I can easily understand what is meant by instinctual identity, it is basically the will to survive and reproduce. I understand the four instincts. Fear - the desire to avoid that which could hurt oneself or that which one considers one's own. Desire - the desire to obtain that which can help oneself or that which one considers one's own. Aggression - the desire to hurt that which can hurt oneself or that which one considers one's own. Nurture the desire to help that which can help oneself or that which one considers one's own.

But what I don't really understand is what my social identity is, I don't believe in God, I can't think of any superstitions I have... I really just don't know what to look for. I guess I have some subconscious prejudices, does that count? Basically, what should I look for?

thanks

While asking this question, how do you feel?

hmm... I'm trying to ask it to myself and figure out what feeling tone it evokes, but its not really evoking anything. I've been spending the day focusing on sensuousness, particularly being aware of what I'm calling "emotion centers" in chest, solar plexus, and navel, I'm like... forgetting which sensations match up with which names lmao. Anyway, here is the sensation, sort of heat in solar plexus region, maybe that's indigestion... facepalm. I have no idea what's going on but I'm really calm.

I feel like I just entered a new world in which everything significant is reduced to sensation in my solar plexus and chest, if someone more experienced than me could like... give an explanation of different feelings, where what is found etc. that would be great.


At the same time I'm very aware of my mind/intentions/subconscious crap etc. I sort of caught myself trying to work some manipulative flattery into my above words, realizing that anyone who I really want to answer me here wouldn't and couldn't be affected by such stuff. (hint hint)


man.. too bad I don't have the slightest ability to articulate my thoughts and feelings, although the fact that I'm smiling while recognizing such a true lack within myself seems promising

I've always been suspicious of unctuousness but not in anyway due to a lack of affection. My first roommate in this town was always trying to flatter me and now I'm suing him for my security deposit. So I guess my suspicion was justified. But my greater point is that I'm still very much a slave to my emotions so you can take this as it pleases you: Your social identity is the whole of which makes you happy,sad,scared,hopeful,angry,lascivious,pious,etc. It can be diced up in a million ways and expounded upon ad nauseum. Learn the art of always being happy and harmless and the whole of your social identity shrinks to just "i am that dude which is happy and harmless all the time." That is only an educated guess but I'll further guess that after the social identity shrinks to that small of a size, it eventually disappears altogether.


edit: that last sentence doesn't make much sense.

[link].

In case you already haven't, you should try reading the correspondences for "Social Identity" on there too. Most of what you want and need to know is on the website, it just takes some time to explore and find the information you're looking for. I've understood social identity to be composed of things like morals and ethics, identification with a group, and any other beliefs. Me thinks you don't need to go looking for the social identity as that seems almost like looking for "my" self. Just pay attention to the only moment you ever experience (now) and if you're not happy, then you have something to attend to and resolve. So if you're not happy and harmless right now, what's preventing you from being so?

well i guess what (was) preventing me, at least when I wrote this was the idea that I wasn't making progress because I couldn't find the closet in my head marked "social identity"

but I think I found a good definition, at least one that helps me in practice, basically the social identity is whatever stands between you and naivete, basically three subconscious categories, assumptions, beliefs, and values.