It seems as though one all too often places this value judgement into the hands of others who really have no true basis for the evaluation. If one were to compare two works of pottery that I had thrown on a wheel, that I had created form a raw lump of clay, no matter how hard I may try to make them look and feel the exact same, they would be completely different and unique. The value and worth of the individual, the intrinsic uniqueness of every single living creature upon the earth are just as clear when speaking with twins.
We have no way of becoming someone else, we must find a psychological perspective which allows us to be ok with both the similarities and the differences with which we all are naturally subject. The greatest test of this life is to be our best selves, there are many and varied opinions on just what that would be. I want to be me and I want to please the society around me but I do not wish to please either one at the expense of the other. Here is where Shakespeare was genius, "to thine own self be true" this does not mean selfish or myopic, rather it is to say be a person of integrity. Self betrayal and the betrayal of others is the root of all unhappiness. By choosing consistent behavior, combined with true and correct principals for living, we achieve a Utopian state.
"Bearing the burden of the unique" as my friend Mitch puts it. Not worrying about the fact that we are not assembly line cookie cutter cutouts, exactly the same as everyone else. Being human is having faults, it is a struggle and it is going through pain. Life is also beautiful, vibrant and incredible. The paradigm with which we choose to live, will determine both our attitude and our experience. No one is born perfect with a knowledge and understanding of all things. We must all learn bit by bit, building our understanding one principal and one experience at a time.
What source can we trust? What rubric do we approach the future with? With what do we measure ourselves against? and Why?
