The self has come under considerable attack in postmodern times. Amidst many deconstructions and ... more The self has come under considerable attack in postmodern times. Amidst many deconstructions and re-formulations of the self, various myths of self have lost their sustainability. This paper reviews a number of different theoretical perspectives on the self along with many postmodern challenges to the self. It is proposed that the self is a socially constructed entity which can be conceptualized from a variety of perspectives. We also propose that not all myths of self are equal. In particular, premodern and modern myths of self are inadequate for postmodern times. Building from an existential-integrative perspective, we propose Schneider's (1990) paradoxical self as a promising myth of self for postmodern times. The self maintained a secure, even sacred place throughout the history of Western thought. Despite widespread disagreement about what constituted the self and the essential nature of the self, few questioned its existence. Contemporary times challenged this privileged place of the self. Technology and pluralism brought metaphors of multiple selves. Postmodern analyses quickly followed questioning whether a singular, essential self was a healthy construction. The influence of Eastern thought, in particularly Buddhist philosophy, introduced the ideal of no-self. Cultural analyses provided examples of cultures which did not have a conception of the self. In the end, the necessity of a self conception, so basic to Western psychology, is now in question.
The self has come under considerable attack in postmodern times. Amidst many deconstructions and ... more The self has come under considerable attack in postmodern times. Amidst many deconstructions and reformulations of the self, various myths of self have lost their sustainability. This article reviews various theoretical perspectives on the self along with many postmodern challenges to the self. It is proposed that the self is a socially constructed entity which can be conceptualized from a variety of perspectives; however, not all myths of self are equal. In particular, premodern and modern myths of self are inadequate for postmodern times. Building from an existential—integrative perspective, we propose Schneider's paradoxical self as a promising myth of self for postmodern times.
The self has come under considerable attack in postmodern times. Amidst many deconstructions and ... more The self has come under considerable attack in postmodern times. Amidst many deconstructions and re-formulations of the self, various myths of self have lost their sustainability. This paper reviews a number of different theoretical perspectives on the self along with many postmodern challenges to the self. It is proposed that the self is a socially constructed entity which can be conceptualized from a variety of perspectives. We also propose that not all myths of self are equal. In particular, premodern and modern myths of self are inadequate for postmodern times. Building from an existential-integrative perspective, we propose Schneider's (1990) paradoxical self as a promising myth of self for postmodern times. The self maintained a secure, even sacred place throughout the history of Western thought. Despite widespread disagreement about what constituted the self and the essential nature of the self, few questioned its existence. Contemporary times challenged this privileged place of the self. Technology and pluralism brought metaphors of multiple selves. Postmodern analyses quickly followed questioning whether a singular, essential self was a healthy construction. The influence of Eastern thought, in particularly Buddhist philosophy, introduced the ideal of no-self. Cultural analyses provided examples of cultures which did not have a conception of the self. In the end, the necessity of a self conception, so basic to Western psychology, is now in question.
The self has come under considerable attack in postmodern times. Amidst many deconstructions and ... more The self has come under considerable attack in postmodern times. Amidst many deconstructions and reformulations of the self, various myths of self have lost their sustainability. This article reviews various theoretical perspectives on the self along with many postmodern challenges to the self. It is proposed that the self is a socially constructed entity which can be conceptualized from a variety of perspectives; however, not all myths of self are equal. In particular, premodern and modern myths of self are inadequate for postmodern times. Building from an existential—integrative perspective, we propose Schneider's paradoxical self as a promising myth of self for postmodern times.
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Papers by Denise Warren