Symbolic
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What is of Consequence to the individual, determines the person's
Consciousness and awareness, as what they notice and are aware of. The midnight gambler may not be terribly concerned or conscious of the typical concern of the farmer as weather.
When the individual transcends from the Mundane to the Symbolic Consciousness, this may involve a realization of utmost Consequence,
worth, esteem and value. This new sense of Consequence in general, and self-worth in particular, would then involve a re-evaluation of the self, from a person
that was restricted to a singular material identity, of limited power, ability, consequence and potential, to one of greater expanded Consequence, powers, abilities or potentiality. This realization as a transition, can be difficult for the individual, and cause trauma, emotional distress, catatonic-like paralysis or
any number of intellectual and emotional difficulties. This transcension may
occur in two ways:
1. It may occur through actual change of physical circumstance, like one suddenly becoming famous, rich or obtaining a position of power. Because
the individual remains limited to a single identity as a function, the
consciousness remains limited except to the extent that the person can extrapolate these circumstances to archetypal similarities of others.
2. Or this may occur as a matter of consciousness alone, without any real change in physical circumstance.
The Symbolic Self is an identity that transcends the limitations of the Singular Self, wherein the individual takes on a symbolic identity. This identity means that the individual is not limited to the Interpretive Context of a single person and Singular Self, but that anybody could be anybody, as illustrated by the saying,
"But by the grace of God, there go I". This may also include the identification
with any living thing, from a bug to a bear.
The individual defines the self in terms of a Consciousness as opposed to one's physical attributes. The Consciousness may transcend the individuality of material limitation as one person, place and time.
Symbolic Identity (2 of 5)
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