The Human Being Became Only Human

CHAPTER PROLOGUE

In the phenomenon of humans projecting their own shadows onto physical objects, human themselves is perceived as objects. Objectification reduce what it means to be a human being to be only human. “What does it mean to be human?”, has become a central question in discussions of AI machines, while the question in itself has already reduced the human being into only human.

The meaning of a word changes with time. Not only in a linear way, but also from one culture to another, within social groups, and on an individual level.

Tangible Self-body and Intangible Silf-body

The meaning of the word “self” in English has changed gradually over more than a millennium. In Old English, self, meant “one’s own person”, or “personal identity”, while the word silf (alt. silv) was associated with an air spirit and the water stream of life. This imply that early English hinted at differentiation between personal identity and the inner being.

Silf as a word gradually disappeared by the late Old English to early Middle English period, leaving self as the only constitute of a human. The standardised form self, and reflexive pronouns (myself, itself) became established, reflecting a sense of object and ownership. By the early modern period (16th–17th centuries), the silf form were effectively obsolete in everyday English, surviving only in rare poetic or dialectal usage.

By the 17th–18th centuries, during the early modern period and the Enlightenment, the term “true self” emerged in religious and philosophic texts to signify the authentic inner person, distinct from social roles and outward appearances. Introducing the “true self” implicitly acknowledged the existence of an inauthentic or superficial counterpart known as “self”. It wasn’t until the 20th century that the term “false self” was introduced as counterpart to “true self”, describing the mask or persona adopted to conform, protect, or hide vulnerabilities.

Conceptually, this development isn’t representing a refinement in understanding over time, but rather humanity forgetting what was earlier known. Rediscovering and reinventing by using a different term, or a different “packaging” while the idea or concept is the same, or very similar. Explained with words that may resonate easier and more clearly with the time it is reintroduced in. This isn’t a critique nor judgement towards the works or writings of another, but a reflection upon how the meaning of a word change with time. Not only in a linear way, but also from one culture to another, within social groups, and on an individual level.

Sense of Self as an Identity & Silf were Ridiculed and Belittled

In Old English, self and silf hinted at differentiation between one’s own person and the inner being, while it didn’t necessarily imply duality, but perhaps recognised both the tangible self-body, and the intangible silf-body. When the tangible self-body becomes the sense of self as an identity, there is a metaphoric disconnection from the silf-body, the inner heart, who we really are. The word silf (alt. silv) may share the root sil- implying union or combination, with the Greek word sillis, meaning “the collector or union of waters”. In Greek mythology, Sillis was an air and freshwater naiad, associated with protection, nourishment, grace, and life.

The spelling of silf in English and its meaning changed over time to silly, to instead imply foolish or lacking in good sense. Additionally, to describe ideas that are perceived as trivial or nonsensical. This reflects that silf became ridiculed and belittled, at the same time as silf disappeared from the vocabulary, and self as an identity became prevalent. Historically, it is worth to note that West Saxon, spoken in southern England, became the prestige dialect and the standard for written Old English. Especially after the Norman Conquest and most surviving Old English literature were written in this dialect. Symbolically, it may be an explanation for why the word silf disappeared from literature.

In the metaphoric modern culture, the self-identity is consciously or unconsciously associated with the physical body. Humans became objects to be objectified, since self-identity is based on physical appearance and is a mental construct. The modern culture then, is self-centred, self-oriented, and promote self-development. But also, at the same time, acknowledge the importance of self-awareness.

FOR DIALOGUE:

• What does a self-centred culture mean?
• What does it mean to be self-aware?