Epistemological Self-Consciousness

n., the knowledge of who you are, and the knowledge of the implications of this knowledge on yourself and others.

It is impossible to truly know oneself. One's biases and self-deceits are too fully ingrained to allow one to unearth and dissect oneself. To attempt to do so would be death. It is only through the study of others that one can come to comprehend oneself. It is only when one's bubble presses up against that of another that it deforms enough to reflect back a part of itself. For what is a soul in the end, solitary and isolated from the rest of humanity, but a grain of dust?

It is impossible to truly know another. One's habitual prejudices and dissemblances are too resilient to be completely overcome in any relationship. To attempt to do so would be murder. It is only through the study of oneself that one can come to apprehend another. It is only when one's eyes turn inward that they can avoid their self-induced blindness and see through to others. For what is humanity in the end, commingled and confused, but a storm of dust?

Can there then be any genuine personality, any honest impression, any clear perception? Any 'real me' among the myriad kaleidoscopic projections of myself? Any answer to the primal question, 'What is man?' (Psalm 144:3)? Truly, the only definition of existence is 'that which God sees'. For in seeing, He creates reality.