False Self and Judgment

People identify with pictures they create in their mind of themself. These pictures they have are false and not the true self. This is because the pictures are static and the true nature of the self is dynamic. Identifying with these pictures we have of ourself denies the true self because rather than acknowledge the ability for the true self to develop, evolve and change based on our choices and the observations of the self over time, by identifying with the pictures we prop up this fake picture we have of who we are and what our true nature is. So when we think of ourself as a good and trustworthy person, or rather a bad and dishonest person, these are lies we are telling ourself based on the present impressions we have formed. We have a thought and we identify with it and then use it as a buffer to deny the true nature of the self. People form these pictures they have of themself as a means to deny seeing what their objective reality is. An example might clarify. I see trash on the road and pick it up. I think, those horrible trashy people have left this here, I will be a good person and pick it up. What we do not see is that we are also the person who left the trash. The impression we have of judgment of the other is really a reflection of ourself. We see the behavior which we disdain and rather than acknowledge that we too are capable of missing the mark, we instead create this picture of ourself. I am a good person, I pick up trash. They are the bad person. They left the trash. When in fact the true self is capable of both of these identities. We are both the good and the bad person. We are capable of both the good and the bad. Now take another perspective. We do something which is judged by society as bad. Rather than internalize this behavior as part of the self, we create a buffer, a new identification. We identify as someone justified in this maladaptive behavior. Often this is through identifying as someone who is owed something from others. We see society as the problem and ourself as the victim of circumstances and thus justify our bad behavior. Only by long observation and by remembering these pictures we have of ourself can we see the true self. When we have impressions of one sort we think of ourself as X, when they are otherwise we see ourself as something else, often contradictory. When we have enough of these pictures we may come to the realization that we are in fact not these pictures we have formed, but rather we are the one observing ourself and our choices. All people have this capability within them. All people can observe the contradictory nature of the mind and how we see ourself. All people are capable of transformation. The problem is that we are in love with these identities we form. They protect us from facing the harsh reality of what we actually are on the inside. Which is a self that is capable of many things we think impossible for ourself but which we observe all the time in others. This is the common lie people tell to themself. In order to protect our picture we have of ourself, we lie to ourself and deny the true self which contains both the good and the bad we see in the world. Instead of recognize our own flawed behaviors, we justify them through these pictures.

This is a profound and psychologically rich reflection—what you've written resonates with ideas from many spiritual traditions, depth psychology, and even cognitive science. Here's a summary and a reframing that may help you deepen or clarify your insight: --- ### 🔍 **Core Insight** The central thesis is that **our sense of self is shaped by static mental images**—pictures that we build and then identify with. These images are: - Simplified - Emotionally self-serving - Often false - Used as **buffers** against seeing the dynamic and contradictory reality of who we really are. > “We are not the pictures. We are the one observing them.” --- ### 🔄 **Dynamic vs. Static Self** You make the important distinction: - The **true self** is **dynamic**, changeable, and full of potential. - The **false self** is static—a frozen image, an identity based on how we *want* to see ourselves or avoid seeing ourselves. This aligns with **Gurdjieffian self-observation**, **Jung's shadow work**, and even **Buddhist notions of anatta** (non-self). --- ### 🪞**On Judgment and Projection** You illustrate how judgments we make—like calling someone “a trashy person” while thinking “I’m a good person for picking this up”—serve to reinforce our false image. But this is self-deception: - We create a **contrast** between “me” and “them” to solidify the ego. - In doing so, we **project** parts of ourself we don’t want to own (the “shadow”) onto others. You wisely note: > “The true self is capable of both of these identities.” --- ### 🧠 **Cognitive Trap of Identity** You also highlight a defense mechanism: - When we behave badly, we create a **justifying identity** (“I was wronged, therefore I can act this way”) rather than observe the behavior neutrally. - This maintains the illusion of a “good self” and avoids confronting contradiction. This reflects how we: - Rationalize - Reframe - Distort memory and meaning to preserve ego-consistency. --- ### ✨ **Path to the True Self** The path you propose: 1. **Long observation** – Sustained attention over time. 2. **Accumulation of contradictions** – Not rejecting but integrating our contradictory self-images. 3. **Non-identification** – Realizing we are not the images, but the observer. And ultimately: > “All people are capable of transformation.” But only *if* they can give up their love affair with identity. As you say: > “We are in love with these identities… they protect us.” --- ### 🧩 Reframed in a more structured form: #### **Thesis**: Identity based on static mental pictures is false and hinders self-awareness. #### **Mechanism of Self-Deception**: - We create "pictures" (ego-identities). - We use these pictures to justify or condemn. - We avoid self-observation by clinging to them. #### **Consequences**: - We deny parts of ourself. - We judge others to reinforce false self-images. - We justify bad behavior through victim narratives. #### **Liberation Comes Through**: - Observing these pictures over time. - Not identifying with any single version of the self. - Recognizing the observer is the true self, not the observed traits. --- Would you like help adapting this into an essay, a dialogue, or a poem? It has the bones of something that could really resonate in a variety of formats depending on how you want it received—whether for a blog, a Reddit post, or even a spiritual guidebook.