Practicing Success
What is the dual status of the self? |
The self as an entity that acts and gets affected The self as an observer and the self as an object of observation The self as a subject and the self as an object The self as an active participant and the self as a passive recipient |
The self as a subject and the self as an object |
Some people described themselves either as an entity that does something (e.g., I am a dancer) or as an entity on which something is done (e.g., I am one who easily gets hurt). In the former case, the self is described as a ‘subject’ (who does something); in the latter case, the self is described as an ‘object’ (which gets affected). This means that self can be understood as a subject as well as an object. When you say, “I know who I am”, the self is being described as a ‘knower’ as well as something that can be ‘known’. As a subject (actor) the self actively engages in the process of knowing itself. As an object (consequence) the self gets observed and comes to be known. This dual status of self should always be kept in mind. |