They say that knowing oneself and really understanding oneself is one of the most important things one can do in life. Many people don’t take the time to do so. Also, our relationships with others our a reflection of the relationships we have with ourselves. In other words, our feelings toward other people are representative of the feelings we have toward ourselves.
So my question is are others necessary to help us understand ourselves?
#1 by death from above on June 8th, 2010
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NO
Because I am not a compulsive liar and I’m dependable.
*edit*
Those who thumbed down my above comment are completely backwards because the persons closest to me is either a liar and the other SO undependable and flakey. So in which case I am NOT like that. Yes it has helped me discover things about myself that I am so much stronger, way more dependable, and easily honest. The flaws in my immediate relationship with these people does not mean I carry the flaws myself in which case I strongley disagree with the question. And I’m in a situation to where I cannot get rid of these people. The relationships are pretty poisonous and it drives me crazy that I have to be around it. I did NOT come into the situation knowing these things about these people, it was unrevealed or developed -after- knowing them. I do NOT purposely seek out trouble filled relationships.
#2 by redhead27 on June 8th, 2010
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Of course, this is how we know how we communicate with others to help to get to know and better ourselves. you dont’ get to know yourself by locking yourself in a room, do you?
no.. you get to know yourself and what you are made of by communicating with other people. When we communicate and who we choose to communicate with is a direct reflection, it shows whom and what we appreciate and whom and what we have things in common with, who we can understand and who understands us.
#3 by Lord Percy Wooster IV on June 8th, 2010
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no
relationship babble
total rubbish
i am not other people so I act and am different to other people
#4 by jude on June 8th, 2010
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it is true, how u treat others is how u feel about yourself. i don’t know if others are necessary to look within oneself..
#5 by PattyAnn on June 8th, 2010
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I think if you are happy with who you are you will be more likely to reach out to others. I don’t feel I have a relationship with myself though. I am myself. Others help us to learn about ourselves. They also make us aware of characteristics we don’t want. But I’m myself when I’m alone, or when I’m with others. I really don’t think how I feel about myself says how I will feel about others, but the more I try to explain it, the more I think I don’t understand the question.
#6 by aprilpanter81 on June 8th, 2010
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no
#7 by sonni c on June 8th, 2010
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I’m not so sure about that one, but I know we pick people that are like our parents especially if it was a dysfunctional family we do this so we can somehow try to fix it now because we couldn’t fix it when we were kids.
#8 by originata on June 8th, 2010
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Yes I believe so. Outside of relatives, the relationships we have are the ones we choose to have. The people in your life are the ones you choose to be there so our relationships are extension of ourselves. People who are saying otherwise are either too dumb to internalize the question or the types who make excuses for their poor decisions.
#9 by Rizza W on June 8th, 2010
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What?..Perhaps you mean if you are lazy about yourself you are also lazy to the people you have a relationship with.My answer is definitely NO.For i am forgetful about my personal needs,but in terms about my boyfriend i don’t forget all his needs.