A Little Reflection on the Self-Reflection of Others

"The only real conflict you will ever have in your life won't be with others but with yourself."
Shannon L. Adler

My biggest conflict.

One thing I have noticed over the years is: humans do not see themselves clearly.  I could almost argue that humans will not see themselves clearly.  They won't see themselves as selfish, beautiful, conceited, caring, insincere, happy, or manipulative.  I honestly cannot say I know one person who has an accurate view of themselves, their strengths and weaknesses, myself included.

And, yes, I am going to call out the entire human race.  I doubt a dog has a clear perspective on itself, but who knows, all that lounging around could actually be disguising an intricate web of self-reflection.  Also, a dog is far less pretentious than any human could ever aspire to be.

As a human, we cannot objectively view our own actions, though we can sometimes view other's actions as purely as we are able.  We are so consumed within the cloud of our own life that we can't see beyond the immediate fog.  We are trapped in our thoughts, feelings, actions, our own special universe, and we can't see the effect that we hold over the human existence.

We can grasp the irritating or wonderful aspects of other people, but we are unable to recognize those traits within ourselves.  Examples of this can be seen in almost any conversation with another person, leaning more towards the negative.  I can't count the times when I have heard someone say they wish they weren't pigeon holed, yet you hear this same person harshly critiquing others, sometimes even on the same basis as they wish they weren't stereotyped.  Obviously this sort of hypocritical attitude is second nature to humans, especially depending on who they are surrounded by.  People try to press themselves into the mold of those they are around.  They are willing to shave off sections of their personality, or dramatize facets that are already there.  Again, I don't know one person who is not guilty of this.  Not one.

I think one of the best traits a person can possess is self-awareness.  I don't believe it is ever fully achievable, but this is one of those instances where the path and the journey is more important than the final outcome.  To work every day to hold your self accountable, reflect on your actions, and maybe even more importantly, reflect on your private thoughts.  The thoughts that sprout in our minds are guarded, to keep those pure, even when you know you will never be found out, is a special gift.