Having read Scott’s latest review of The Others Within Us and reflected a bit on Jaynes and the Bicameral Mind lately, I thought I’d tell my own story about, for want of a less pretentious term other ways of being. I-Introducing BearPhilosophy bear is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
I would pick a bear who is a man over a man who is a bear. But generally speaking, I'm very fond of men, and given the choice of a man in the forest or a woman, it would be the man 100% of the time.
What does this mean? I’ve never found it hard…yet you’re not the only person who seems to think so. What are you experiencing that you call “having a self” and that feels hard?
And I thought I was the only one to have an animal persona! It makes sense that this would be a widespread phenomenon in people on the autism spectrum.
In my case, it's an orca. Instead of growling, I squeak.
Once, my social skills having atrophied in the wake of the covid lockdown, I unexpectedly found myself squeaking in gratitude at a university librarian. Fortunately, she didn't seem to mind!
Not all of us are geniuses but every one of us is on a hero’s journey.
Trying not to wade into Gender Discourse, but I would also pick Bear over a random man in the forest.
I would pick a bear who is a man over a man who is a bear. But generally speaking, I'm very fond of men, and given the choice of a man in the forest or a woman, it would be the man 100% of the time.
“It’s really hard to have a self”
What does this mean? I’ve never found it hard…yet you’re not the only person who seems to think so. What are you experiencing that you call “having a self” and that feels hard?
And I thought I was the only one to have an animal persona! It makes sense that this would be a widespread phenomenon in people on the autism spectrum.
In my case, it's an orca. Instead of growling, I squeak.
Once, my social skills having atrophied in the wake of the covid lockdown, I unexpectedly found myself squeaking in gratitude at a university librarian. Fortunately, she didn't seem to mind!