The counterintuitive argument that the modern concept of the unique, autonomous, inward-looking "self" is a historical invention, not a universal human truth. In this view, our sense of having a private, consistent identity with personal desires and rights is shaped by culture, language, and institutions (like psychology and law). You are not just expressing your true self; you are performing a self that your society has taught you how to be.
*Example: "My great-grandfather saw himself as part of a family, village, and church. I see myself as a 'unique individual' with personal dreams. The Theory of Constructed Individual says we're both right—our sense of self was built by different worlds. My 'authentic self' is a performance scripted by 21st-century individualism, just as his was by communal obligation."*
by Abzu Land January 31, 2026
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