good and bad to come out of it, that seems a good balance to look at it.
From an ACT perspective we would say something along the lines that those specific traumatic experiences are not the only experiences you have ever had in your entire life, and therefore cannot sum up the entirety of 'you'. There is a 'you' there that experienced these things, but there is also a 'you' there that has experienced other things, and a stable 'you' that can notice these experiences (i.e. the part of you that was able to write in the comment some positive traits, you can step back and reflect somewhat on those experiences). That means they dont have to define your future behaviour, your mind will try, it will try to protect you (clever mind), and although right now it might not seem like it, with some support and guidance and help (if you can ever let that in) it is possible to move forward in a meaningful way.
Hope that made some sense, its quite hard typing into a little text box! Feel free to come back to me on the discord.
@@TherapyinACTionOfficial not cold at all and completely understood. Thank you so much for your explanation.
Please , make a video about Trauma and Centrality . Waiting on it
It’s coming very soon, with a new format I’m trying out. Hope you like it !
This sounds similar to Buddhist thought on the self. In Buddhism, there is a practice of "looking for the self", and in failing to find the self, the illusion of self can be broken. Seems like a direct parallel 🤔