Importance Of Self Knowledge In Understanding The Self

Importance Of Self Knowledge In Understanding The Self There has been an abundance of literature surrounding the importance of self-esteem in developing a greater understanding of the self. The present paper introduces an alternative perspective on the self which incorporates important features of previous perspectives and shares many theories with them. The functions of self-knowledge, however, are highlighted and rather than the drive for self-esteem this paper argues for the need of self-knowledge in acquiring a more elaborate understanding of the self. According to Neisser (1988) there are several types of self knowledge, the ecological self, the interpersonal self, the extended self, the private self and the conceptual self. Each self operates in unison with the other, with each exhibiting fundamental importance, however, this paper concentrates on the extended self and how a persons life narrative identity can affect various aspects of the individual including interpersonal relations, self-presentations and the need to belong thus leading to a more clarified idea of the self. The extended self, is the self as it was in the past and as we expect it to be in the future, distinguished primarily on the basis of memory (Neisser, 1988). Belk (1988; cited in Ahuvia, 2005) uses the terms self, sense of self, and identity to describe how an individual subjectively distinguishes who he or she is. Belk refuses to accept any definition of the self that can relate consistently across individuals and cultures because according to him what comprises the self is a personal appraisal that differs among people and across time. Self-knowledge The extended self Bluck (2003; cited in Conway, 2005, p. 596) claimed A stable, integrated, self with a confirmatory past that yields a consistent and rich life story constitutes a self that is able to operate effectively, achieve goals, and relate to others in productive ways. According to such a perspective, memories and stories of an individuals life experiences thus affect various aspects of life and develop other features of the self. Interest in the past enhances as the child starts to grasp the social relevance of autobiographical recollection, for example, its ability for developing and continuing relationships beyond the here and now. The main adaptive purpose of memory is perhaps that it allows for the making of permanent interpersonal relations, and therefore to a great extent strengthens the unity of individual groups (Neisser, 1988). The findings of Swann and Predmore (1985) suggest that relationships provide stability to the private self. In their study partners in a relationship activel y helped people sustain a stable consistent view of themselves by working to discredit contrary evidence. Having a long term, stable relationship is thus a potentially powerful source of self concept stability. Also Tice and Baumeister (2001) claim that the human mind is devised for interpersonal relations and that developing and sustaining interpersonal relationships is a key function of the human being. With the individuals memory and narrative identity contributing to such relations the extended self becomes more and more significant as we grow older. According to Negele Habermas (2009), Life narratives are manifestations of the subjective representation of ones life course. They interpret a life through explicit statements on the narrators identity and self-concept as well as by selecting specific personal experiences to be included in the narrative. (p. 1). Along with this view, McAdams (2006) claims a persons life story offers a life with a general sense of unity and reason. There are many different views on the importance of life stories and memories in relation to the self but there seems to be an overall standpoint that such stories allow people a way to explain who they are, how they came to be and where they believe their lives may be going (Bruner, 1990), which are all essential questions to be tackled in the quest for self clarification. Research by McLean and Thorne (2003) concentrate on what constituted self-defining memories of 19-year olds regarding their experience of relationships. Results showed that memories of parents were more inclined to highlight issues relating to separation however self-defining memories of friends highlighted closeness and romantic relationships. Therefore, memories of teenage years are often of occasions in which identity creation is at its greatest, a period that Arnett (2000) labelled emerging adulthood. Many theorists including Habermas Bluck (2000) suggest that this period, in which identity formation is at its peak, entails the development of a more distinguished and integrated knowledge of their own self. Singer and Salovey (1993) suggest that each person creates self-concepts from the information enclosed in the life experiences they choose to share. As they do so, they expand a remarkable source of knowledge, including knowledge about their individual capabilities, accomplishments, desires, values, and aims. This creation of the self-concept does not come about by chance; the information is precise, original, and inspired to each person. Disparity in the c ontent and order of self-knowledge portrays crucial variations among individuals in social histories, insights, and behaviour. It is from this knowledge that self-images materialize, which are defined as mental ideas of the self regarding the past, present, and future ambitions and make up part of the conceptual self (Conway, 2005). The main argument throughout this paper is that human memory is a key element of the self and there has been much research carried out supporting the notion that memory can be reconstructive in order to support current aspects of the self, e.g., Loftus (1993), Loftus Ketcham (1994). According to Conway (2005) this is done in order to make memory coherent with an individuals present goals, self-images, and self-beliefs. Therefore, memory and key features of the self shape a system in which, regarding healthy persons, ideas about, and knowledge of, the self are verified and sustained by memories of particular incidents. According to Neisser (1988) what information we remember is dependent on what we currently believe along with what has been stored. What we recall and what we decide to share with others is crucial as it influences others perception of us. This can be related to our need to belong and studies such as Tice (1992) and Schlenker, Dlugolecki, Doherty (1994) suggest that p eople use self-presentations to uphold a certain identity, and how they portray themselves to others determines how they end up viewing themselves. Jones, Rhodewalt, Berglas, and Skelton (1981) provided a biased scanning model suggesting that certain behaviours cause people to scan their memories for certain kinds of information, and these scans can leave a biased example of ones own behaviour in memory, thereby determining how the person thinks of himself or herself. McLean et al. (2007) claimed that To witness the construction of situated stories is to understand the dynamic development of the self. Indeed, sharing stories is the mechanism through which people become selves. (p. 275). This final quote sums up the argument of the paper in that the self can never fully be appreciated without the memories and experiences with which it is defined. Conclusion The argument presented in this paper introduces the importance of self knowledge and in particular the extended self in developing a greater understanding of the self. While incorporating other theorists views, self knowledge is emphasized in that it can shape and is inter-related with various other aspects of the self. Autobiographical memories and life stories of the extended self affects interpersonal relations, which in turn can affect an individuals need to belong and self presentations or vice versa and so on, thus, is at the heart of the discovery of the self. As stated in the introduction, the view portrayed in the present paper is similar to that of Belks, that the self cannot simply be viewed through components which are universal. Self knowledge and specifically an individuals extended self is a vital contributor to a greater understanding of the self, one that is completely unique to the person and thus defines the self through their own personal life stories and experien ces. This does not mean to deny the important contribution of self-esteem and a variety of other components in understanding the self but merely addresses the significance of another perspective which incorporates the contribution of self-knowledge in the construction and perception of the self.

Reading the poem Essay

In his poem ‘Slough’ Betjeman uses a number of ways to put across his views. The title itself suggests he feels that ‘Slough’ is an appropriate title, that a poem on the place deserves no better or imaginative title than just its name because the place is dull and unimaginative also, or that ‘Slough’ says it all already. The first line of the first stanza means you immediately know what he thinks, his opinion being straight to the point, asking ‘Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough’ which is a good use of juxtaposition as bombs are never seen as friendly, but in this case they would be if they bombed Slough as they would be doing him a favour. Asking for bombs to fall on Slough is an outrageous, extreme demand which he repeats in the second stanza and in the final stanza to reinforce his plea, and he also uses other extreme terms such as the people have Slough having ‘tasted Hell’ which shows clear dislike. He is very flippant about asking the bombs to blow Slough ‘to smithereens’ as if he wants no part of it left and it’s a reasonable demand. Betjeman’s phrases such as ‘It’s not their fault that they are mad’, ‘they do not know’ and ‘they often go’ makes it sound like he feels the people of Slough are alienated and are very different to himself, as if they were another species altogether, calling them ‘they’, disassociating them from himself, and being patronising about their lives. He also conveys his attitude of Slough by describing what he thinks of the people that live there such as the ‘man with the double chin’ who will ‘always cheat and always win’ and who he also refers to as a ‘stinking cad’. He is not complimentary about the people of Slough, like the wives with ‘peroxide hair’ and the men who sit in ‘bogus Tudor bars’ with nothing better to do. His descriptions of the people help explain why he dislikes Slough, and he is saying that it may be the people who live there that help to make it a bad place, so this is a view he has of Slough. But he also pities the people , saying ‘it’s not their fault’ so I think he is unsure himself whether it is the people making Slough a terrible place, or Slough making the people terrible. Either way, he subtly ridicules the people of Slough and their ways of life as he feels the wives sit and paint their nails’ and the men talk of cars and’belch’. Betjeman makes use of repetition such as the first line ‘Come, friendly bombs’ and, in the second stanza’ ‘Tinned fruit, tinned meat†¦ As repetition is a way of reinforcing and strengthening a statement or opinion. Making everything from the food to the minds and breath tinned makes it sound like the people of Slough are all the same and are dull and lifeless. He also uses alliteration in the form of ‘cabbages are coming’ and ‘grass to graze’ which help the lines to flow easily. He uses negative words clusters such as ‘Hell’, ‘repulsive’, ‘stinking’ and ‘dirty’ which show his view of Slough with strong words that appeal to the senses and the imagination of the reader. The tone of the poem is one of dislike, where Betjeman cares so little for Slough that he would cheerfully see it bombed and destroyed. This is a strong image because it must take extreme dislike for someone to want something bombed. The rhyme scheme of the poem also reveals his views because the pattern is AAAB so the first three lines of each stanza flow easily and quickly, and rhyme so the poem seems almost cheerful and happy. But the last line of each stanza is used to put across his point in a harsh phrase such as ‘They’ve tasted Hell’ and ‘Swarm over, Death! ‘ which brings the flowing stanza to an abrupt, harsher sounder end like ‘death’, ‘tears’, ‘Hell’ and ‘yell’. The majority of the stanzas finish at the end of a sentence and this is used to make strong end statements, then the next stanza will begin again in the slightly humorous tone, ridiculing Slough. The rhythm of the first three lines of each stanza is fast and light, but the rhythm is broken by the abrupt end of each stanza which breaks up the flow to remind the reader of what Slough is like. The rhythm of the poem is also Iambic Pentameter which means that Betjeman has used this to make the stresses of each line land on important words such as ‘bombs’, ‘blow’ and ‘mess’ so these words are emphasised when reading the poem, and stand out so they are noticed more. Betjeman uses certain phrases to imply that Slough is a fake, manufactured place because of the ‘air-conditioned, bright canteens’, the ‘bogus Tudor bars’ and the ‘synthetic air’. He seems to hate the fact that Slough is a place that has been built up with ‘labour-saving homes’ and has ruined the land so much that ‘There isn’t grass to graze a cow’ meaning they have built over all the land and ruined the landscape. In the final stanza, he wants to bomb Slough again so that it can be turned back into a nice place again where they can grow food and make use of the land, rather than wasting it like it is being misused now. He claims the people are false and materialistic as they do not know the ‘birdsong from the radio’ and ‘daren’t look up and see the stars’ because birdsong and stars are two of the beauties of nature that the people of Slough couldn’t possibly appreciate, in Betjeman’s opinion. Betjeman uses irony in his poem as he describes the ‘polished oak’ desk belonging to the ‘man with double chin’ and I think Betjeman has mentioned this because he feels that the land that was there before, has now been destroyed, with the trees all being cut down to make room for the buildings, and as if this wasn’t bad enough, the trees have been used to make the desks for the people who are responsible for ruining Slough which he sees as sadly ironic. One of Betjeman’s key phrases is ‘It isn’t fit for humans now’ which is a strong statement about the state of the place but also the use of the word ‘now’ at the end suggests how he feels Slough was not always like this and it has slowly been ruined over the years. In this way, I think the poem is tinged with sadness as he feels it has been ruined to the point where there is no way to solve it but to destroy it which is a very emotive, strong view. I think you can sum up Betjeman’s view of Slough by the line repeated at the beginning and end of the poem ‘Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough’.

Biography of Lucrezia Borgia, Italian Noblewoman

Lucrezia Borgia (April 18, 1480–June 24, 1519) was the  illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia) by one of his mistresses. She had three political marriages, arranged for her familys advantage, and likely had several adulterous alliances. Borgia was also for a time a papal secretary, and her later years were spent in relative stability as the Good Duchess of Ferrara, sometimes acting as de facto ruler in her husbands absence. Fast Facts: Lucrezia Borgia Known For: Borgia was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI and an important Italian noblewoman.Born: April 18, 1480 in Rome, ItalyParents: Cardinal Rodrigo de Borgia (Pope Alexander VI) and Vannozza dei CattaneiDied: June 24, 1519 in Ferrara, ItalySpouse(s): Giovanni Sforza (m.  1493–1497), Alfonso of Aragon (m.  1498–1500), Alfonso dEste  (m.  1502–1519)Children: Seven Early Life Lucrezia Borgia was born in Rome in 1480. Her father Rodrigo was a cardinal in the Catholic Church when she was born. Lucrezias mother was his mistress of some years, Vannozza Cattanei, who was also the mother of two older children by Rodrigo, Giovanni and Cesare. After Rodrigo became Pope as Alexander VI, he advanced the career within the church of many Borja and Borgia relatives. Not much is known about Borgias childhood, but by about 1489, she was living with her fathers third cousin Adriana de Mila and her fathers new mistress Giulia Farnese, who was married to Adrianas stepson. Adriana, a widow, had care of Lucrezia, who was educated at the nearby Convent of St. Sixtus. When Cardinal Rodrigo was elected Pope in 1492, he began to use that office to his familys advantage. Cesare, one of Lucrezias brothers, was made an archbishop, and in 1493 he became a cardinal. Giovanni was made a duke and was to head up papal armies. First Marriage The Sforza family of Milan was one of the most powerful families in Italy and had supported the election of Pope Alexander VI. They also were allied with the French king against Naples. A member of the Sforza family, Giovanni Sforza, was lord of a small Adriatic fishing town called Pesano. It was with him that Alexander arranged a marriage for Lucrezia, to reward the Sforza family for their support and to bind their families together. Lucrezia was 13 years old when she married Giovanni Sforza on June 12, 1493. The marriage was not a happy one. Within four years, Lucrezia was complaining of his behavior. Giovanni also accused Lucrezia of misconduct. The Sforza family was no longer in favor with the pope; Ludovico had provoked an attack by the French that almost cost Alexander his papacy. Lucrezias father and her brother Cesare began to have other plans for Lucrezia: Alexander wanted to switch alliances from France to Naples. Early in 1497, Lucrezia and Giovanni separated. The Borgias began the process of annulling the marriage, charging Giovanni with impotence and nonconsummation of the marriage. Eventually, Giovanni agreed to the annulment in exchange for keeping the substantial dowry Lucrezia had brought to the marriage. Second Marriage Lucrezia, age 21, married Alfonso dAragon by proxy on June 28, 1498, and in person on July 21. A feast much like that at her first marriage celebrated this second wedding. The second marriage soured more quickly than the first. Only a year later, other alliances were tempting the Borgias. Alfonso left Rome, but Lucrezia talked him into returning. She was appointed governor of Spoleto. On November 1, 1499, she gave birth to Alfonsos son, naming him Rodrigo after her father. On July 15 of the next year, Alfonso survived an assassination attempt. He had been at the Vatican and was on his way home when hired killers stabbed him repeatedly. He managed to make it home, where Lucrezia cared for him and hired armed guards to protect him. About a month later on August 18, Cesare Borgia visited Alfonso, who was recuperating, promising to complete that which had not been finished earlier. Cesare returned later with another man, cleared the room, and, as the other man later recounted the story, had his associate strangle or smother Alfonso to death. Lucrezia was devastated by the death of her husband. After returning to Rome, Lucrezia began to work in the Vatican at her fathers side. She handled the popes mail and even answered it when he was not in town. Third Marriage A still-young daughter of the pope remained a prime candidate for an arranged marriage to solidify Borgia power. The eldest son, and presumed heir, of the Duke of Ferrara was a recent widower. The Borgias saw this as an opportunity for an alliance with a region that was physically between their current power base and another they wanted to add to the familys lands. Ercole dEste, the Duke of Ferrara, was understandably hesitant to marry his son, Alfonso dEste, to a woman whose first two marriages had ended in scandal and death, or to marry their more established family to the newly powerful Borgias. Ercole dEste was allied with the king of France, who wanted the alliance with the Pope. The Pope threatened Ercole with the loss of his lands and title if he did not consent. Ercole drove a hard bargain before consenting to the marriage in exchange for a very large dowry, a position in the church for his son, some additional lands, and reduced payments to the church. Ercole even considered marrying Lucrezia himself if his son Alfonso did not agree to the marriage—but Alfonso did. Lucrezia Borgia and Alfonso dEste were married by proxy at the Vatican on December 30, 1501. In January, she traveled with 1,000 in attendance to Ferrara, and on February 2, the two were married in person in another luxurious ceremony. Death of the Pope The summer of 1503 was oppressively hot and mosquitos were rampant. Lucrezias father died unexpectedly of malaria on August 18, 1503, ending the Borgia plans for solidifying power. Cesare was also infected but survived, but he was too ill at his fathers death to move quickly to secure treasure for his family. Cesare was supported by Pius III, the next pope, but that pope died after 26 days in office. Giuliano Della Rovere, who had been a rival of Alexander and long an enemy of the Borgias, tricked Cesare into supporting his election as pope, but as Julius II, he reneged on his promises to Cesare. The Vatican apartments of the Borgia family were sealed by Julius, who was revolted by the scandalous behavior of his predecessor. Children The main responsibility of a Renaissance rulers wife was to bear children, who would in turn either rule or be married into other families to cement alliances. Lucrezia was pregnant at least 11 times during her marriage to Alfonso. There were several miscarriages and at least one stillborn child, and two others died in infancy. Five other children survived infancy, and two—Ercole and Ippolito—lived to adulthood. Patronage and Business In Ferrara, Lucrezia associated with artists and writers, including the poet Ariosto, and helped bring many to the court, distant as it was from the Vatican. Poet Pietro Bembo was one of those she patronized and, judging from the letters surviving to him, its possible the two had an affair. Recent studies have shown that during her years in Ferrara, Lucrezia was also a shrewd businesswoman, building up her own fortune quite successfully. She used some of her wealth to build hospitals and convents, winning the respect of her subjects. She invested in marshy land, then drained it and recovered it for agricultural use. Later Years Lucrezia received word in 1512 that her son Rodrigo dAragon had died. She withdrew from most social life, though she continued her business enterprises. She eventually turned to religion, spending more time at convents, and even began wearing a hairshirt (an act of penance) under her fancy gowns. Visitors to Ferrara commented on her melancholy and noted that she seemed to be aging rapidly. She had four more pregnancies and perhaps two miscarriages between 1514 and 1519. In 1518, she wrote a letter to her son Alfonso in France. Death On June 14, 1519, Lucrezia gave birth to a stillborn daughter. Lucrezia contracted a fever and died 10 days later. She was mourned by her husband, family, and subjects. Legacy Because of her scandalous reputation, Lucrezia Borgia has become a popular character in fiction, opera and drama. Her life has been dramatized in works such as Victor Hugos Lucrà ¨ce Borgia, the 1935 Abel Gance film Lucrezia Borgia, and the BBC series The Borgias. Sources Bradford, Sarah.  Lucrezia Borgia: Life, Love and Death in Renaissance Italy. Penguin Books, 2005.Meyer, G. J.  The Borgias: The Hidden History. Bantam Books, 2014.

Is Macbeth Really Blame For Duncan s Murder - 1743 Words

Is Macbeth really to blame for Duncan’s murder? ‘Macbeth’ is a tragic play that dramatizes the tragic flaw (hamartia) of ambition and murderous intent in Macbeth, which is manipulated by his equally ambitious wife and the inherently evil witches, which leads him to murder Duncan. The fact that this play is a tragedy suggests that it is intentional for the audience to feel sympathetic towards Macbeth. This is why Shakespeare focuses some of the blame on the witches and his wife. Lady Macbeth first impression is ambitious, manipulative and very intelligent from the quotation â€Å"Thy letters have transported me beyond this ignorant present, and I feel now the future in the instant† which shows us that she has already begun planning for the future. Her lack of scepticism in Macbeth’s letter telling her of the prophecies by the weird sisters despite knowing that the outside the chain of being are evil and dangerous and could lead her astray by lying, implies that she is eager for the prophecies to come true and is an exponent. Even if her husband had never mentioned murder in his letter to her, she drastically started planning the king’s demise as well from the quote â€Å"O, never shall that morrow see!† which shows how murderous and determined her mind is. She reveals her deceptive and manipulative side in the quotation â€Å"†¦look like the innocent flower but be a serpent under’t, which tells the reader that she is only putting on the illusion of being good The serpent also has theShow MoreRelatedWho Is Responsible for Duncans Death?984 Words   |  4 Pagesresponsible for Duncan s death is Macbeth. 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