Gaining Perspective (Part 5) -The Inner Self

The source of self-deception and self-delusion

 The so called "inner-self" resides in that part of our mind that we cannot consciously access. It is buried deep within our unconscious. This part of the mind is the source of all our irrationalities and partialities. The inner-self affects our rational thinking processes. This in turn leads to distorted decision making and reasoning. 

Unless we are careful the distorted thinking and reasoning traps that arise from the inner-self will lead us down the pathway to self-deception and self-delusion. Often without our being aware of it.

 How can we overcome our faulty thinking and reasoning?

There's not much we can do about it. all humans are born with these tendencies. The best we can do is to learn to recognize some of these biases in our own thinking and decision making. It will take time and practice but you will soon become aware of your self-deceptions. In fact, you will probably learn to recognize them in other people before you become aware of your own!

 How do all the biases and self-deceptions affect our learning?

The inner-self will offer you temptations and distractions to try and take you off-task. You might decide to study later after you watch the movie on TV. Then you will feel tired and the inner-self will be whispering to you "Never mind. Do it tomorrow" after you visit your friend for the day.

The inner-self will always be finding excuses of why you should not get down to writing up that assignment right now. Now that you have the time!

You might find a reason to go shopping first. Yes students, this is called procrastination. And it comes from deep within you. The evil work of the inner self.

Learn to resist through self-talk

Become aware of the usual distractions that draw you away from your studies. Learn to recognize them them as the arise in your thoughts. Learn to resist through self-talk. For example, "I will do this now" or " I will start now". self-talk can be an effective way to over attempts at self-deception.

A Final Word

Students. Do not let  irrationality, faulty reasoning, biases and self-partiality become a mental barrier to your learning effort. Take the time to learn about your inner-self and to recognize its attempts to distort your thinking.

Gaining Perspective (Part 2) - Patterns of Living

A Sense of Place

Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance and a lack of harmony and proportion is more readily seen.

Leonardo Da Vinci




If you could look down from the moon .... onto the countless horde of mortals, you'd think you saw a swarm of flies or gnats quarreling  amongst themselves, fighting, plotting, stealing, playing,making love, being born, growing old and dying.It's hard to believe how much trouble and tragedy this tiny little creature can stir up, short-lived as he is, for sometimes a brief war or an outbreak of plague can carry off and destroy many thousands at once.

Erasmus 1560 AD


 Gain a better perspective from a detached viewpoint at a distance

The ability to step outside of and away from a situation is important if we are to keep in view the bigger picture, maintain a more open mind, show a balanced approach and remain as impartial (free,
neutral, external) as we can. An external view helps to clarify and broaden understanding, to set goals, to establish direction and to reduce distorted reasoning.

We can discover every sort of contradiction in ourselves depending how we look at ourselves; central but insignificant, essential but accidental, necessary but contingent, eminent but forlorn. We experience a moment of sobriety “while we breathe the cold and rarified air of emotional detachment”

Try the Thought Experiment .. have fun !

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