Have you ever wondered what “THE SELF” really is?

Are you not curious enough to find

the answer? Have you got the guts to unlock the mystery? If yes, then keep on reading this.
First, let me define what UNDERSTANDING THE SELF is; Understanding the self is a specified
course that deals with identity and factors that affect the development and maintenance of
personal identity. I am enrolled in this subject for almost 5 months. In these 5 months of
learning, I have many insights of different philosophers from different continents, of what are
their perspectives about “THE SELF”. For example, According to Socrates, the first thinker in
western history, the self is the “SOUL”. Plato seems to agree with him. Descartes, states the self
is a thinking thing. On the other hand, Hume said that there is “NO SELF”. I am not going to
state all philosophers because it would take me a page or two for them. As our final
requirement in this course, I have come up with my own theory about “THE SELF”. Based on my
own understanding from the perspective of different philosophers, “THE SELF IS OUR
ATTITUDE”.

How did I come up with this idea? Well, it was influenced by many philosophers. Not
just one philosopher. Let me divide my theory into different parts for better understanding.
First, you have to know the meaning of Attitude. What is attitude? ATTITUDE is the way you
THINK and FEEL about someone or something. It is a feeling or a way of thinking that affects a
person’s BEHAVIOR. In this part, I have to agree with Gilbert Ryle. According to him, “the self” is
how we behave. Self is simply the patterns of behavior. We are our behavior and actions. As
I’ve said earlier, our attitude influences a person’s behavior. My theory has a connection with
Ryle’s theory. I’ve thought that this theory would work because after all what we do is us.
Humans are very self-expressive creatures. Our behavior is what we are. And our attitude
influences our behavior. Therefore, attitude is a higher level of “the self” than behavior. That‘s
why I came up with my theory. For example, put yourself in a situation where you are being
harassed by an old smelly man. What would you do? Of course you would defend yourself.
Defending yourself was two ways. First, you would be calm and talk to the man or you would be
angry and confront him. Either way, this is what you would do. These two actions are
influenced by your attitude. How you feel about a certain situation. But what if you would not
defend yourself? Of course it is also influenced by your attitude. Why? Because you would be
afraid in confronting the old man, you would think to the possible outcome if you speak or
defend yourself. That decision of yours (not defending yourself) is a product of how you feel.
Second, where did attitude came from? I realized after I’ve learned Plato’s Tripartite Soul,
attitude came from the second component of our soul which is the “SPIRITED OR EMOTIONAL”
this is how feelings fuel up your arguments and actions. Third, is the way you think is “the self”?
Yes. I also have to agree with Rene Descartes. Remember attitude is BOTH the way we THINK
and FEEL about a situation. But for me, Descartes theory is lacking evidences. Why do we still
have physical body if “the self” is a thinking thing? In this matter, physical self has to be present
because it influences our attitude. But what about the impaired or disabled people? Well
technically, they still have a body. Can you name a person without a body? Even if both
impaired and disabled? I guess it’s a NO. Fourth; you might think attitude is the only thing that
matters to us. You’re right! What you would feel or think is all that matters to you. But what if
you don’t consider what you feel? In some situations, you considered the feelings of others. Is it
alright? Or is my theory not applicable for this kind of situation? For example, a lover of yours is
breaking up with you because your relationship is toxic and it is not healthy anymore. But you
still love him/ her. You agreed to a break up and both of you separated peacefully. Yes you love
him/her so you set him/her free. That is a part of considering the feelings of others. Where
does “THE SELF IS OUR ATTITUDE” goes? Think again! Yes you sacrificed your feelings for
him/her but you also consider what you feel. Why? Because you didn’t forced yourself to
him/her. You think that if you forced yourself to him/her to love you back you will be the one
who is going to suffer emotionally. In this situation, you considered BOTH the feelings of others
and how you would feel. In some cases you wouldn’t realize that you also consider what you
feel because you are focused on other people’s feelings. In contrary, what if you didn’t agree
for a break up? Is my theory still applicable to this? Yes. Because you consider again what you
feel. You can’t take it if you are not anymore together. Attitude that constructs “THE SELF” can
either have a positive or negative outcome. Another situation is how you socialize with others. I
strongly agree of the “TRUE SELF AND FALSE SELF” being true. True self is a sense being alive
and real in one’s mind and body, having feelings that are spontaneous and unforced. False self
in the other hand is a mask or a persona. It is a form of defense from others which protects true
self. True self and false self is also influenced with attitude. I am experiencing this personally.
That’s why I can say that this is true.

To sum it all up, “THE SELF IS OUR ATTITUDE”. Our attitude influences our behavior. In
all situations, what you feel is what you do. Even in tricky situations. When you steal, kill, have
sex, etc., You use your mind to think and your feelings to fuel up an argument or action.
FEELINGS and being RATIONAL can be separated depending on the situation but it doesn’t
matter because both of them are our attitude. For me in my own understanding there is a
“SELF”. I have to disagree with David Hume. The self is not an illusion. He said that we feel that
we have a self because we got use to inconsiderable rapidity. I can say that there is a self
because we physically, mentally and emotionally feel/see it. In short, my theory is just based on
what other philosophers has to say. My evidences can be seen in their theory and also in my
own experiences. I’ve always noticed that people nowadays are always depressed with what
are happening in their lives and their actions towards that situation is always influenced by
their feelings. We do these things because of our feelings. You know what is right and wrong
but because of what you feel you cannot think clearly. Or in some people they think before they
act. This is also because of our attitude. You see how our attitude influences us? How great level
of influence attitude can offer? No matter what situation you’re into, your feelings or being
rational will always be present in that certain situation. After knowing my theory, did your
perspective change? What do you think about “THE SELF”? Whatever you believe, you are the
only person who truly knows yourself.