The Science of Change

"If the perpetual seeker of a truthful person in ancient Greece, Diogenes, met Sigmund Freud whose theory of personality included multiple selves (i.e., ego, id, and superego), could they argue to a resolution? In a famous experiment with chronic schizophrenics who believed they were each Jesus Christ, Rokeach (1964) brought three of them into the Ypsilanti State Mental Hospital in Michigan. They were placed in the same ward to see how they would handle each other's claims. Surprisingly, they worked out that each of them was Jesus Christ but each was a different aspect or part of Jesus. Although wondering about yourself and life is likely to have haunted early hominids, the concept of an individual self seems to have gathered momentum around 1,000 CE. It is during this period that a person's separation from their Gods, nature, and other tribe members seems to have begun in earnest. The growth of self-awareness began far earlier as suggested in cave paintings and early clay representations of others and animals. Finding the Real Self is Tougher than Finding Waldo If there a true self? Yes and no. Yes, there is in terms of authenticity and genuineness especially if a person is consistent (i.e., an aspect of being mindful). A person can enact or live a "true" self in that sense. No, there is no inner or unwavering self. The Real Self is dependent on one's past, relationships and context. Therefore, becoming aware of them is elusive. Our self-awareness falls prey to the Dunning-Kruger effect, "we don't know, what we don't know." (Dunning, 2011). Consciously, that is. Hostages to the Ought Self The Ought Self was introduced in Chapter 2. The confusion and distraction from a path of sustained, desired change was the Ought Self and ought selves juxtaposed against the Ideal Self. Amid the barrage of well-intended but oppressive ought selves provided throughout our childhood, adolescence and young adulthood, it is not only difficult to establish a dream or vision but to develop a realistic self-image of how a person acts and appears to others. When the Ought Self comes from a potent person in our environment, like a loved and respected parent or grandparent, in wanting to please them, a person may edit or change their dreams and aspirations, and alter their perception of themselves to become more like the person valued by their potent and significant other. In collectivist cultures, this emerges out of respect for elders. In any culture, it may also emerge out of fear of disapproval or abuse. In later life, when seeking to belong to a group, organization or community, a person may again alter their perception of themselves to believe they are more like the desired others. The forces propelling such changes may come from socialization practices designed to appeal to inclusion and membership in a special group. They may also come from various forms of brainwashing and manipulation (Schein, et. al, 1961; Storr, 1996). The resulting distortions or changes to a person's image of themselves, when perpetuated over time, become commonplace and accepted as true. It burrows its way into our personal identity, as discussed in Chapter 2. The emerging perception of one's Real Self will affect choices as to social identity groups, social groups, and work. These changed perceptions, whether consistent or not, real or illusory may affect changes in our core values through changes first on our contingent values. Through many factors, our perception of our Real Self evolves in odd ways. Forces Distorting Access to the Real Self"--