Embracing Our Internal Contradictions
Man is an amazing combination of logic and emotional expression, where the rational mind encounters a brilliant flow of feelings and dreams. At the very heart of a person lies a complex labyrinth of ideas and aspirations, where the strict rules accepted by society intertwine with unordered, sometimes even absurd impulses. Such internal conflict does not make us any less human—instead, it is precisely this duality that enables each individual to feel their uniqueness and depth.
In the process of self-analysis, we begin to understand that our essence goes beyond the simple patterns familiar in arithmetic and mechanics. In the depths of our personal world, not only does clear rational thinking dominate, but also mysterious forces govern our fantasies and passions. This contradiction between the external appearance that meets social expectations and our inner experiences transforms the individual into something dynamic, constantly evolving and developing.
Thus, it is the acceptance and awareness of our own contradictions that helps us maintain integrity, for it is through them that the true multifaceted nature of the human being is revealed. This eternal struggle between logic and irrationality makes us alive, open to new ideas and possibilities, and reminds us that within each of us lies an unexplored world full of vivid emotions and profound reflections.
What might the statement “man contradicts himself” signify from the perspective of self-analysis and the internal logic of personality?In this context, it means that the human essence cannot be reduced to simple, unequivocal laws akin to arithmetic calculations. Man is simultaneously guided by both rational, logically sound considerations and irrational, emotional or even fantastical impulses, leading to a constant internal conflict.
One source explains it this way:
"Man is not arithmetic; man is a problematic and enigmatic being. The nature of man is antinomic and polar to the very depths. … Man will wish for the most damaging nonsense, the most uneconomical absurdity, solely to mix with all that positive common sense his disastrous fantastical element. It is precisely his fantastical dreams … that he will wish to cling to solely to confirm to himself that people are still people, and not piano keys." (source: link txt, page: 55)
This emphasizes that the internal logic of man includes elements that contradict his rational side, confirming that he remains human rather than a machine capable of strict calculations.
Another source draws attention to the fact that in the depths of personality, the traditional laws of logic and identity often yield to other, more complex principles:
"Within me a firm conviction has arisen, expressed in a later language, that in the very essence, in that mysterious depth … the laws of identity and contradiction are powerless, and other laws operate: the identity of the contradictory and the contradiction of the identical; a thing is not itself, but something other." (source: link txt, page: 112)
Thus, self-analysis reveals two aspects within a person: an external side that adheres to logical laws and social expectations, and an internal one where a complex mix of conflicting feelings, aspirations, and ideas reigns. This duality renders the personality multifaceted, simultaneously allowing it to maintain a sense of identity and uniqueness through the acceptance of its own contradictions.