Defining a Definition, but it’s still not close to what it truly means.
Throughout Charles Taylor’s book, he spoke of both sides of defining who we are as human beings. We cannot let others define us and define ourselves, but we are continuously defined by those we reside with, especially those we hold dear to us.
These Ethics of Authenticity redefine our definition of what it means to be an individual and what it means to be human.
In reality, there is no concrete definition of what it means to be human, because IT IS ALWAYS CHANGING. It is constantly being redefined. So, there is no real right or wrong answer to the many problems we face in society, only the most effective & rational at the time. But this is because we our constantly trying to redefine ourselves, seeking significance in who we are as individuals. And that in turn affects the identity of not only ourselves, but also the identities of our families and our culture.
It seems as though these two contradicting concepts are complimentary to each other and help us discover what does being human means to us.
One concept that Taylor displayed in his book, paraphrased from another work, was the concept of narcissism and over self-indulgence. The idea that we, in his context America, spend too much time focusing on our own problems and building our own skills, and trying to be independent is hurting us. Even being a democratic society can be detrimental to our efficiency and usefulness in society. “Democratic equality, says Torqueville, draws the individual towards himself. In other words, the dark side of individualism is a centring on the self which both flattens and narrows our lives, makes them poorer in meaning, and less concerned with others in society.” (Taylor 7) This collective idea that we need to focus on our selves and who we are will help us figure what it means to be who we are. As a result, we can make a bigger impact on ourselves and on each other.
For example, education or the sharing of accurate knowledge from one person to another, not only teaches others, but also ourselves to how we handle situations or how we infer information compared to others. With that, the sharing of ideas can be passed on to help others achieve a goal they never thought the could discover alone.
On the other hand, there are other societies that focus on serving the great good of the world, often for religious reasons. To self-deny ones needs to reach a greater purpose or serve a higher order, where there is less freedom, but much more community involvement and codependence. As said by Taylor, “…the things that surround us were not just potential raw material or instruments for our projects, but they had the significance given them by their place in the chain of being. The eagle was not just another bird, but the kind of a whole domain of animal life.” (Taylor 5) We are not tools for others to exploit us, but tools of a greater purpose beyond our own judgement. We are given significance. Whether it be by ourselves or by others to serve a purpose for others beyond ourselves.
All in all, the concept of discovering who we are and what it means to be human lies in this relationship of redefining & discovering ourselves, while redefining who the collective community is & what role each individual plays in the chain of being.
