REFLECTION Nov. 13 - Heidegger

This was BY FAR, the most difficult reading I have attempted since the start of this class.

Trying to navigate the language Heidegger uses and break down his seemingly repetitive sentences into something I can comprehend is a task that I am STILL involved in, even after the initial class.

That being said, thanks to the two groups and their overview of the material, I was able to extract a few points to base a reflection on.

To get any sense of the material presented, is is essential to understand Heidegger's concept of the "They".

He uses this tern to describe other people we share the world with. The they seems to take on a negative connotation in his writings, as they have an impact on and are directly blamed for loss of the authentic self (more about that later).

One vein that has carried through the whole of this semester's existentialism studies and is especially highlighted by Heidegger is how relevant the once progressive topics these philosophers are speaking to.

For example, the "They" he uses sounds to me like the definition of society today that is constantly waged in wars and said to be "robbing" one group or the other of an "authentic self".

If you look at the media, "they" are trying to tell you to be concerned with an unhealthy self-image and have brought down the collective youth's self esteem levels.

"They" are blamed for the decline of the family unit and the hardships of the middle class.

This anonymous "They" is vilified in all assets of society and the calling to be one's "true, authentic self" is stronger than ever.

It amazes me that this concept Heidegger had such issue bringing to light is still a widely discussed topic today. 

Another of Heidegger's concepts that I found to be interesting was the idea of the "Authentic Self".

Heidegger describes people as either authentic or inauthentic.

But this goes much deeper than the surface statement of "Be Yourself".

Heidegger explains that we are mostly inauthentic in our everyday lives because being a part of society (the they) prevents us from knowing our authentic selves.

This led me to dig a little deeper into the authentic self and what Heidegger meant by bringing ourselves back to authentic when we are so clearly immersed in an inauthentic world.

In going over his resolutions to authenticity, I came across such terms as "throwness" and Anticipatory Resoluteness".

It was in in researching these terms that I was able to uncover that his emphasis on Possibilities and Anticipation is central to the authentic self.

From what I gathered, anticipation of our eventual end and all of the possibilities that are of our choosing until that end are what defines our true self.

I will admit, I did get lost in the web of terms and trying to come to my own conclusion of resoluteness.

Having never had to face any kind of my own, it is a hard concept to take on personally.

But, this will be the first philosopher that I am continuing to research and read and try to gain an understanding on beyond what is required to complete an assignment.

So there is that.