The Escape from the Self (Or: Why I'm not Important/"Great")

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Self-Discovery Through Deconstruction

The path to self-discovery can be a paradoxical one, paved with the dismantling of the very self we once clung to. This destruction isn't about self-harm or shame, but, rather, a shedding of illusions. As we mature and embrace a more grounded perspective, the realization often dawns: Our individual importance, both in the grand scheme and sometimes in our own lives, may not be as central as we once believed.

My own journey has been one of exiting a "shelter" of comfortable ignorance. I've come to understand that my own singular existence may not be as practically significant as I once thought. My writings, massive in amounts, weren't driven by a grandiose sense of self. They were, in a way, naive attempts to utilize philosophy as a tool to dismantle my own naivety.

Turning inward, the self became my most accessible point of reference. I used my experiences as case studies, offering logical arguments and personal testimonies. This wasn't about ego, but about a functional approach to understanding the world.

Unfortunately, physical solitude amplifies this introspection, in the absence of researching external sources. Confined by the "prison" of my mind and limited physical experience, philosophizing became my productive escape during my reaping fatigue era, where my intellect was compromised.

Ignorance and a disability, unforeseen and life-altering, have further restricted my agency. I felt trapped, and perhaps from a certain perspective, I was. Either way, even after overcoming it, as a truth-seeker, I see no value in clinging to naivety.

Throughout my life, naivety has undoubtedly limited my perspective. I used to think, for example, that there is no such thing as true evil in humanity, only to be proven wrong using research.

This journey of self-discovery is a continuous process of peeling back layers, confronting limitations, and ultimately, building a more authentic, truthful self. One that does not deny reality. Deconstruction's about the shedding of the cocoon, even if it means descending into the darkness of this reality by my verdict of being.

Deconstructing Innocence and Embracing Growth

My journey began with a name change. "Tom" felt like a worn-out shell, and I craved a fresh start. My new name, Tomasio, was picked by me because of its dual meanings: It is both more than Tom in both amount of letters, which also symbolizes the fact that it's more than innocence, just like it's more than 3 letters only (And Tom In hebrew means innocence/naivety). It's a name that calls for one to look beyond the the naivety of the self (and beyond the self in general).

Is naivete truly something to be lauded? Where's the intellectual rigor in being told something like "you think too much, that's why your head is hot"? Such logic is nonsensical. In reality our brains are hotter in such a way it would be considered a fever in the rest of the body.

Awe is a valuable experience, but it's just starting point, not a substitute for critical thought. Equating thinking with generating enough heat to justify a fan in winter borders on self-deception. True exploration of reality necessitates more than just an awestruck gaze; it demands rigorous questioning and a willingness to challenge assumptions.

As such, you might find that using a certain type of headphones would increase your brain heat. That's because they trap heat and moisture. The key to overcome innocence is to doubt what it presents to you. This in turn would allow you to seek knowledge and make you smarter, and thus, become more than innocent/naive ("More Tomasio than Tom", so to speak).

Childhood has its charm, but it's not an idealized utopia. Independence is limited, vulnerability to external forces is high, and the constant barrage of noise within educational systems can be overwhelming.

The naivete, however, didn't equip me to resist the horrible yells which traumatized me for 13 years.

Some may romanticize childhood, longing for a return to its perceived simplicity due to reasons related to the nostalgia bias. However, this perspective ignores the limitations of youth. Therefore, in the name of understanding the truth, we must learn to grow beyond our current versions of ourselves. For the self in which we are imprisoned in is not only our identity but also our source of knowledge about the world.

And when a tool for knowledge is too incompetent, it deserves to be reconstructed, and have its current limits breached.

The Enduring Power of Ideas

Grandiose pronouncements aren't my style. I write, but outside of my work, I'm likely unremarkable. This is why I believe my writing holds greater significance than myself. These are my findings to the world, that are a result of my willingness to be proven wrong and to doubt my current beliefs.

With these writings, I escape from the prison within me, to the words which you read and appear on your screen. To escape further from the self, I often detach myself from my philosophy. For I believe the ideas themselves should take priority over the author. Ideally, the message resonates regardless of the messenger. After all, Philosocom is for philosophy readers, not for me.

Here's the problematic situation: Understanding the writer can illuminate the writing, and vice versa. It's a symbiotic relationship. Without proper explanation, like saying that I don't really use subtext, my intentions risk being misinterpreted.

While I don't crave your approval or affection, a writer's ultimate desire is to be understood. My goal isn't to convince you of my brilliance, but to ensure my ideas reach you as intended. The power of a writer lies not in the enduring impact of their creations. Let the words speak for themselves, even if the voice behind them remains relatively unknown.

Either way it's also how one can escape from being imprisoned within the self -- by being properly understood by the world. With properly means: As the writer intended.

Conclusion

The label "philosopher" shouldn't automatically equate to self-importance. Ideas, not titles, are the true assets of this pursuit, to be gained and exchanged.

Ultimately, this introspective journey isn't about self-glorification, but about fostering understanding. By examining the self, I can refine the lens through which I view the world and share those insights with you. By doubting the self, I can escape from its current limitations, and thus expand it to broader horizons. Utilizing that self and its skills is how one can contribute to society and to ourselves.

Let us move beyond the mere promotion of personality. After all, the power, the knowledge which you seek, lies in the ideas themselves, not the vessel that carries them. The vessels merely devises, stores and distributes. So, read my words, engage with them, and together, we can explore the depths of human experience further than otherwise.

For the greatest break of the mental prison isn't escaping the confines of the self, but using it to unlock a deeper understanding of the world we inhabit.