Saturday, November 5, 2011
Hegel was on to something
So, I've been thinking about Hegel's idea of mutual recognition (thank you Anne and Nomka! - the two Sartre quotes), and I'm pretty sure that Hegel has a good idea. His whole concept of only being able to attain this level of self-consciousness through mutual recognition was a little confusing at first, and, in fact, I considered it downright incorrect. However, thinking on it more, I have discovered more validity in this statement. Sure, you can be yourself, define yourself by your own morals, and not by what others may think of you, but there is also a part, a significant part of you which is STRONGLY influenced by others. We have no control over this influence for at least the first 13-15 years of our life, because we are not consciousness of it. But I think the point that Hegel is trying to make, or at least what I'm getting out of it, is that by realizing that this other influence exists, and that it is exerting influence on you, you are able to understand yourself more fully. This recognition of the other being's recognition of YOU is what allows us to understand ourselves to the greatest extent.
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Agreed! I really didn't get mutual recognition until I realized how much the comments on blogs and feedback in class meant to me. Sometimes I feel like I am fading into the background- it is wonderful when someone notices and acknowledges you.
ReplyDeleteOur class may be made up of amazing individuals, but makes it work is how we come together to form a community. The interaction between individual self-consciousnesses makes it what it is.
Beautifully stated. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said, and Anne, your comment made me understand it even better! If you think about it, there is NO ONE in this world that isn't influenced by the opinions of other people. Everybody searches for recognition from others because when someone we love or a friend agrees with something that we have done, this validates our sense of self and makes us feel better.
ReplyDeleteHegel capitalized on this constant theme and philosophized it to say that our existence hinges on this mutual recognition. I may not agree with this, but I certainly understand the foundation for his theory now.