X-Message-Number: 17060
From: "George Smith" <>
References: <>
Subject: Re: #17053 - Mike Perry's "Kindness, Selfishness, Libertarians"
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2001 11:54:46 -0700

Mike, you might find it amusing to consider that the entire concept of self
evaluation ("self worth", "self esteem", etc.) is precisely what must be
given up, seen through, risen above, rejected, programmed out (you choose
the words) in order to be free from mundane, everyday, pragmatic level
neurotic tendencies in general and on the "spiritual" level the frustration
(dukkha) of Buddhism or the Maya (shall I say delusion rather than illusion)
of the Hindus, etc., more specifically.

From the "neti neti" (not this, not that) determination of jnani yoga, it is
easy to "depersonize" the personality (!) or, in my own therapeutic
terminology, deidentify from specific memories and behavior patterns.

Very practically speaking, when a patient releases identification from
attaching some arbitrary value to some aspect of personality, behavior or
personal history, that patient gains greater autonomy and commonly reports
greater happiness.

Completely and more thoroughly rejecting "self esteem" results in the
"bliss" so commonly reported in Buddhism and other mystical groups.  This
requires no supernatural phenomena nor altered reality.  It merely requires
a more rigorous application of self verifiable truth to challenge the
insidiously popular and culturally maintained concept of "self worth".

This level of "enlightenment" also does not result in some apologetic self
depricating moron who will accept whatever the winds of fate blow his way.
There is nothing more dangerous than the man who does not feel constrained
by some external standard of good or evil.

There is no need for justifying your existence nor assigning yourself some
kind of "worth".  If anything, your existence is it's own "justification".
Your "soul" does not need a price tag.

Just my opinion.

George Smith
CI member

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