Identity Theft II: From "Identity" to "Ipseity"

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In part I, we decided to take up the idea of "identity" and contend with its origin, its definition, and its natural use in society at large.

To recap, "identity" is a word meaning "wholeness" that we use in society to describe our alignments with certain things.

When we "align" with these certain things, no matter what they are, there is a trade-off between inclusiveness and exclusion.

When you choose to identify with your choice, you are embracing that collective and you are all "one" in that sense, but you have simultaneously excluded yourself and your group from the entirety of everyone else.

Now knowing this, you can see how the exclusion does not match up with the definition; oneness and division cannot exist together, so something must happen.

Everyone has done, is doing, and will continue to do this sort of thing in the foreseeable future. 

We can't be blamed for our actions, our actions are our karma, the definition of which is just the total sum of our actions. There is no "good" or "bad", but what is the "result"?

The result is the imperative that we cannot keep going around deluding ourselves in a desire for equality, wholesomeness, and  loving-kindness.

We must either get rid of identity or identify as true and entire "one"; one race, one species, one progress.

However, there is another option...

As the word "identity" means oneness, the word "ipseity" means uniqueness.

Let's do some clear thinking for a moment.

Ask yourself, "what do I know?"

You might be able to provide a multiplicity of answers for this question, but analyze your answers...

...they all revolve around "you" don't they.

"I" know this, "I" know that, "I" am this, "I" do that...

The "I"s have it.

By strict definition, everyone is selfish, since everyone has a self with which they move around and act.

Perhaps if we develop ourselves first before being concerned about identities with groups, or wide-reaching generalizations, perhaps it would behoove us to look inward.

Let us try finding ourselves, perhaps it might be the best thing for our future.

At least we don't have to search too far.

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